Archives for December 2023

 

Leading innovation: Psychological safety (week 9)

To lead innovation with psychological safety, nurture an agreed-upon setting that allows everyone to share their ideas without fear of retribution. 

Traditional leadership:

The conventional view has been that creating an environment where people feel psychologically safe is conveyed from the top down. Information is formal, corporate in tone, and tightly controlled, Employees are passive consumers of information.

A fresh approach:

In the new era, psychological safety is established through shared purpose, shared values, and agreed upon rules of engagement allowing everyone to share their ideas without fear of retribution. Leaders talk with employees not to them, and the culture fosters back-and-forth interaction. Leaders relinquish a measure of control over content, and employees actively participate in organizational messaging

Bring it to life:

• Invite participation by showing you care and want to hear from others.
• Respond to challenges, mistakes, or other issues in encouraging ways, such as by asking what is needed and offering to help vs. punishment, which discourages people from being honest or coming forward
• Emphasize listening to your employees rather than just speaking to them.
• Encourage employees to engage in a bottom-up exchange of ideas and to act as brand ambassadors and thought leaders
• Establish a clear agenda to inform all communication and carefully explain the agenda to employees
• Admit to mistakes and failures, and seek to learn from them
• Show humility, with curiosity, interest and fallibility
• Provide context for your team’s work—how complex, what they are trying to do, what’s needed from them, so they understand the journey
• Create an environment where people can bring their whole selves to work

Next week: Question Everything.

Innovation solutions from Paradox Strategies

Our Collective Genius simulation and learning journey is designed to help leaders inspire action, nourish creativity, and build a culture of innovation. We also offer keynotes and our proprietary innovation diagnostic assessments re:Mind™ and re:Route™ as first steps in developing the mindset, culture, and capabilities of innovative organizations. Contact us via the form below if you would like to know how to bring these great tools to your organization.

 

 

Leading innovation: Mutual Trust (week 8)

To lead innovation with mutual trust, focus on your people’s competence and character over seniority and knowledge.

This is our 8th installment in the Leading Innovation series. See the rest of the series here.

Traditional leadership:

The conventional view has been that trustworthiness is based on one’s seniority and knowledge.

A fresh approach:

In the new era, mutual trust is based on competence and character.

Bring it to life:

• Actively create a trustworthy environment, which begins when you behave in a trustworthy manner and practice discretion.
• Be honest about your intentions, and encourage others to be as well.
• Make public statements that are consistent with your private statements and actions; do what you say.
• Hire on the basis of character, as well as competence.
• Balance confidence with vulnerability and encourage others to do so.
• Match your words to your actions.

Next week: Psychological safety

 

Innovation solutions from Paradox Strategies

Our Collective Genius simulation and learning journey is designed to help leaders inspire action, nourish creativity, and build a culture of innovation. We also offer keynotes and our proprietary innovation diagnostic assessments re:Mind™ and re:Route™ as first steps in developing the mindset, culture, and capabilities of innovative organizations. Contact us via the form below if you would like to know how to bring these great tools to your organization.

 

Leading innovation: Mutual influence (week 7)

To lead innovation with mutual influence, build mutually respectful and beneficial relationships. Influence is two-way.

Traditional leadership:

The conventional view has been that influence is tied to your seniority, position, or who you know. Influence is one-way.

A fresh approach:

In the new era,  influence is mutual and tied to your ability to build mutually respectful and beneficial relationships. Influence is two-way.

Bring it to life:

• Try to discover everyone’s opinion and be patient and receptive while they make their case
• Expect and seek feedback from all that can be helpful
• Encourage people to advocate for their points of view
• Evaluate ideas based on their merits, not on who contributed the idea
• Take all employees’ ideas seriously, whether they are senior or junior, expert or novice, etc.
• Ensure that meetings and conversations are not dominated by a few voices, including your own
• Aim to step back in meetings. Avoid derailing/taking over conversations or always having the last word
• Ensure all teams are soliciting input

Next Week: Mutual Trust

Foster a culture of mutual trust based on competence and character.

Innovation solutions from Paradox Strategies

Our Collective Genius simulation and learning journey is designed to help leaders inspire action, nourish creativity, and build a culture of innovation. We also offer keynotes and our proprietary innovation diagnostic assessments re:Mind™ and re:Route™ as first steps in developing the mindset, culture, and capabilities of innovative organizations. Contact us via the form below if you would like to know how to bring these great tools to your organization.