There’s a surprising gap between how leaders view their innovative abilities and how others perceive them.
I’m guiding a multi-company organizational leadership initiative using a 360-degree feedback instrument as a starting point. Typically, 360 feedback identifies weaknesses or blind spots. A significant trend we’ve noticed is the disparity between an individual’s self-assessment of their innovative leadership qualities and the perception of their observers. Individuals consistently score themselves higher, essentially being “blinded by the light.”
Let’s explore why this disparity exists and how to bridge the gap to ensure groundbreaking ideas are impactful and embraced by your team.
The Strategic Importance of Innovation
Innovation is a strategic pillar for many organizations, often supported by dedicated departments. It’s increasingly measured in leadership qualities. Innovation involves introducing new ideas, products, or solutions that significantly impact and add value. However, for innovation to be truly impactful, it must be accepted and adopted by others.
New ideas alone are insufficient; their value is maximized when others embrace them.
Effective innovation requires other leadership qualities, such as being conservative. Conservative leaders use past experiences to guide decisions, needing more data than innovative decision-makers who thrive on minimal data. Balancing these approaches involves gathering sufficient data to demonstrate an idea’s impact and value.
The best discussions focus not on the idea itself but on the data needed to make informed decisions. Ask, “What would need to be true for us to move forward with this idea?”
Contextual Thinking and Innovation
High innovation also requires contextual thinking. New ideas rarely emerge in isolation; they often connect to current activities or products. Internal innovations may necessitate multiple changes in work processes. Explaining the origin of an idea and considering its ripple effects helps others join the journey.
Timing is Everything
The timing of involving others in the innovation process is crucial. Thoughtful leaders often develop their innovations extensively before presenting them, which can lead to defensiveness if others don’t immediately recognize the value or feel excluded from the process. Conversely, some leaders introduce ideas prematurely, causing confusion and lack of resonance. Balancing the timing involves sharing ideas early enough to incorporate feedback but not so early that they seem undeveloped.
Finally, it’s vital to help others identify strengths they may overlook. If we possess capabilities valuable to others, we must highlight them by complementing our strengths with other leadership qualities. Innovation is important to most organizations, but new ideas are just the beginning. To create value and impact, we must help others see what we see. Consider how you can modify your approach to help others recognize the value and impact of your ideas.
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