The Central Manpower Base (CMPB) is the first in the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) to achieve the Singapore Innovation Class certification. MINDEF’s PRIDE newsletter recently conducted an interview with Commander of CMPB, COL Toh Meng Soon. Here, Challenge features excerpts of the interview, which reveals the keys to CMPB’s success.

When did the innovation journey begin?
We started our Organisational Excellence journey in 1994. In 2001, we realised that there was a need to boost our innovation excellence. And since CMPB is a service-oriented organisation, the need for innovation is even greater as we deal with the public.

What were the initial obstacles?
First and foremost was the turnover of NSF (full-time National Servicemen), so continuity was a problem. A bigger obstacle was difficulty in encouraging the older staff members to adapt to any changes. In the beginning, there was some resistance. However, we managed to overcome this by involving everyone in the organisation actively, so everyone felt that they had a personal stake in this effort.

What we did was to merge old and new practices, by inviting the older staff… to share experiences and stories with the younger staff. This meant gaining lessons and wisdom from the older staff and improving the practices with the enthusiasm of the younger staff.

What were some of your other efforts to inculcate innovation?
We strongly advocate training and go by the mantra: Passion for Innovation Makes the Difference. Training plays a great part in empowering the staff and inevitably, they feel the passion for the cause. Investing in training is of great importance as this way, we empower our staff to create and add value.

What strategies did you adopt to achieve I-Class?
We have found the Creative Tension Model to be a crucial component of creativity in any organisation. What this model basically does is to help visualise the problem, then create a tension that will spark off creativity in order to overcome the problem.

We also built innovation centres, which are essentially rooms that are specially tailored to encourage and inspire creative thinking.

Besides allocating space, we also set aside time. These sessions are labelled the “Touch Hour”…. Staff are encouraged to come together to brainstorm, exchange ideas and interact in a relaxed atmosphere.
We also ride on the MINDEF Innovation Framework to provide overall training for all staff. Our senior managers also lead innovation projects and act as motivators for the members.

What improvements have you observed?
We have observed a marked improvement in the number of suggestions contributed. Last year, we managed to chalk up a 15% to 20% quality suggestion rate. This year, it stands at 35%.

People are more active in booking the innovation rooms for discussions. Plus, they are now more willing to take risks. I feel that our efforts to inculcate innovation have empowered them.

What’s the biggest lesson learnt?
I learned that this is indeed not an overnight journey. It is something that is long-drawn, long-term and its results will carry on for a long time. Also, investing in innovation requires everyone’s effort.

What is your next step?
We will continue to improve and innovate. CMPB will continue to respond to any recommendations by SPRING Singapore and persevere in our efforts to achieve a greater level of innovative excellence.