A few
months ago, I was on an “Innovation Retreat” with two long-time colleagues. Our
focus was to create a new approach to generational leadership within
organizations (more on that later!). We were having lunch one day and one of
the specials offered was fried, BBQ ribs,
obviously we were in a Southern locale! These were ribs that had been smoked
for hours, battered, and then deep fried. Genius . . . Absolute Genius! Now you may
not think such a culinary concoction sounds very appetizing but it did get me
thinking out loud that CREATIVITY is an important leadership trait and how can
we better harness innovation.
Just
last week, the excellent Leadercast speaker
event was held in Atlanta, GA. The theme this year was “Architects of Tomorrow” and
featured a great innovator, Steve Wozniak, who is one of the founders of Apple.
He shared three important principals to drive creativity which included:
- Think outside the box
- Look for new ways to do things
- Understand the user and your audience
Now
let’s apply these principals to our lunch special example stated above. The
chefs certainly thought out of the box! They created something new that I have
never seen before (and trust me, I have eaten a lot of barbeque in travels!). Finally,
and here is the real important part, they understood their users which were
primarily people that liked fried food and barbeque (and I am a huge fan of
both!). The result: they sold out of this new delicacy in less than an hour!
It is
the last principal of understanding your users, however, that is a GREAT IDEA but I think many leaders miss in their attempts to be innovative. When we are
leading, we have to make sure our ideas make sense to those that are leading.
Sure, you could manufacture a toaster that also has cell phone capability, but
why would you want to and who would use it?!?! Or you could have a great vision
about how to move your team forward but if it is unclear or overly complex, it
will not get traction among your constituents. It is this aspect of CLARITY
that author and speaker Andy Stanley states as the other half of the leadership
equation. Yes, you must have a compelling vision but it will not move the
needle if no one but you understands it!
You
see, the INNOVATION or CREATIVITY we practice every day is usually not the huge
breakthroughs or product ideas, it is really how we inspire others to accomplish
what is most important to our enterprise. Even in the day-to-day aspects of
leading we have to think outside traditional boundaries of what motivates
people, especially in the multi-generational workplace. We have to invent new
ways to communicate what is important or else our message starts to fade into
the background. Finally, we have to understand and communicate to our audience.
As leadership expert John Maxwell states:
"What you say is not as important as what your audience understands!"
Finally,
an effective leader knows how to harvest the great ideas of others. Simply ask
them, “What do you think”? A simple question from your audience will spur
creativity and provide clarity both at the same time!
If you
want more information about Leadercast and how to attend the live event in
Atlanta or in simulcast locations next year, visit: www.leadercast.com
As
always if I can help you and
the people you associate with Get Better, Be Ready and LEAD OUT LOUD, I would
invite you to email me or to visit my website below and see if any of the
training or coaching experiences I offer can provide an impact! Also, as a
bonus, if you go to my Out Loud Strategies website (www.outloudinc.com) and enter your
contact information, I will send you a FREE guide to establishing a mentoring
initiative program in your organization! Such an initiative would be critical
in order to add value to your organization!
Yours in Leadership,
Bill Faulkner
Principal Consultant –
Out Loud Strategies
Independent Coach,
Speaker, and Trainer with the John Maxwell Team TM
Email = bill@outloudinc.com
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