By Tom Kelley

In today's hypercompetitive economy not only is standing still lethal, but even slowing down the pace of innovation can be hazardous to your organizational health. If you're not running faster than the competition, then you are quietly falling behind.

My recent book, The Ten Faces of Innovation, outlines creative roles that can help push forward your strategic agenda. There are learning roles like the Anthropologist, who learns from observing human behavior and the Experimenter, who learns from enlightened trial and error. There are organizing roles like the Hurdler, who's adept at anticipating obstacles and either leaping over them or sidestepping them completely.

 There are building roles like the Caregiver, who nurtures customers to build deep brand loyalty and the Storyteller who taps into the power of authentic narratives. All ten of these roles or personas add value to the innovation team, and it's even better if they show up each day wearing their running shoes. Teaming up for innovation is a lot like an athletic event, and many of the same principles apply:

• Stretch for strength
  In the long run, flexibility is more important for your organization than strength.

• Go for distance
  Innovation is not just a program. It's a way of life. Keep your innovation personas in peak condition, and encourage your team to do the same.

• Never Surrender
  Real innovators recognize that they will have to overcome a series of obstacles, even if only one or two are visible at the onset.

• Embrace the mental game
  The mental side of the competitive spirit looms large, especially when fatigue and frustration set in. Innovators have the uncommon sense to pursue promising ideas long after their colleagues would have given up.

• Celebrate coaches
  Even in "solo" performances, most high achievers have a great coach who believes in them.

When putting together a team you don't want to rely too much on one star player. Seek a rich mix of personas and personalities. Sure, the differences among their talents and points of view will cause some friction every once in a while, but a little creative abrasion can be productive when you are pushing for continuous innovation. Bring out the best in your innovation team, and you can all share in the success.

I'm a firm believer in the galvanizing power of personas. Adopting even one new role can bring both cultural and business benefits to your organization. But the real payoff comes when you gather several roles together and blend them into a multidisciplinary team. Innovation is ultimately a team sport. Get all the roles performing at the top of their game, and you'll generate a positive force for innovation.