Innovation: How To Make Innovation Part of Your Leadership [VIDEO]

What do the following brands have in common?

• Kodak

• Nokia

• Yahoo

• AOL

• Blockbuster

Each of them failed to innovate. It is not that they lacked opportunity, but innovation took a back seat to other pressing issues in those organizations. Most leaders desire innovation yet very few prioritize it.

One of the biggest challenges to innovation is the gap that exists between the desire to innovate and the ability to prioritize and execute innovation. We are faced with pressures around human capital, H.R. issues, financial issues, and supply chain issues, and if innovation is not prioritized, other issues will take precedence.

Innovation has become a core driver of growth, performance, and impact. The best gift we can often give ourselves as leaders is to see the present clearly so we can innovate for the future. Thinking about your own organization, ask yourself, “To what degree are we really innovating? To what degree is innovation a priority in what we are doing over the next three weeks, three months, and three years?”

4 Steps to Greater Innovation

Here are four ways leaders can encourage innovation in their organizations.

1.  Prioritize It. 

As the leader, you are responsible for making sure that the future of your organization and where it is headed is clear. One of the tools that we use to help leaders do this is what we call the dashboard. It highlights the main areas of your business or organization and tracks the metrics of success throughout the year. Data does not lie, and it will tell you whether you are gaining ground or losing ground. 

2.  Innovate Flat.

Innovation should not just be reserved for a few people at the top of the organization. Rather, it is ideal to have a diverse group of people within your organization create ideas and thoughts about where your organization will be going. In talking to many different leaders, we have found that sometimes the greatest innovation comes from the most unlikely people and at the most unlikely times.

3.  Create “Innovate” Days or Weeks

Creating “innovate” days or weeks means setting aside a manageable chunk of time to explore what could be… new technologies, new styles and trends, new areas for growth and impact, etc. The people that work for you are incredibly busy. So, take your team offsite to talk about where your organization or product could go and how your organization could impact even more people. Inspire your team to dream big.

​Jack Phillips, co-author of The Value of Innovation, says generating and executing fresh ideas is a factor affecting an organization’s long-term survival. A focus on survival is critical now more than ever, as illustrated in the following stats:

• In 1935, the expected life span of a company was 95 years.

• 2005, that average fell to 15 years.

• Today, it is even less than 15 years.

Innovation is a step needed for survival. It ensures that your organization will be around for years to come.

4.  Hire for Innovation

While specific job skills can always be taught, skills that are associated with innovation are harder to find. When you are hiring for innovation, pay attention to how the candidate can help create and innovate new ideas and new directions. During the interview, ask them, “Tell me about a time in the past where you have been a part of a team that has innovated something or built something.” This question helps you understand whether the person has a passion and understanding for innovation.

So how do organizations that have lasted for more than a century, such as 3M and Johnson & Johnson, continue to thrive? They are committed to innovation. At the end of the day, the right way to innovate is the way that works for you. Finding time to innovate and think differently is crucial to fulfilling your mission.

Contact us to learn how our experienced consultants can help you to create a culture of innovation within your organization.

Billy Dunn is a Senior Consultant at The Center Consulting Group and has over 20 years of church and nonprofit leadership experience. He serves as the Character Coach for the Lehigh University Men’s Basketball team and the Director of Ministry Leadership for Word FM. Billy has assisted with the launch of a number of nonprofit organizations and has worked with organizations and ministries across the world. Billy has an M.S. in Organizational Leadership and brings experience in the areas of leading change, leadership coaching, resource development, church growth planning, and strategic thinking and planning.