By Henry Doss. If innovation is the topic, culture should be your first concern. If innovative practices, innovative execution, innovative output and innovation as a means to long-term excellence are a desired outcome, your attention should go first to culture. If innovation is a "strategic imperative" or some such other phrase or vision or story line, then culture change should be the path you pursue. Start anywhere else and shy away from culture, and at best you will likely achieve only incremental tactical and structural improvements.