The Role of Global Leaders in Innovation

“Innovation leaders ‘have a tolerance for failure—but an intolerance for incompetence.’ Innovation requires freedom to flourish, but boundaries and conditions in order to thrive.” Boston Consulting Group (BCG) on creating an innovative culture with practical examples from leading innovators: - If innovation “hardware” is the strategies, governance, processes, org structure, metrics, etc., then an innovative culture is the “software” that runs on it—the way people interact in an organization to develop and market new products and services to customers. Companies with “hardware” alone are 35% more likely to be innovators, and those with only a strong innovation culture are 60% more likely. But those with BOTH are 90% as likely to be world class innovators, and do it with (on average) 10% fewer FTE’s in innovation roles. - BCG identified four aspects of innovative culture:  (1) What do you celebrate, reward, promote? 3M gives employees the time and space to think beyond their day jobs by letting them spend 15% of their time on side projects. (Post-It notes were an outcome of the “15% rule.”) It created the Tech Forum, an informal forum where employees can collaborate on a project. Mentoring, teaching, and developing others factor into performance reviews, and are requirements for promotion. (2) How do you get new ideas, create, get outside input/customer insights? Unilever relocated its Foods R&D Center to a university campus regarded as one of Europe’s foremost food and agricultural research centers, and partnered with other universities to augment its own expertise and research, expanding access to talent while reducing costs. (3) How do you lead, who makes decisions? EDP, a Portugal-based green utility, balances empowering teams with providing the right level of direction with a process that prioritizes the most promising ideas and vets a large number of ideas through the filters of feasibility and impact. It focuses on solutions first, rather than technology. (4) How do you team, create an inclusive environment that allows everyone to participate and leverages diverse perspectives?  When Rakuten, a Japanese e-commerce company, got bogged down translating documents from Japanese to English, the CEO announced that all company communications going forward would be in English; only those who learned English (via company-provided training and tools) were promotable. By having one common language, the company was able to access global talent and facilitate collaboration. - Culture leaders: (a) clearly articulate the specific behaviors critical to innovation success, such as balancing freedom with accountability, empowering risk-taking, and playfulness with company standards, (b) provide the “hardware” to support the culture and have leaders who model the desired behaviors, (c) embed the core behaviors in how they hire and incentivize employees. #innovation #innovationculture #insights #teams #empowerment #innovators #culture #collaboration

The future of leadership isn’t about controlling outcomes—it’s about inspiring ingeunity. The most successful leaders today aren’t the ones with all the answers—they’re the ones asking the right questions, creating the conditions for innovation to thrive, and empowering their teams to think differently. In my keynotes, I emphasize a critical shift in leadership: from centrailzed to distributed innovation. It’s about unleashing inventive thinking at every box of the org chart, creating a culture where every team member feels empowered to take risks, push creative boundaries, and contribute fresh ideas. Here’s the key: Leadership is no longer about managing outcomes; it’s about managing environments. As leaders, our job is to build an ecosystem where innovation isn’t an afterthought but the default mode of operation. This means creating psychological safety, where employees feel comfortable sharing new ideas without fear of judgment. It's about encouraging experimentation, even when that means accepting the occasional failure as part of the learning process. And most importantly, it means leading by example—by being open to new perspectives, embracing novel approraches, and continuously pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. In your business, are you putting wet blanket energy on the team, or fostering a culture of innovation? Are you frozen in the past, or empowering your people to think creatively and take calculated risks? Do you over index to the past or lean into a bright new future?

Innovation is the key to transformation and growth. Organizations must actively dismantle barriers to innovate while fostering a culture of shared ownership and accountability. True innovation stems from empowering employees to see themselves as contributors to the company’s growth and success. This requires more than words; it demands action. It starts with leadership modeling behaviors that promote open communication, fail-fast culture, continuous learning, and improvement. We need to ensure that the systems and processes we design actively support, rather than hinder, the free flow of ideas. Here’s how leaders can operationalize innovation: • 𝐄𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐁𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐮𝐜𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐇𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐥𝐞𝐬: Review decision-making processes and workflows to ensure they encourage experimentation. Streamlined approval pathways can accelerate the development and implementation of bold ideas. • 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐚 "𝐓𝐞𝐬𝐭-𝐚𝐧𝐝-𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧" 𝐂𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞: Encourage teams to pilot initiatives, take calculated risks, and learn from failures. Transform setbacks into strategic learning moments that inform the next iteration of growth. • 𝐄𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐂𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬-𝐅𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Breaking down silos isn’t optional - it’s essential. Innovation flourishes when diverse perspectives come together, leveraging insights from across the organization to solve complex challenges. • 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲: Establish open feedback channels that empower employees at all levels to voice their ideas without fear of judgment. Leaders who listen actively and act on input foster trust and engagement, amplifying the collective creative potential. When innovation becomes a shared responsibility, its impact extends beyond incremental improvements. It creates a foundation for sustained, transformative growth. I’m curious to know what practical steps your organization has taken to empower teams and drive meaningful innovation. Let’s learn from one another. #InnovationLeadership #StrategicCollaboration #ChangeManagement #BusinessTransformation #ExecutiveLeadership #Hackathons

Launching innovations is less about creativity than it is about harnessing networks. Leaders who find and mobilize innovation catalysts by embedding themselves in close-knit yet diverse communities outside their own organization stand a better chance of discovering novel ideas that are feasible. Leaders who engage internal collaborators as sparring partners—ensuring that they each gather independent advice in one another’s areas of expertise—will be more successful at turning the ideas into winning business propositions. Finally, leaders who skillfully sequence feedback from critics in their networks from the inside out will achieve what often seems impossible: getting valuable input while avoiding early dismissive reactions. If executives follow these three practices, they will find that innovating in large, mature organizations is not only viable but highly promising. Arise (StrongHer) Ventures Ankita Vashistha Frank Pendle Tholons Inc.

🚀 Embracing the Future: Leadership in AI and Tech Innovation 🚀 As we stand at the forefront of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the role of leadership in steering AI and tech innovation has never been more pivotal. I've had the privilege of navigating these transformative waters, and I want to share a few insights that have been instrumental in my journey. 1. Vision with Agility: In the realm of AI, the only constant is change. As leaders, our vision for the future must be coupled with the agility to adapt. It’s not just about setting goals, but also about being prepared to pivot when new opportunities or challenges arise. 2. Ethical Responsibility: With great power comes great responsibility. In AI, this means ensuring our innovations respect privacy, security, and ethical standards. It’s about building technology that benefits society as a whole. 3. Fostering Collaboration: The intersection of AI and various industries is creating unprecedented opportunities. By fostering collaboration between technologists, industry experts, and policymakers, we can unlock solutions to some of the most complex challenges we face. 4. Empowering Teams: The success of any tech innovation lies in the hands of its creators. As leaders, our role is to empower our teams, encouraging a culture of creativity, learning, and resilience. 5. Continuous Learning: In a field as dynamic as AI, continuous learning isn’t just an asset; it’s a necessity. Staying abreast of the latest developments and being a lifelong learner is key to leading effectively in this space. As we continue to explore the vast potential of AI and technology, let's remember that our leadership approach can be the difference between merely advancing technology and truly revolutionizing our future. ❓ I'd love to hear your thoughts on this. What do you think are the essential qualities of a leader in the tech innovation space? #management #technology #artificialintelligence #entrepreneurship

𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽, 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 "𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝟳 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁 𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗮𝘀, 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝟰 𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝟭 𝘁𝗼 𝟮 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗱, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝟭 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀." Why do so many innovations fall short? Often, it’s not due to a lack of ideas but rather a lack of leadership sponsorship and collaboration. 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗮𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁. And success isn’t achieved in isolation. 𝗪𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗯𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗱𝘂𝗮𝗹𝘀, 𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. When leaders champion innovation and engage an ecosystem of suppliers and internal resources it increases the success rate of converted ideas. This could result in raising sustainability and quality of products, a new approach to solve a specific problem, perhaps the use of AI & Automation to collaborate more effectively. What’s the mix that makes innovation succeed instead of fail? Here a few thoughts: ✔️ 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘀𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗮𝘀 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 by aligning strategic procurement goals with organisational priorities, allocating resources effectively, and actively supporting new ideas. A culture of innovation starts at the top! ✔️ 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗿𝘀! They bring unique expertise, tools, and technologies to co-create innovative solutions. Early supplier engagement is key to fostering collaboration and solving complex challenges. ✔️ 𝗟𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗹𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 by maximising the use of tools and platforms, data already available to identify trends, patterns and potential innovation opportunities. Leadership's role is to ensure resources support innovation efforts. ✔️ 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀-𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀 to connect internal teams, external partners and stakeholders and all dots leading to common goals. Empowered teams that break silos drive change and innovation. ✔️ 𝗘𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗮 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘂𝗿𝗲 allowing teams to validate viability and feasibility of ideas quickly without blaming. Having the right mindset, time and normalising innovation as a practice is key. To improve the success rate of innovation, leaders need to motivate collaboration, champion supplier engagement and create a culture and space where innovation can take place. ❓What else do you think is critical for Innovation. Let’s discuss further in the comments! 👇

Innovation starts with courageous leadership We talk about innovation as a process or a strategy. But at its core, innovation is a leadership decision — and it takes guts. New ideas challenge the status quo. They question business models, upset established power dynamics, and sometimes threaten existing revenue streams. Most leaders say they want innovation — but act in ways that protect what they already have. The hidden truth I have seen: Innovation needs leaders who will courageously protect and push ideas inside the organisation. Those courageous leaders protect innovators so they can pursue ideas. They shield teams from corporate resistance. They remove roadblocks and find allies. They help navigate around bureaucratic processes. They provide the air support so teams can do the ground work. Innovation thrives when those leaders step up. So here is the question: Does your company have courageous leaders who support and fight for innovators, or do you have leaders who conform? Because without that courage — innovation dies in committee.