The Leader’s Guide to Fostering a Culture of Innovation

© ideachampions, 2011

Communicate a clear, compelling vision for the future

Increase thesense of urgency

Eliminate the fear of failure

Match people

with projects

they really care

about.

Help people go beyond limiting assumptions.

Invite more “unusual suspects”

Into the game.

Invite people to look for hidden insights within each “failure”.

Help people see the invisible…

(Do you see the arrow?)

Listen deeply

and give timely

feedback

Remove bureaucratic obstacles

Share best innovation practices

Create dependable ways to identify new challenges, problems, and opportunities.

Make it fun!

Reward Teams(not just individuals)

acknowledge small successes

Let things morph!

Make sure everyone

knows what the decision

making process is

Find simple ways to capture new ideas

Let people play with possibilties

Define the criteria that will be used to evaluate and fund

new ideas.

Encourage a mindset of curiosity and openness to the unexpected… “HAPPYACCIDENTS!”

Provide more time for incubation and reflection

Allow more

ambiguity.

(Data is not always king.

Sometimes he’s a tyrant).

Find new ways to jump start creative thinking

Help people frame the best questions to brainstorm

express genuine appreciation

Protect people from naysayers and idea killers

Track new trends

Rally people around ideas they really care about

.

ASK powerful questions

You don’t need to have all the

answers.

Foster teamwork and collaboration

Encourage cross

fertilization of ideas.

Bust the silos!

Invite people to do more blue sky thinking

Let people follow their fascination

Get your team out of the office

Establish an environment of passionate focus and discipline borne of commitment, not fear.t

Encourage more experiments and pilot programs.

Create simple ways to measure progress.

Simplify and humanize your innovation process

Ready? Willing? Able?

© Idea Champions, 2011845-679-1066www.ideachampions.com