When you think of a “culture of innovation” you may think of Apple, Pixar, and Google - the types of businesses where innovation is part of the fabric of the company.
To be innovative, companies and business leaders need to support creativity.
In a Forbes article, Scott Edinger, contributor, said, “While many organizations focus on addressing problems, the most successful focus on raising the bar. One of the ways they do this is by creating a culture where innovation thrives.”
He goes on to say excellence in innovation has less to do with the leader having innovative ideas, but how that leader creates a culture where innovation and creativity thrive in every corner.
He provides five strategies leaders can focus on to foster innovation.
Stress the Bigger Picture
Put effort into having a clear vision of a given scenario. Edinger says one way innovation is cultivated is to make sure everyone involved knows the outcome and strategic goals of any objective. As long as your team understands this, they can make decisions with the goal in mind. Without it, they are going in blind.
Build Trust
Encourage your team to take risks and give them your full support if they fail. If you don’t, no one will take a chance or try something new if they think it might get them fired. Consequences should exist for going outside of the scope of a project, but not for trying something that didn’t work.
Don’t be Afraid to Challenge the Status Quo
Edinger says leaders shouldn’t be afraid to challenge people higher up in the management chain. They are able to separate issues from people and disagree without being disagreeable. “Doing so cultivates tremendous respect from their colleagues,” he said.
Inspire your Team
Find ways to inspire your employees to be innovative. Edinger says when people feel inspired by a leader, they are more likely to give more effort and go the extra mile on a project. “That extra effort and commitment is often what produces innovation,” he added. Keep everyone up-to-date on where you are, how you’re innovating, and who has been responsible for pushing the project forward.
Every company’s culture is different. Foster and promote innovation within your organization if you want to start to build an innovative culture.
How are some ways you inspire innovation?
Image courtesy of Seth1492 via Flickr
