Why Leaders Need To Be Open to Creativity and Innovation

Developing creativity and innovation will help you improve as a leader. They're the first things you rely on when you form your unique vision of success. However, especially in professions such as insurance, law, medicine and so on, there's sometimes a perception that creativity equals unacceptable risk.

Pursue Functional Creativity

Some think of innovation and picture a free-for-all. In fact, it's a relatively structured, predictable process. It should always start by identifying real opportunities and then move on from there. There's also very little start-up investment required: Innovation comes from activating existing networks between members of your organization.

Real creativity is focused, guided and productive. Your team members will still focus on their existing roles and duties. You direct creativity with your vision of success and support it with your company's culture.

The core of leading innovation is sending an invitation to your team members — an invitation to do whatever they can think of within the boundaries you've developed. In addition to being a driver of new ideas, it's one of the most powerful gestures of trust you can make.

Lead with Creative Risk

Like all aspects of leadership, implementing creativity into your culture takes practice. Sometimes, ideas don't pan out as expected. Nobody wants to be the first one — or even the second one — to take a big intellectual or social risk. That's where you come in as a leader.

You'll have to take some calculated risks if you expect other members of your team to do the same. It's normal to observe some uncertainty, some overstepping of boundaries and even some reluctance to contribute. Walking the talk of creativity yourself will show everyone the level of risk you're willing to accept.

No matter how hard you focus on your vision and how well you act according to your organization's culture, a creative idea may remain just that: an idea. Creating a culture that accepts this reality won't make the rejection any easier, but it will help everybody own the price of progress.

Develop and Improve

Despite what you might hear, you don't have to be a genius visionary in a disruptive company to be a creative leader. Just like any other leadership skill, creativity is something you develop by focused practice.

The bottom line is you can foster creativity and innovation in your team. The next big idea is out there, and you can consistently come up with it — if you're willing to commit to the process.