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

Russell Sarder
19 Jun 201501:37

Summary

TLDRA 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.

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Related Tags
LeadershipInnovationCollaborationCultureVisionaryOrganizational GrowthEmpowermentChange ManagementContinuous LearningTeamwork