Something special happens when people create a connected and trusting environment where everyone is focused on a shared vision of success.
If you have ever had the privilege of working in a team environment like this, you will know that the energy is high, the relationships are healthy, and the group achieves more than they ever thought possible.
Research over the years has indicated that highly effective teams increase productivity by up to 30%. Truly agile and resilient teams create the right environment for innovation and continuous improvement.
All humans need to belong, and it is a natural instinct to want to work in a collaborative environment. We are hard-wired to form connections, and the need for connection is irrelevant to personality.
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In a business context with a high demand for innovation and change and where people are being asked to do more with less, a positive team culture is critical to maintaining creativity and finding new ways of doing things.
So if we want to create an innovative and agile team, we must first ensure that we build a team culture that is positive and collaborative.
The key to effective innovation and creativity in teams
If you want your team to deliver creativity and find innovative ways of working, it is imperative that they focus on four key things:
Active collaboration that leverages diversity
We have known for a long time that diversity delivers better decision-making and more innovative outcomes. Forbes (2020) notes, “Diversity is a key driver of innovation and is a critical component of being successful on a global scale.”
If you want your team to be innovative, ensure it is diverse. This is not about tokenism or trying to do the right thing. It is about understanding that a diverse group of people create something different and unique.
True innovation does not result from a hom*ogenous group of people who think and do things the same way. It is produced by people who are different and have the emotional maturity to leverage their diversity and build something better than they could have created on their own.
Once you have achieved diversity in the team, you must develop a team culture where everyone values collaboration and celebrates diversity. Without this, conflict will erupt, and diversity will hinder effectiveness.
Healthy challenges for exploring alternatives
The most innovative teams do not always agree or get on with each other, but they have great strategies for handling challenges and differences of opinion.
If you want your team to be innovative, you will need to develop the team’s capacity to challenge each other positively. They need to be able to have disagreements that lead to what Stephen Covey (2004) calls synergistic outcomes.
In simple terms, they need to find solutions that are a compilation of everyone’s ideas and could not have been achieved by individuals.
An environment conducive to innovation
If you want your team to be innovative, it is no use expecting this to be delivered in the everyday operational context of your business.
For creativity to be stimulated, you need demarcated time for this.
And a context where people are given the right to set aside the typical demands of their operational responsibilities. This will allow them to explore, create and innovate.
Choosing an environment that is not connected to everyday work and opens up the team’s creative capacity is essential. Okanen and Stahle (2013) note that if the environment is conducive to creativity, this will result in enhanced levels of innovation.
The ability to deliver change and support transformation
You will never turn creativity into innovative solutions without the capacity to deliver effective change and transformation. Your team and your business need to have the ability to embrace creative ideas and implement transformation. Kotter (1995) says that as many as 80% of change programs fail to deliver the desired outcomes.
Innovation is a waste of time without the ability and discipline to bring about change. No matter how innovative the idea is, the benefits will never be realized without a well-designed implementation plan. Teams must develop their capacity to deliver change and transformation in a systematic and disciplined way.
Team culture is what is created from the things we do daily. Innovation is directly impacted by the team’s mindsets, attitudes, and behaviors. Building a team culture that values diversity and collaboration will enhance innovative outcomes for your team and your business.
Edgar Schein (2013)” states: “The only thing of real importance that leaders do is to create and manage culture… The unique talent of leaders is their ability to understand and work with culture.”
If you, as a leader, want to achieve innovation and change, you will need to actively build a culture that supports this and celebrates diversity and collaboration.
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