ORGANIZATIONS aspire to be innovative, with business leaders attending courses or getting external consultants to help them with innovation programs. But it's easier said than done.

Many people think that a brilliant idea is the most difficult part of an endeavor. But turning a concept into a reality and persuading others to support it are the true obstacles. There will be challenges — whether you're attempting to launch a company, develop new technologies, or alter the way things are done. You will be questioned by some, and people will try to stop you. There will be times when something won't work out the way you wanted it.

People's resistance to change is one of the main issues. Humans tend to stick with things that are comfortable and familiar. This explains why many innovative concepts are snubbed before they even get a chance to be pursued.

People didn't pay much attention to electric cars when they first appeared. Oil firms did not want to lose business, and traditional automakers didn't want to abandon gasoline engines.

Not even drivers were persuaded. They were concerned about charging facilities, battery longevity, and the ability of an electric automobile to travel great distances. Before consumers began to consider electric automobiles as a viable transportation alternative, it took years of trial and error, and a firm like Tesla to push the boundaries.

Then there's failure. It happens a lot. Thomas Edison, the scientist who invented the light bulb, once said he didn't fail — he just found 10,000 ways that didn't work. That's how innovation is. You try something, it fails, you try again.

For every big success story like Apple or Google, there are thousands of companies that never made it past the starting line. Some ran out of money. Others couldn't solve a key problem. Some just got lost in the shuffle because no one noticed them. Investors don't like taking risks, so unless you can prove your idea will work, getting financial support is an uphill battle.

Even when an idea is great, making it happen is another challenge. When Apple launched the iPhone, it changed everything. But what most people don't see are the years of research, testing, and problem-solving that went into it. Engineers had to figure out how to make a touchscreen that wouldn't wear out too quickly. They had to fit a powerful computer into a small device without draining the battery in a few hours. They had to make sure it was easy for anyone to use.

And then there are the rules. Some industries make it really hard to introduce new ideas. Health care is a perfect example. Let's say someone invents a revolutionary new drug or medical device. It could take a decade or more before that product reaches the public. Governments have strict regulations to make sure new treatments are safe, which makes sense, but the process is long and expensive. The Covid-19 pandemic showed what can happen when there's an urgent need — vaccines were developed in record time. But that's rare. Most of the time, innovation in medicine moves painfully slowly.

Even if you create something incredible, there's still one last challenge: convincing people to use it. Just because something works doesn't mean people will accept it right away. The internet is a prime example. Back in the 1990s, a lot of businesses thought it was just a trend. They couldn't see why they'd ever need a website. Now the internet runs almost everything.

Today, artificial intelligence is experiencing the same issue. Despite AI's incredible potential, many are hesitant to use it. They are concerned about security threats, job losses, and whether they can rely on machines to make choices.

The problem is that success isn't a permanent state. You're not always safe just because you innovate once. A business may be doing well one day and having trouble the next. Take a look at Nokia. In the past, it dominated the mobile phone market. But Nokia was unable to keep up with the rise of smartphones. Apple and Google invest billions in research because of this. They are aware that someone else will take their place if they stop moving forward. Innovation will never be simple. However, it wouldn't be worth much if it were easy to achieve. The world is changed by those who take chances, persevere through difficulties, and don't give up. *** The author is the founder and CEO of Hungry Workhorse, a digital, culture, and customer experience transformation consulting firm. He is a Fellow at the US-based Institute for Digital Transformation. He teaches strategic management and digital transformation in the MBA Program of De La Salle University. Email him at rey.lugtu@hungryworkhorse.com Source: https://www.manilatimes.net/2025/02/27/business/top-business/why-innovation-is-not-easy/2063077