What makes a great leader? by Linda Hill, Author of Collective Genius

Summary

A great leader understands that leadership is not just about having a vision but also about fostering an environment where innovation thrives through collaboration. While visionary leadership is important for organizational change, building a culture that encourages continuous innovation requires diverse perspectives and capabilities. Most innovations arise from the collective effort of individuals rather than a single genius, often resulting from incremental discoveries and reconfigurations of existing ideas. Therefore, leaders must focus on creating an environment that supports collaborative work to ensure sustained innovation.

Takeaways

• 🌟 Great leaders understand that leadership isn't just about their vision but also about enabling others.
• 🤝 Visionary leadership is important during organizational change, but building capabilities requires a different approach.
• 💡 Innovation often arises from collaborative efforts rather than individual genius.
• 🔍 Most innovation is discovery-driven, involving trial and error rather than fully-formed ideas.
• 🔗 Successful innovation often combines existing ideas in new ways instead of creating entirely new concepts.
• 🌱 Leaders must foster a culture that supports collaborative work to enable continuous innovation.
• 🚀 To innovate repeatedly, organizations need a strong culture and capabilities in place.
• 🏆 Innovation isn't a one-time event; it's about the ability to adapt and evolve continuously.
• 💪 A supportive culture allows teams to learn from failures and turn them into innovative successes.
• 📈 In today's economy, the ability to innovate consistently is essential for organizational success.

Q & A

What is a key aspect of great leadership according to the speaker?

A key aspect of great leadership is understanding that leadership is not just about the leader's vision, but also about building a capability within the organization to innovate continuously.

How does the speaker differentiate between visionary leadership and the need for collaborative innovation?

The speaker acknowledges the importance of visionary leadership for organizational change but emphasizes that for sustainable innovation, collaboration among individuals with different perspectives is essential.

What common myth about innovation does the speaker address?

The speaker addresses the myth that innovation results solely from a 'solo genius' having an 'aha moment.' Instead, they argue that innovation typically arises from collaborative efforts.

What process does the speaker suggest is involved in most innovation?

Most innovation is described as a discovery-driven learning process, where individuals act and learn through trial and error, rather than producing fully formed ideas from the outset.

What is the speaker's view on the nature of most innovations?

The speaker suggests that most innovations are not entirely new but are instead combinations of existing ideas used in novel ways or reconfigured old concepts.

What does the speaker imply is necessary for an organization to innovate continuously?

The speaker implies that an organization must develop a culture and capabilities that support collaborative work and allow for continuous innovation.

Why does the speaker believe one-time innovations are insufficient?

One-time innovations are insufficient because, in today's economy, organizations need to innovate repeatedly to remain competitive and responsive to changing demands.

What role does collaboration play in the innovation process?

Collaboration is crucial in the innovation process as it brings together diverse perspectives and expertise, which are essential for discovering new solutions and approaches.

How can organizations foster a culture of innovation according to the speaker?

Organizations can foster a culture of innovation by encouraging collaboration, supporting discovery-driven learning, and allowing for experimentation and the recombination of ideas.

What is the speaker's overall message about leadership and innovation?

The overall message is that effective leadership must not only include visionary aspects but also prioritize building an environment where continuous and collaborative innovation can thrive.