From chaos to capability: Why every CEO Needs to implement an Innovation Target Operating Model (iTOM)

In a world marked by uncertainty, acceleration, and disruption, a new responsibility rests on the CEO’s shoulders. Not just to lead the company, but to future-proof it. Innovation is no longer optional, it’s a strategic imperative. This blog series (and accompanying FAQ) translates the RevelX CEO Innovation Guide into practical insights and action steps for every CEO and Managing Director.

1. Why Innovation belongs on the CEO agenda
2. Innovation governance: Why every CEO needs a Growth Board
3. Step 1: Why every CEO should play the DisruptR game with their team
4. From chaos to capability: Why every CEO Needs to implement an Innovation Target Operating Model (iTOM)
5. The CEO innovation Q&A: Everything a leader needs to know about innovation

As a CEO, you know how critical it is to run your sales and marketing like well-oiled machines. You have sales strategies, CRMs, structured funnels, dashboards, and KPIs driving predictable results.

But what about innovation?

In most organizations, innovation remains ad hoc. It’s a brainstorm here, a hackathon there, maybe a small pilot project. Well-intentioned, but rarely integrated. Rarely strategic. Rarely effective.

It’s time to treat innovation with the same rigor as your core business processes. That’s what the Innovation Operating Model Canvas from RevelX is designed to help you do.

Innovation shouldn’t be a side hustle. It should be a core capability, just like finance, sales, or operations. That means defining structure, assigning responsibilities, implementing rhythms, and tracking outcomes.

This canvas helps you and your team build that system and turn innovation from an idea factory into a business growth engine.

1. Innovation strategy

What’s the future state your innovation efforts are aiming toward? Go beyond products. How will your business stay relevant, grow, and fend off disruption? This is your long-term growth narrative.

2. Stakeholders, Propositions & Processes. Who, What, and How?

Who are the key players, internally and externally? What customer problems are you solving, and with what propositions? What does your innovation process look like, from ideation to scaling?

3. Internal Resources & Key Partners. What do you have and what do you need?

What capabilities already exist in your organization? Where are the gaps? Which external players, startups, universities, venture studios, can help you move faster?

4. Cost Structure & Funding. Invest intelligently

Innovation doesn’t mean blank checks. It means metered funding: small investments to learn fast, bigger investments to scale proven concepts. You’ll need a structure that aligns cost, risk, and return.

5. Performance Management & Governance. from ideas to results

How do you track progress? What metrics matter at each stage? Who makes the tough calls to kill, pivot, or scale projects? A Growth Board or similar structure can ensure transparency and accountability.

Because without structure, innovation fades into the background.

Because innovation is not just about creativity, it’s about capability.

Because your company’s future growth depends on how well you industrialize innovation, not just ideate it.

“Innovation without structure is like sales without targets.”

And let’s be clear: no one but the CEO can truly elevate innovation to the level it needs to be. You set the tone. If you lead with clarity and commitment, the organization will follow.

The Innovation Operating Model Canvas is your blueprint. Use it with your leadership team to make innovation visible, actionable, and accountable, just like any other key business process.