‘The final week at ANZAC was ordered bedlam…it was also during the last week that various devices and contraptions were put into effect’
– David W. Cameron: Our Friend the Enemy

Innovation is defined as – the introduction of new things or methods[1]. Military history continues to highlight the value innovation brings to combat power, and arguably remains a discriminator to who holds the advantage between adversaries. Robert Half[2], a business consulting firm, offers ten ways to encourage innovation. This paper will consider four of their key arguments and their relationship to soldier innovation.

A reason to care – The fact is, if people aren’t feeling connected to your company, there’s little incentive for them to be innovative.

Our soldiers need to be connected to the Army. This is most manifest in our soldier’s immediate workplace experience. One way to connect our soldiers is to have planned and effective activities or experiences that connect soldiers to the reasons why they joined the Army. This connection incentivises soldiers to want to come to work. The eagerness to engage generates energy to make it their best experience; searching for that ‘best experience’ is indicative they care. Thus, the desire to make it their best experience is where innovation evolves.

Do what you can to remove red tape – it can be demoralising if recommendations must go through multiple layers of approvals in the organisation and take a significant time before they’re implemented, if at all. Make it easy for employees to offer their ideas.

Bureaucratic organisations, buy their nature, create layers and processes. Here, the challenge is to identify or create the pathway that promotes innovation. Diggerworks is the outcome of recognising the need to generate faster cycles of innovation and deployment of new equipment, at the organisational level. It listens to the soldiers’ comments and advice. While other systems may eventually bring ideas to life, Diggerworks has a track record of achieving it more quickly[3].

Makerspace is an Army initiative providing a place for learning-by-making and education in innovative approaches, creative thinking and agile methodologies[4]. Makerspace is in major bases around Australia. An example of soldier innovation occurred in the Townsville Makerspace where soldiers created a cylume stick holder, through 3D printing that could be attached to aiming posts for mortars or a gun-line. This solved the problem of breaking the accuracy of C2 sight alignment with the aiming post, when changing out cylume sticks.

Both Diggerworks and Makerspace offer pathways that mitigate layers of red tape and simplify ways for soldiers to take their ideas and bring them to life. Encouraging soldiers to explore the Makerspace facilities in their local area and understand how to promote ideas through Diggerworks will reinforce confidence and simplify soldier’s innovation.

Calm the naysayers – A key reason people often hesitate to offer fresh proposals is that they worry what others might say. No one wants to have their ideas shot down immediately or become fodder for jokes.

LCPL William Scurry, the inventor of the ‘Drip Rifle’ recalls when asked by his officer why he wanted to get water, offered a nondescript answer as he thought his ‘half-finished affair would be laughed at’. Notwithstanding, the fact he regarded his officer was ‘as reasonable an officer as men ever had’. His invention went on to be a component of the overall deception plan for the evacuation of Gallipoli[5].

Creating an environment that encourages brainstorming without the fear of adverse judgement can be challenging. However, overtime, reinforcing the behaviours sought – being all ideas are valuable and worthy of exploration – will build confidence in the team to expand thinking and explore a multitude of ideas. A view of ‘failure is feedback’ goes a long way to calm the naysayers and build confidence in soldiers to challenge the status quo and seek solutions in unusual ways. The first idea may not solve the problem, but it often brings about the answer that does. Confidence to explore ideas is essential.

Set the example – If you never think creatively with your own work, you can’t really expect your employees to do the opposite.

Leaders have an opportunity to demonstrate innovative thinking and actions; setting the example through testing ideas, writing submissions to working groups and offering thoughts to platforms that promote innovative thinking such as Battle Lab. Additionally, conducting local innovation days, creating unit innovation competitions to solve trade related problems or exploit opportunities are all ways leaders can set the example and encourage soldiers to follow suit. A key by-product of setting the example is maturing the Army as a learning organisation and a culture that is comfortable and encouraging of innovation.

In conclusion, connecting soldiers to their service in Army, simplifying the pathway to bring ideas to life, silencing the naysayers and setting the example will promote innovation. The ability for Army to adapt to changing circumstances with great ease, both before and during conflict, will depend not only on innovative behaviours, but an organisational culture that supports and promotes it.

WO1 R Munro 
RSM 3 BDE

End Notes