March 23, 2023 | By David M. Wagner

New ideas do not come about because leaders say, “Innovation is a priority.” Original thinking happens when leaders create the conditions for it.

My own experience with trying something innovative at an old job was a bit of an emotional rollercoaster. I was excited to be tapped to lead an initiative that would connect the company with new clients. And improve development opportunities for staff. And increase our mission impact.

I had a lot of ideas for this new way of doing business. There was a lot of enthusiasm from people I would be working with, too.

I was pumped up. Until…

The fall came when the person tasked with overseeing the project threw obstacle after obstacle in the way of obtaining funding. Soon, the cost of our time spent justifying the idea exceeded the amount we had requested in our proposal to do the work.

As you can imagine, the experience left a bad taste in my mouth. Our team – me included - was much more reluctant to put forward new ideas.

A Balancing Act

Reaping the benefits of innovation takes balance.

The person who inserted the obstacles to funding that initiative was, understandably, concerned about managing limited resources to have the biggest impact on the organization’s mission. Paying for pet projects would be a waste.

But on the other hand, there needs to be enough space for new ideas to thrive. It does not take much resistance to stifle innovation.

Getting the most out of your team’s great ideas comes down to creating an environment that balances empowerment with control. Innovative organizations can confidently answer “yes” to these two questions.

Does the team know what mission success looks like?

Keeping innovation in line with mission priorities is much easier when your team knows what those priorities are.

Does your organization have clearly-defined strategic goals and target outcomes? Are there tools in place to monitor progress and track successful delivery of those outcomes? And have those strategic measures been communicated with the team?

If not, your team may need more guidance to avoid chaos and ensure new ideas support the organization’s mission. Set a clear target, and your team can surprise you with innovative ways to reach it.

Does the organization nurture new ideas?

New ideas thrive when:

• Individuals receive support to pursue novel concepts aligned with the mission. Examples include paid time to test ideas, recognition, and autonomy to run pilot projects.

• Leaders seek out and eliminate barriers to exploring new ways of doing business.

• Leaders identify promising pilot projects and facilitate widespread adoption of successful approaches.

 In the absence of such nurturing, innovation withers.

You can unlock the innovative potential of your team by being transparent about your mission goals and success measures and creating a nurturing environment for new ideas. And if you need help striking the right balance, schedule a free consultation to discuss the state of innovation on your team.