I have commented before on OVO, a firm that is on the front lines in promoting innovation and the processes that deliver sustained innovation in enterprises. In their May newsletter, OVO Views - Conversations About Innovation, they addressed one particular topic that I thought was extremely important and worth passing on - Important Criteria for An Innovation Leader.
There are a number of characteristics we have found in innovation leaders who have been successful. Conversely, at least one of these and characteristics has been lacking in less successful innovation team leaders. Let's examine five key criteria for successful innovation leadership and why we believe they are important.
Desire
Some people grow up wanting to be accountants. Some grow up wanting to be engineers. Everybody starts out in life wanting to create the next "new" thing, but somewhere along the lines many of us give up on that dream. Individuals who are successful at leading innovation teams have a desire and innate belief that they can not only envision new products and services, but they can implement those ideas successfully. They've never lost the dream or the desire to innovate.
Several individuals we've worked with who were "assigned" to the innovation lead were less than successful because they viewed the assignment as a job and did not have the desire to innovate.
Innovation leadership a job that requires volunteers who have a desire to innovate. Innovation leadership can't be easily assigned.
Vision
Successful innovation leaders have a vision of what they can accomplish. Often, that vision is shaped with senior executives who map out corporate strategy and the innovation leader uses that strategy to inform his or her innovation goals. Sometimes innovation simply bubbles up from a mid-level innovator with great vision that takes over, supersedes or reinforces strategic vision from the executive team. Innovation leaders need to be able to craft a vision of the future, identify opportunities and communicate this vision to the organization and innovation teams.
An innovation leader has a specific vision to drive innovation in his or her business, and aligns that vision with the strategic intent of the business
Commitment
Innovation leaders must be fully committed to the success of the innovation initiative or program, and must have the time and resources necessary to engage the work effectively. Part-time innovation leaders eventually become full-time "day job" participants. Innovators with desire and vision will find the time and resources to get the job done, but will be hampered if they do not have the "blessing" of the leadership team. Good innovation leaders are fully committed to a task that has a significant amount of risk and will face organizational headwinds because it creates change and uncertainty.
The story of the chicken and the pig at breakfast comes to mind. At breakfast, the chicken is involved (eggs) but the pig is committed (bacon). Innovation leaders can't have "chicken" commitment.
We don't expect a CFO or CEO to be part time, so why would we expect an innovation leader to shoulder an important responsibility on a part time basis?
Fearlessness
Good innovations often fail, for many reasons. Yet that failure should not stop the firm from trying again. Innovation likewise can be fraught with risk or uncertainty. Innovations may require that a firm cannibalize its existing market or products, or disrupt a competitor. Good innovation leaders recognize the amount of change and risk inherent in innovation, and are willing to challenge the status quo and are willing to face the risks of change and uncertainty, with the knowledge that many of the new products and services will fail.
Good innovation leaders do not succeed by trying not to fail.
Communication
Good innovation leaders are constant communicators - finding the channels and messages that best relay the intent and message of innovation to the broader audience. Since innovation creates uncertainty and change, people throughout the organization must understand the goals of innovation and the rationale behind the activities of the innovation teams. A good innovation leader is constantly communicating what is happening and why. Without good communication, an innovation team may seem more like a "wild hare", unfocused and dangerous to the rest of the organization.
Innovation happens in firms where clear goals exist and people understand how innovation aligns to those goals.
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