One event doesn't make a culture. It requires discipline and follow-up. Most importantly it requires extending the behaviors beyond one person's leadership. One of my favorite videos describes the importance of the first follower in under three minutes (with a crazy dancing guy). So what can you do to keep things moving?

Sponsor ideas that have impact beyond an event like a Hack-a-thon. Provide resources, times and exposure. These ideas can create a bridge between discrete events and can give the most active of your innovators outlets to spend their time and drive change on something they're passionate about. We had projects like a mapping app that helped folks navigate from one employee's desk to another that eventually became a part of our firm's internal toolkit. For some folks, the recognition of having their pet project used across the entire company was huge recognition and meant they were more likely to continue to participate in the culture of innovation.

Take feedback from retrospectives on the events you hold. Get your active participants together and figure out what worked and what didn't for the events you run. Adjust and run them again. Folks who feel passionately about something (either change or keep) are your leaders, they will want to be more involved in the event next time. They will become the leaders of the next event and they will be even more invested in making it a success.

Delegate the sponsorship of events and activities to other people. It's hard to let go. The most tangible evidence that you're not just a lone-nut pushing for innovation is when many others are actively involved. I knew that our culture had taken firm hold on the organization when we held our third Hack-a-thon and I was not involved in any part of the planning or execution.

Expand the network of folks leading change. Delegation expands the number of folks who are leading change. Push to decentralize the leadership around innovative behaviors. An expanded group of people who feel ownership on the activities associated with innovation is the culture of innovation. It doesn't rely on a single person, a single event, or a top-down initiative.

Continue to hire to the culture you want, not the culture you have. This result is way easier said than done. Especially early on in a bigger change. Not everyone can see the culture you're forming if it's dramatically different from where you've been. You need people that will make the culture what you want it to become. You need people who will lead these events. People who will continue to follow-up and ensure it doesn't end in the "flavor of the month" pile of new initiatives that get stale. These people are your culture of innovation.