Running a business takes all types of people. More often than not, professionally minded articles focus on the big picture – those who establish the company, what goes into it, etc. We rarely hear about the innovative leaders that make a business successful.
Innovation is an essential trait for many professionals – especially leaders. It’s the ability to use creative ideas to serve the company better. In other words, an innovative leader knows how to implement creative ideas and solutions.
Becoming an innovative leader isn’t as challenging as one might expect, but it takes some effort, like anything else. Here are a few tips to get you started.
Tackle Assumptions
The average person makes numerous assumptions throughout their day. Yet assumptions can be costly, slowing us down, talking us out of creative approaches, etc. To avoid mistakes led by assumptions, you must tackle everything head-on. Address any biases you may have (intentionally or unintentionally). Sometimes that might be reconsidering new technology or looking at a problem through new eyes.
Finally, don’t be afraid to try something new. The phrase “we’ve always done it this way” has no room in an innovative leader’s handbook. Just because something has always been done one way does not mean it is the right way to approach things. Consider new options.
Practice Your Decision-Making Skills
Making decisions is part of life – there’s no avoiding them. This is especially true in the business world, with leaders having to tackle dozens of different decisions each day. Leaders are often forced to make decisions at a moment’s notice, lacking critical data and input. However, a successful leader learns how to lean into this, mastering the skill of making decisive choices and following their guts.
An innovative leader can take this further by learning to listen to their team’s input. By including this information, they can ensure that they are making the best decisions possible based on data from a larger group of people.
Acknowledge the Good Behavior
Leaders often lean on the idea that they have to punish bad behavior or mistakes. While pointing out an error isn’t bad, leaders and managers often forget to acknowledge when an employee does something well. In other words, sometimes employees will only ever hear negative feedback from their team. This can be discouraging.
The best innovative leaders have learned to reward and recognize achievements and behavior. This practice has many advantages, including team morale, encouraging thinking outside the box, improving confidence, and promoting a more positive working environment.