Leadership model II, electric boogaloo
I want to provide a perspective on change and innovation, as a follow up to the post Innovation leadership model.
One of the companies I have been working with on creating an innovation environment has kicked off an innovation game plan with an innovation assessment, a several day work shop, and then the formation of several teams to tackle some innovation projects.
While they have been happy with the kick start of their innovation efforts, they have not been satisfied with the initial innovation project teams' progress. "They have money, each team has a manager, and still they are not going anywhere" said my contact person. When I asked further, the issue seems to be one of being dragged back to doing execution of things of their "day" job.
This as the "97%" trap; all their main time (97% of their time) of the project team members in the organization is about execution. While the project teams all believe the innovation projects are important to move forward, their management and senior leadership agree with the projects' need/importance, and they have money(!), the need to get "things done now" creeps back in. Habit of the past is strong!
The project team members are being pulled: they continue to get the message "execution first, get products today finished and work on the innovation project in addition" (implied: in your "free time") => leadership is talking the talk but not walking the talk (either not enough walk or they are doing the walk in a way that is not being recognized by the staff).
I want to chat with you about the leadership model: How does one implement what is advocated in the leadership model? What can help move management and leadership from the walk to the talk?
Interestingly, I am reading Change or Die: The Three Keys to Change at Work and in Life that talks about this very thing. The book's topic is: to really change requires one to relate to the people (build a new relationship with the staff), repeat (learn, practice, and master), and then reframe thru practice and learning, reframe the point of view and / or approach to create a new way to operate.
One of the companies I have been working with on creating an innovation environment has kicked off an innovation game plan with an innovation assessment, a several day work shop, and then the formation of several teams to tackle some innovation projects.
While they have been happy with the kick start of their innovation efforts, they have not been satisfied with the initial innovation project teams' progress. "They have money, each team has a manager, and still they are not going anywhere" said my contact person. When I asked further, the issue seems to be one of being dragged back to doing execution of things of their "day" job.
This as the "97%" trap; all their main time (97% of their time) of the project team members in the organization is about execution. While the project teams all believe the innovation projects are important to move forward, their management and senior leadership agree with the projects' need/importance, and they have money(!), the need to get "things done now" creeps back in. Habit of the past is strong!
The project team members are being pulled: they continue to get the message "execution first, get products today finished and work on the innovation project in addition" (implied: in your "free time") => leadership is talking the talk but not walking the talk (either not enough walk or they are doing the walk in a way that is not being recognized by the staff).
I want to chat with you about the leadership model: How does one implement what is advocated in the leadership model? What can help move management and leadership from the walk to the talk?
Interestingly, I am reading Change or Die: The Three Keys to Change at Work and in Life that talks about this very thing. The book's topic is: to really change requires one to relate to the people (build a new relationship with the staff), repeat (learn, practice, and master), and then reframe thru practice and learning, reframe the point of view and / or approach to create a new way to operate.
Labels: book, innovation, innovation tool, model, social science, thinking
