How wise leaders empower their employees to communicate openly, collaborate willingly and spark new ideas.

Putting the "I" in innovation is, in many ways, a paradox. Fostering it requires a strong sense of shared purpose as well as diversity and individual empowerment. In other words, it's not all about "me" or "you." And in a difficult economy, when retreating to the safety of the tried and true seems a comfortable strategy, it is rather the organizations who make bold choices who position themselves to excel.

THE BUSINESS CLIMATE
In a recent survey by Network Solutions LLC and the Center for Excellence in Service at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business, small business owners indicate that the recession has pushed them to be more efficient and innovative, and to cultivate stronger teams.



“Those taking actions to become more efficient in what they do and getting better at working in teams are also the ones who have an external focus, introducing new products and services that benefit their customers,” says P.K. Kannan, Director of the Center for Excellence in Service at the Robert H. Smith School of Business.

BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY
How are they doing it? “Innovation starts at the top,” says Donna Rae Smith of Bright Side, an Ohio-based firm that customizes cultural and behavioral change processes to assist global clients in accelerating business results. “Leaders and executives must model and demonstrate the behaviors of innovation. Having said that, there must also be an organizational structure in place that supports, encourages, leverages and embeds innovation. It’s essential that innovation becomes a value of the organization.”

Smith enumerates the behaviors she’s talking about: “It’s about being future-focused,” she explains. “It is the capacity to be open-minded, to listen and explore possibilities with the intention of seeking out differences in people, processes and products, as well as different ideas from books, magazines and research—and not just those we’re comfortable with. That forces leaders of all levels to go outside of what’s comfortable, forces them to see another point of view and expand their view of reality.”

EMPOWERING EMPLOYEES
Innovation may start with leaders, but it requires the active participation of everyone in the organization. “No one person touches all areas of a business,” Smith says. “A business has different clients, different relationships, sales, products and ways of working together.”

Instead of pushing new ideas downward, a leader should encourage them to bubble up. “There should be a method of capturing specific ideas not only in written form, but also in raw form. Don’t abbreviate or edit. Recording the raw material validates the person presenting the idea and helps leaders at all levels go beyond their own way of thinking. It creates expansiveness.”



Ideas, she continues, “should range from mild to wild. On the mild side is continuous improvement. On the wild side is a breakthrough innovation that’s bold, brilliant and different.”

One technique Smith recommends is asking team members to write 50 ideas in 10 minutes, even those that don’t seem practical. This helps people surpass the point of self-judgment and get through the fear of sounding foolish. Once they’re done, remind them that these are just their first 50 ideas. Then, remind them that you welcome—indeed, expect and have confidence in their ability to produce—more.

FACILITATING INNOVATION
Of course, it remains up to the leader herself to choose which among these many raw ideas to refine and perhaps implement. But even here, Smith stresses the importance of accountability: Put a team in charge of the expansion, development and implementation of the idea, as well as the establishment of benchmarks, and hold this group accountable for meeting these goals.

This environment of innovation, of “controlled chaos,” as some experts describe it, might be invigorating. But for workers and leaders alike, it might also be terrifying. “If you think about what leaders need to do on a broader level—drive out fear, remove barriers—they help develop the personal leadership capabilities of all people at all levels,” says Smith. “An organization simply can’t survive when just one person has all the answers, because no one can have all answers.”

Driving this fear out of your company requires leaders to become more than just managers. They must instill confidence and personal power throughout the organization.

“Encouraging staff to contribute their unique perspectives is vital,” says DeLores Pressley, a motiva- tional speaker, consultant and author based in Ohio. “A staff that’s empowered produces better results: in a word, innovation. The ‘I’ in innovation is symbolic of personal power.” That goes for the leader herself, since it requires self-confidence and an open mind to instill confidence in others.

COMMUNICATING WISELY
“Personal power is manifested in the freedom to be fully present and engaged in each moment,” Pressley says. “This freedom leads to a broader sharing of ideas.” She urges leaders to create clear channels for employees to communicate ideas to senior managers.

“Employees are empowered when they feel they’re being heard and their opinions valued,” she says. In fact, traditional corporate hierarchy may be at the root of stifled innovation.



“It is so important that we make it clear that we’re listening,” she stresses. “Employees don’t want to give if they feel management is not listening. Why would they go out on a limb? This doesn’t mean that every idea has to be implemented. But if employees know that senior management will read and consider everything that has been submitted, you have an empowered, motivated staff, and that is bound to affect the bottom line in a positive way.”

“It creates a culture of mutual respect,” Pressley continues. “Remember that these are people you hired and trained through a presumably thorough and not inexpensive process—so make sure you’re maximizing their current value. It also makes sense to recognize those employees who contribute ideas on a regular basis. You don’t have to do anything large, but you should be generous in giving credit. A plaque, a mention or yes, it could be monetary.”

A PARTING IMAGE
Pressley offers simple advice for leaders not used to such a free exchange of ideas. “Uncross your mental arms,” she says. “Try something that you haven't tried before, even if you think you won’t like it.”

The image, like many that Pressley conjures for her audiences, comes from personal experience. “I remember one time my husband took me to a rodeo, and I recall sitting there and thinking, ‘This is the worst thing in the world.’ I had my arms crossed and I was not happy.”

As it turned out, she adds with a laugh, “I loved it. But I had to uncross my mental arms first. If you think you won’t like something, if you think it’s so much ‘fluff’ to try empowering your staff, just uncross those mental arms. You will be pleasantly surprised at the results.”