The following excerpt is from Glenn Llopis’s book The Innovation Mentality. Buy it now from Amazon | Barnes & Noble
The six characteristics of the innovation mentality are like many great ideas: deceptively simple. That’s the point: They awaken you to new opportunities and possibilities through the simplest language that can be applied to all aspects of leadership.
For example, the most popular article I ever wrote for Forbes.com was on the 15 things leaders must do automatically, every day, to be successful in the workplace. These 15 things ultimately allow leaders to increase the value of their organization’s brand, while at the same time minimize the operating risk profile. They serve as the enablers of talent, culture and results:
- Make others feel safe to speak up.
- Make decisions.
- Communicate expectations.
- Challenge people to think.
- Be accountable to others.
- Lead by example.
- Measure and reward performance.
- Provide continuous feedback.
- Properly allocate and deploy talent
- Ask questions and seek counsel.
- Problem solve and avoid procrastination.
- Have positive energy and attitude.
- Be a great teacher.
- Invest in relationships.
- Genuinely enjoy responsibilities.
Millions of people read, responded and shared this post. Why? Certainly not because the list is so groundbreaking. Do these 15 things sound new, counterintuitive or complex? Of course not. Like the six characteristics, they’re simple to say and clear in their direction for how we connect with, market, impact and influence all people. We can’t do these things most effectively and consistently unless we can maximize the potential of everything our leadership touches/influences. In an execution-oriented environment, how is this possible? I’ll let you in on a little secret that might help: Every one of these 15 things is drawn from and connected to the six innovation mentality characteristics, like the following, for example:
- Measure and reward performance: See opportunity in everything (characteristic #1).
- Ask questions and seek counsel: Anticipate the unexpected (characteristic #2).
- Properly allocate and deploy talent: Unleash your passionate pursuits (characteristic #3).
- Invest in relationships: Live with an entrepreneurial spirit (characteristic #4).
- Provide continuous feedback: Work with a generous purpose (characteristic #5).
- Lead by example: Lead to leave a legacy (characteristic #6).
It’s important to realize this connection to the six characteristics extends to the work most companies aspire to every day, such as serving customers (anticipate the unexpected and work with a generous purpose) or striving for excellence (live with an entrepreneurial spirit). That’s the common sense behind the six characteristics; they apply and are adaptable to all aspects of business and leadership, as well as being simple to grasp and easy to memorize.
So now go back through each characteristic and ask yourself:
- How do you live each characteristic in your work?
- How can each characteristic propel innovation and initiative in your business?
- How can each characteristic contribute to the success and betterment of others?
- How do others experience each characteristic in your leadership in the workplace?
For example, consider six brand strategies (below) that most chief marketing officers (CMOs) fail to execute to heed the rapidly evolving ground rules for branding that are challenging brands to think differently. You can clearly see how they match up with the six innovation mentality characteristics:
1. See consumer engagement that others don’t. Stop doing what everyone else is doing, and…