The Secretary of the Navy Advisory Panel held a public meeting to address its research about the ways to establish a culture of innovation in the Department of the Navy, March 17.

SNAP's mission is to provide expert advice on a variety of issues that range from service members' health to nuclear weapons.

DON will use the guidance to help aide in the retention of service members and to foster innovation throughout the Navy.

SNAP was asked to develop creative approaches to continuously improve the force, while maintaining warfighting dominance and sustaining advantages with fewer resources.

The board concluded that, inculcating, managing and sustaining a focus on innovation is an obligation of leadership and a national security imperative. However, SNAP understands that creating a culture of change in a large, complex organization like the DON is challenging at best.

The study identified there are inherent difficulties in generating change in hierarchical and highly bureaucratic organizations, and provides recommendations that the DON may take to foster a culture of innovation.

"In a world of modern systems we need new thinking, and fostering a culture of innovation will guide the DON into the future," said retired Adm. Bill Studeman, SNAP chairman.

The Panel concluded, establishing a culture of innovation in the DON may best be accomplished through the initiation of multiple, small pilot projects that promote innovation, eliminate barriers, encourage experimentation and reward success. In this way, leadership emphasizes the importance of innovation and their personal commitment to improvement to attract emulation across the workforce and initiate behavioral change.

The Secretary of the Navy's current innovation initiatives, largely represented by the work of Task Force Innovation and now the Naval Innovation Network, have momentum and may well serve as catalysts to new behaviors and ultimately lead to cultural change if nurtured, leveraged and sustained.