After years of constant transformation, from digital to agile to sustainability, many large organizations are feeling the strain. Yet innovation remains a strategic necessity.
But what if innovation wasn’t framed as the next big shift, but rather as a core part of how organizations operate and make decisions?
We sat down with Giorgia Vazzoler, Bluemorrow’s new Director Innovation & Venturing and a seasoned transformation leader with experience at Deloitte, FedEx, and Bekaert, to talk about what it really takes to lead meaningful change when organizations are running low on change capacity and how to make innovation sustainable rather than exhausting.
Transformation fatigue in today's organizations
Let’s start with the elephant in the room: transformation fatigue. You’ve led several large-scale initiatives focused on accelerating innovation, especially by shifting the lens from product to customer. How real is this fatigue in today’s corporations?
Giorgia: It is very real. After years of ongoing change initiatives such as new tools, new teams, new structures, and new innovation programs, many employees are understandably skeptical. The word “transformation” has been used so often, and in so many contexts, that it has started to lose its meaning.
But the issue is not transformation itself. It is how we approach it. When change feels imposed, rushed, or when it is expected to happen overnight without real understanding or visible impact, people naturally disengage. Fatigue sets in when innovation and transformation becomes a buzzword rather than a meaningful and grounded journey.
So what does it take to keep people engaged in innovation transformation, especially in global, matrixed organizations?
Giorgia: First of all, leadership endorsement is essential. The right governance needs to be in place, and active sponsorship is critical. This cannot just be a few inspiring lines in an annual town hall. It needs to be visible through consistent action and embedded into strategic priorities. If leadership signals are inconsistent, people will quickly assume it is just another short-lived initiative.
Second, innovation must be treated as a real and sustained priority, whatever the circumstances. If people constantly see urgent tasks taking precedence over long-term strategic work, it sends the message that innovation is optional. That erodes engagement fast.
And just as importantly, results matter. It is not enough to talk about change, we need to show its impact in real projects and initiatives where the shift is actually happening. When small teams or project leads begin to demonstrate progress and outcomes, that is what builds belief across the organization. Whoever is part of these efforts has a responsibility to take others with them, to make the change visible and credible through results.
In the end, driving engagement is everyone’s job. Leaders set the tone, but teams bring innovation to life. Ownership of innovation has to be shared across the organization to truly gain traction.
Making innovation real in complex organizations
You often talk about “making innovation real” within complex organizations. What does that mean to you?
Giorgia: In large, complex organizations, that means reducing the distance between strategy and execution so that innovation efforts directly supports strategic goals. Too often, innovation and strategy teams work in silos with different mandates, which creates misalignment and slows progress. Real impact comes when these groups collaborate closely, ensuring innovation efforts directly support strategic goals.
It also means giving teams the permission, tools and space to test without waiting for perfect conditions. Experimentation, whether it’s about a product, a venture, or an idea, is a key if you want to scale, and it should be understood as an opportunity to lower the risk of spending too much time and effort on initiatives that might not work.
The role of leadership in sustaining innovation
What role does leadership play in keeping the innovation agenda alive through fatigue?
Giorgia: A huge role. Leaders are the real architects, setting the tone is key but not enough. We hear a lot of “bold” visions these days, but how many of those actually translate into tangible results, and how many remain just slogans? It’s the difference between talking about innovation and driving actual impact that truly sustains the innovation agenda through fatigue.
In your view, what’s one thing organizations should stop doing, and one thing they should start if they want to avoid burnout while driving innovation?
Giorgia: Organizations should stop launching initiatives without integration, and stop treating everything as a priority when they can’t realistically gain traction. This only creates confusion and overload.
What they should start doing is investing in rhythm. Innovation needs cadence, regular review cycles, feedback loops, and storytelling that connects the dots. Start by generating a large number of new ideas, then focus on selecting the best bets to move forward with. It’s crucial to iterate quickly with the market so you don’t realize too late that you’ve been pursuing the wrong direction.
Move fast, keep the rhythm, and maintain a system that supports continuous learning and adaptation. That’s how you build real momentum without burning out.
Why Bluemorrow? Giorgia's motivation and impact
You’ve just joined Bluemorrow. What drew you to this team, and what impact do you hope to make?
Giorgia: What I love about Bluemorrow is the blend of vision and execution. It’s a place where foresight meets hands-on transformation, where we help leaders not just imagine the future, but build toward it. I’m here to help organizations translate ambition into momentum, and to show that innovation, done right, doesn’t drain people, it energizes them.
Curious how do you drive innovation transformation that energizes while delivering impact with your teams? Let’s connect and discuss.
