In many companies, the word ‘innovation’ has become synonymous with decoration. Rooms with colorful poufs, walls covered in sticky notes, and inspiring slogans make up the perfect backdrop for social media photos. However, behind this modern aesthetic, there isn’t always a real strategic transformation underway. The problem isn’t the trendy environments, which can stimulate new ways of working, but the confusion between creativity and innovation—one of the great corporate misconceptions of our time. Creativity is necessary, of course: it opens paths, proposes ideas, imagines possibilities. But true innovation goes beyond brainstorming and wall stickers. It requires method, commitment, and, above all, difficult decisions.
It’s easy to say ‘we’re innovating’ when the speech is ready and events are full. What’s hard is changing the structure, questioning untouchable metrics, and altering the core of the business. Innovation, in its essence, hurts, unsettles, and provokes. It requires the courage to look at what has always worked and admit that it may no longer be enough. And few leaders are willing to face that. In practice, what we often see is what could be called ‘innovation fake‘. A McKinsey survey showed that 84% of executives believe innovation is essential for growth, but only 6% are satisfied with their organizations’ innovation performance. This exposes the gap between rhetoric and reality.
Companies celebrate squads that deliver beautiful MVPs that never leave PowerPoint. Executives praise innovation culture while blocking bold ideas for ‘going off-scope.’ Some invest millions in innovation programs disconnected from the real business strategy, just to fuel rhetoric that doesn’t hold up in practice. And this kind of corporate theater is costly. It wastes energy, frustrates talent, and undermines engagement from those who truly want to transform.
Another survey, this time by the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), reveals that over 70% of digital transformation initiatives fail to achieve their goals. This isn’t due to a lack of technology or ideas but, most often, cultural resistance, absence of strategic clarity, and execution failures. True innovation is built on a different level. It starts with uncomfortable questions, a willingness to listen, and the humility to recognize what needs to change—even if it hurts. It thrives under leadership that understands the future won’t be a linear continuation of the present and, therefore, demands disruption.
So, more than creating a new product or service, innovation is an act of responsibility. It’s rethinking how the company positions itself in the world, what real problems it wants to solve, and what ethical dilemmas it must face. It’s building relevance, not just appearance. If the goal is true innovation, perhaps the first step is taking the sticky notes off the wall and putting the challenges everyone avoids on the table. The relevance of the future won’t be won with inspiring slogans but with courageous decisions. Because, in the end, innovating isn’t about looking modern. It’s about having the audacity to do things differently—and better—while there’s still time.
