Innovation is has to do with organisations staying relevant. Thus it is not a matter of choice but one of necessity. It is not only a matter of survival but of flourishing. It is the subject on giving your team freedom to innovate.
If your enterprise is only keeping up with changes, chances are you’re fast becoming obsolete. Ability to reinvent yourself is connected to whether you will not only survive but succeed.
Because leaders are leaders, it doesn’t mean they know everything [Click to Tweet]
In fact, the most successful leaders are those who know this. Not only that, but they also harness the skills of those they lead.
Now, on innovation: leaders need to give those they lead the freedom to innovate. This is why it is important to embrace the value of team and others.
Leaders are responsible for removing barriers to innovation [Click to Tweet]
Thus shifting the centre of ideas makes everyone in the team responsible for innovation. However, this will not be successful if there is no freedom granted by leadership.
Freedom cannot be granted without accountability. Building a culture of ownership and freedom in innovation needs to be enabled by accountability.
Accountability says, “You’ve allowed us to do something. Here’s what we are doing, why we’re doing it and how. The results are as follows and this is what it means for the organisation.”
Your enterprise cannot innovate without freedom for the mandate to innovate [Click to Tweet]
It would also be unwise to do so without accountability. When setting up formal structures for new ideas and systems, make sure that accountability is inbuilt.
Accountability will make sure that endeavours are focused on the mission of the team. Leading change and innovation is about recognising how each endeavour enables or contributes to the mission.
So, leader, how are you giving freedom so those you lead can innovate? How clear is the extent of the freedom they have? What accountability systems have you included with that freedom? Are they understood the same by both you and the team?
Let freedom work with accountability, it’s a critical foundation for a culture of innovation and progress.