Many organizations would like
their leaders to create more innovative teams. But how exactly should they
do this? If you ask highly innovative leaders what makes them effective you are
apt to hear, “Well, I don’t know. I haven’t thought about it.” Or they will
make something up that sounds compelling. But the fact of the matter is that
people who excel at something aren’t usually very good at pinpointing exactly
what accounts for their skill.
So to find out more, we
conducted our own study. We began by collaborating with a respected
organization in the telecommunications industry whose leaders scored well above
average on most managerial competencies. We identified 33 individuals who
scored at or above the 99th percentile
on innovation, as measured by their peers, subordinates, and bosses in a
comprehensive 360-degree feedback survey. We believed these closest
colleagues would have the most accurate view of what made this group of leaders
stand out from the pack in this large organization.
Then we interviewed each
leader by phone, together with the leader’s boss and a number of direct
reports and peers, to ask for concrete examples of what the leader did that
caused him or her to be perceived as highly innovative. The colleagues were
also asked how this leader differed from other leaders they’d served.
When we combined the
interviews with the 360-degree feedback, 10 distinctive behaviors emerged that
set this group apart as innovation leaders. They are listed here in descending
order of importance. These leaders:
Display excellent strategic
vision. The most effective innovation leaders could vividly describe their
vision of the future, and as one respondent noted about his boss: “She excelled
at painting a clear picture of the destination, while we worked to figure out
how to get there.”
Have a strong customer
focus. What was merely interesting to the customer became fascinating to
these individuals. They sought to get inside the customer’s mind. They
networked with clients and asked incessant questions about their needs and
wants.
Create a climate of
reciprocal trust. Innovation often requires some level of risk. Not all
innovative ideas are successful. These highly innovative leaders initiated
warm, collaborative relationships with the innovators who worked for them. They
made themselves highly accessible. Colleagues knew that their leader would
cover their backs and not throw them under the bus if something went wrong.
People were never punished for honest mistakes.
Display fearless loyalty to
doing what’s right for the organization and customer. Pleasing the boss or
some other higher level executive always took a back seat to doing the right
thing for the project or the company.
Put their faith in a
culture that magnifies upward communication. These leaders believed that
the best and most innovative ideas bubbled up from underneath. They strived to
create a culture that uncorked good ideas from the first level of the
organization. They were often described as projecting optimism, full of energy,
and always receptive to new ideas. Grimness was replaced with kidding and
laughter.
Are persuasive. These
individuals were highly effective in getting others to accept good ideas. They
did not push or force their ideas onto their teams. Instead, they presented ideas
with enthusiasm and conviction, and the team willingly followed.
Excel at setting stretch
goals. These goals required people to go far beyond just working
harder. These goals required that they find new ways to achieve a high goal.
Emphasize speed. These
leaders believed that speed scraped the barnacles off the hull of the boat.
Experiments and rapid prototypes were preferred to lengthy studies by large
committees.
Are candid in their
communication. These leaders were described as providing honest, and at
times even sometimes blunt, feedback. Subordinates felt they could always count
on straight answers from their leader.
Inspire and motivate
through action. One respondent said, “For innovation to exist you have
to feel inspired.” This comes from a clear sense of purpose and meaning in the
work.
While this is admittedly an
investigation into a single company, this group’s 360-degree feedback data are
consistent with our analysis of highly innovative leaders in hundreds of other
organizations in industries as varied as automotive, pharmaceuticals, and
consumer products and from all parts of the globe. This suggests to us that
these conclusions describe highly innovative individuals in all industries, as
well as from different cultures throughout the world.
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