The Reward is in the Risk
The biggest obstacle to innovation and creativity is intolerance. Intolerance is a multifaceted beast which comes in two flavours: internal and external. Internal being the stories we tell ourselves and our underlying belief systems, external, being the systems, structures, and lived experiences that reinforce our beliefs.
Why do these obstacles matter in organizations?
Here’s a story,
“I had the pleasure and honour of coaching a brilliant engineer in the senior tenure of her career. She was in a leadership role and had gotten to where she was by playing it safe, following the rules, and solving complex problems behind the scenes. When we first started coaching, she mentioned this ONE thing she wanted to do prior to retirement. We didn’t immediately dig in, but I could sense it operating in the background during our weekly conversations. As the months passed, our conversations deepened and she began coming out of her shell and sharing her magnificent inner world which included, insights, longings and the joy of heart-centered leadership.
In our last coaching conversation, something shifted and finally she wanted to talk about this ‘one thing’. She cautiously pulled out the file from the bottom of a big stack and proceed to pour her heart out regarding the passion in becoming an environmentally friendly producer and leaving a world class sustainable operation for future generations. The idea she had been sitting on for years had the potential to save the organization approximately $ 6,000/day during a time when they were desperately seeking cost savings.
It was not the technical aspects that prevented this idea from taking shape. This brilliant mind knew exactly what to do. It was the fear of marching into her boss’s office and risking rejection or not being taken seriously enough. It was the fear of proving the inner critic right. When we coached through this, she reached the realization that she would rather fail trying, then retire not knowing. We found ways she could meet the inner voice and be there for herself through the free fall of exposure.”
I love this story for two reasons:
It shows what most of us intuitively know, the answers to organizations most complex problems are already within their walls.
It highlights the power of culture and the call for leadership to create an environment where people feel empowering and safe to bring new ideas to life.
What is your organization doing to remove the obstacles of innovation?