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Innovative Leaders
What makes a Leader innovative?
Leadership comes with a wealth of pressures and complications – and managing people can be messy, with so many different personalities to navigate, and different needs you have to meet, without letting the bigger business goals slide. With so much to think about, taking a bold opportunity and doing something new can get sidelined by ‘keeping the ship on course’. Don’t rock the boat? If it ain’t broke…?
But if you never do anything different, you won’t just stand still – you’ll get left behind, because your competitors are innovating – so the world will move around you, and probably take your best talent with it. After all; why would your best people be content to stagnate?
To lead – or rather, to lead well – you need to be willing to innovate. To embrace change, and keep trying new ideas, and giving your people an environment where change is the norm. When it comes to making any kind of change (to how you lead, how you work, the tools you’re using at work, or just the world in general…) it’s important that innovation comes with easily absorbed information on how to embrace it, not just what ‘it’ is, and with the support and tools your people need to evolve.
When we talk about Leadership – and especially Great Leaders – being able to embrace change, to be innovative, is vital…but how can you be that without understanding what ‘innovative’ actually looks like?
Luckily – we do know, and we can help your Leaders to be their best, and get the best from your people, so your organisation can grow, evolve and thrive, no matter what the future might bring.
What will make you an exceptional leader?
What ‘Exceptional’ looks like can be different, depending on your industry, your culture and the outcomes you want to achieve – but across the board, innovative Leaders and Managers share many characteristics:
Obviously, these are attributes we all want to see in our Leaders – because a Leader who embodies those traits is one who can enhance and inspire creativity and innovation in their people.
What do we mean by innovation?
Creativity and innovation aren’t just terms used to describe tech, or products and services; they are also vital as factors of workplace culture, team working, communication (internally and externally) – indeed, in every aspect of your Leadership, and how you shape your organisation.
Innovation in Leadership means not just doing things differently, but better.
If your goal is to see your business grow, to improve your people, boosting performance and sustainability for the whole organisation, the commitment of your Leaders and Managers should already be evident at every level. Some may debate the difference (if any) between ‘innovation’ and ‘change’ – but the two are synonymous: innovating successfully requires change. ‘Better’ has to mean ‘differently’, and ‘getting better’ starts with wanting it to happen, and allowing it to proceed.
Innovation is vital to success
Four Myths of Innovation
Innovation is more than just the latest trendy buzzword in business; it doesn’t apply solely to what’s new – it also means challenging pre-conceived ideas.
Innovative Leadership means challenging how things have always been done, questioning the status-quo, and disrupting the comfortable (stagnant) set-up that is holding your people – and your organisation – back.
What do Innovative Leaders do?
Generate new ideas. And not always ideas shaped by their own creativity: a great Leader cultivates a culture where people feel safe to suggest their own ideas, to try a new approach, to disrupt in the safety and protection of their Leader’s trust.
When deciding which off these new ideas to develop, refine and pursue, think about the ‘judging mind-set’. Leaders who lack confidence might stick to concepts that are similar to the existing way you work – held back by top-heavy hierarchy, and a culture of compliance. “Why?” is always a great question, but “Why not?” is just as good, and opens far more possibilities for growth. Don’t talk yourself – or those you lead– out of making a change that could bring huge successes because you’re more afraid of ‘what could go wrong’ than what could go right.
Though you’re being bold, don’t rush. Patience and methodical, measured change, embracing a process of learning and development, in how you process innovations is just as important as having the new idea in the first place.
Encourage contributions from everybody in your team: creative brilliance doesn’t have to be the sole responsibility of your Leaders – and the talent, experience and creativity of your people is a priceless tool for success. Remember, however, that crowdsourcing and groupthink aren’t the same thing – but even if your dissenters are ultimately wrong, their ability and willingness to challenge or question things can strengthen new ideas, by testing them and pushing for real thought and process.
Hire a diverse, eclectic workforce, and allow them to be autonomous and bold in their work. Don’t let your Leaders steer recruitment with their desire to build consensus in their teams: only hiring people who agree with you might make for a calm life, but it won’t give you an organisation that makes any real progress.
Innovation might be about looking ahead, and exploring what’s new or different – but it’s important that you also remember to think back.
Every frustrated employee was once enthusiastic and creative – every burned-out person once had passion for their work. That spark might have been dimmed, and often because of pressure from Leaders who frustrate ambition or control and make demands about what their people do – but it can be reignited, if you’re brave enough to change the way you Lead.
Do you want to be a better Leader? To see all of your Leaders and Managers grow? Do you want every person in your organisation to thrive, to succeed, and to achieve their full potential?
We can help! How…?