By Lauryn Haas, Shana Lebowitz Gaynor
Find simple ways to cut down the work required
It’s about freeing people up to find simpler ways and to cut out work that is not value-added or not as value-added as other work that we can do with that same resource, so that same time is again a huge enabler of our entire strategy, but also an enabler of innovation.
Invite diverse voices to the table and set hierarchy aside
If you have a diverse organization – and diverse in every sense of the word – and then you have an inclusive culture where those people feel like they have every opportunity to bring forward their ideas and their perspectives and to have healthy discussions, then that is a contributor toward innovation of every type, whether it’s big guy or a little guy.
This type of initiative is more encouraged when company hierarchy is not seen as a dividing line. The most effective communication, when co-workers can connect in “very human ways.
It’s about creating the culture and the environment and making it more than okay” to voice your opinions and It’s expected for people to engage in that way. And that’s where we get to our best outcomes.
Encourage constructive debate and seek that quality out in new hires
Communication needs to be encouraged, but so does constructive debate
Be authentic and vulnerable
Finally, if employees are encouraged to voice their opinions, leaders should also show the same vulnerability.
One of the very positive effects of what we’ve gone through over the last several months has been that the veneer [on executives] has been wiped away. So you’re seeing leaders who are showing up with this authenticity and humanity that is different in a very positive way.
When executives avoid intimidation, it reminds the whole team that they’re just like everyone else and they too have shared experiences and challenges.
