Managing a global innovation program comes with many ups and downs. There is the emotional attachment to those involved, the excitement of sharing the good news of their advancement, and the sadness of sharing their journey will not continue. But luckily, at Cisco, the Innovate Everywhere Challenge (IEC) gives employees the opportunity to take bold risks, thrive, and continue to pursue their ideas long after the competition has ended. And this year was especially unique.
I joined the team in 2016, just as we were kicking off the second IEC and have had the distinct honor of accepting two awards over the years. The Impact Award for