What Makes a Great Leader?

Summary

Linda A. Hill explores how leadership needs to evolve to drive innovation and agility within organizations. She introduces the 'ABCs of leadership'—architect, bridger, and catalyst—highlighting the importance of building a collaborative culture, forging external partnerships, and accelerating co-creation across ecosystems. Hill emphasizes that innovation is a collective effort, not just an individual pursuit, and leaders must influence through trust and mutual commitment, not formal authority. The talk provides valuable insights into how leaders can harness diverse talents, collaborate across boundaries, and create lasting impact through innovation.

Takeaways

• 😀 Leadership today needs to shift from focusing solely on vision to fostering collaboration and innovation at scale.
• 😀 Effective leadership for innovation requires leaders to play three crucial roles: architect, bridger, and catalyst.
• 😀 The role of an architect is to build the culture and capabilities necessary for collaborative, experimental, and fast-paced innovation.
• 😀 Innovation is about harnessing the collective genius of a diverse group of individuals, each bringing unique talents and perspectives.
• 😀 As a bridger, leaders must look beyond their organization to access external talent, tools, and partnerships to drive innovation.
• 😀 Digital advancements make it essential for organizations to innovate across boundaries and build external partnerships for success.
• 😀 The role of a catalyst involves accelerating co-creation within the broader ecosystem to strengthen innovation and capabilities across industries.
• 😀 Building trust and mutual influence with external partners is key to achieving innovation goals, as seen in Pfizer’s collaboration with vendors for agile trials.
• 😀 Leaders must let go of formal authority and rely more on shaping culture, forging deep connections, and creating mutual trust to inspire innovation.
• 😀 Commitment from individuals is crucial for innovation, as it encourages them to take risks and engage in breakthrough efforts.
• 😀 Innovation is a voluntary act; leaders cannot dictate innovation, but must create an environment where individuals are invited to contribute and co-create.

Q & A

What is the main reason organizations struggle to innovate and remain agile?

The main reason organizations struggle to innovate and remain agile is the lack of effective leadership. Without the right kind of leadership, organizations cannot foster the collaboration, experimentation, and learning needed for innovation.

How did the concept of leadership evolve from 100 years ago to today?

A century ago, leadership was primarily about setting direction and ensuring people followed that direction. Over time, particularly over the last 40 years, leadership has shifted towards fostering vision, and more recently, to focusing on shaping culture and capabilities necessary for innovation.

What role did vision play in leadership, and how has that changed?

Vision used to be the core of leadership, with a focus on setting a clear direction and getting people to follow it. However, with the increasing importance of innovation, leaders now need to move beyond vision and focus on shaping culture and fostering collaboration for co-creation.

What are the three key roles leaders must fulfill to drive innovation?

The three key roles are: Architect (building culture and capabilities for collaboration and learning), Bridger (connecting external talent and tools to the organization), and Catalyst (accelerating co-creation and innovation across ecosystems).

What is the role of an 'architect' in innovation leadership?

An architect in innovation leadership is responsible for creating the culture and capabilities that enable collaboration, experimentation, and learning within the organization. This role involves unleashing the diverse talents and passions of the team to foster collective genius.

Why is innovation seen as a collective effort rather than an individual endeavor?

Innovation is viewed as a collective effort because it thrives on collaboration among individuals with diverse expertise and perspectives. The success of innovation relies on how well people can work together, experiment, and learn from each other quickly and efficiently.

What does the 'bridger' role involve in innovation leadership?

The 'bridger' role involves extending the organization’s reach by connecting with external talent, tools, and partnerships. Leaders must bridge the gap between their organization and the outside world to access necessary resources and capabilities that may not be available internally.

How does the 'catalyst' role contribute to innovation?

The 'catalyst' role is about accelerating co-creation and innovation throughout the entire ecosystem. This involves fostering collaboration with external parties and enhancing the capability of the broader ecosystem, helping to create breakthroughs and achieve larger goals.

Why is formal authority less effective in driving innovation?

Formal authority is less effective because innovation is not something that can be imposed. Instead, leaders must influence through culture, mutual trust, and commitment, inviting others to innovate voluntarily. Innovation requires intrinsic motivation, not just control.

What is meant by 'collective genius' in the context of innovation?

Collective genius refers to the combined talents, expertise, and creativity of a group of individuals working together to innovate. It’s the idea that innovation is not driven by one person’s ideas but by the collaborative efforts of diverse individuals.