Innovation is not all grand-scale, market-altering, all the time. Innovation has more to do with ways of thinking, and taking action, than merely scale or impact. A first line employee within weeks of joining the organization can innovate, just as easily and often as those who have "innovation" in their titles or job descriptions.

On one end of the spectrum, innovation could include doing something that is already being done - with a tweak that is unexpected. Post-it notes - being done! Putting them as tabs in a marker pen, an unexpected tweak - that's innovation. Or, it could be using a process or practices already used by others, but adapting it to ourselves, such that it becomes 100% our own. The fast reaction team practices of a NASCAR pit crew adapted to a fast-food retailer as an example. 

On the other end of the spectrum, it could be something totally new like the ipod, touch screen phones, taking medication through the skin with a patch, uTube, or a new way to approach sales, marketing, distribution...

Innovation can be expressed in how we deal with customers, create new products or add new characteristics to existing ones, or how we design processes or systems, how we deal with people in the organization, establish the working relationships, etc. The places were the disciplines and practices of innovation and breakthrough can add a competitive advantage to an organization are endless.