Over the past few weeks I’ve had the pleasure of meeting some really inspiring Founders and some brilliantly talented and motivational Leadership Coaches. It got me thinking about how leadership and innovation go hand in hand. The most successful leaders in the IT/Digital space have always understood the importance of innovation in achieving success. As a result, they are constantly seeking new ideas and ways to stay ahead of the curve. I sometimes like to remind myself that we are blessed for living in an age of great product makers, where innovative thinking and neurodiversity as created some fascinating leaders of modern times.
"Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower."
- Steve Jobs, Co-Founder of Apple Inc.
There was a time when I tried not to use Steve Jobs as a benchmark, but as he was broadly known for his innovative ideas and his ability to see beyond what currently exists in the market, I'm happy to break my own rule here. Controversial at times as he may have been, he was a true leader because he was always pushing the boundaries of what was possible. The iPod, iPhone, and iPad, changed the way we interact with technology and made Apple one of the most valuable companies in the world.
"The best way to predict the future is to invent it."
- Alan Kay, Computer Scientist and Inventor.
As an avid SciFi fan and somewhat nerd when growing up, Alan’s quote resonated with me personally. As a ‘non-Creative’ I’ve always been fascinated by how the creative mind could picture something, or write something that wasn’t real and find a way to turn it into real life. The gadgets we use, the films we watch, the books we read all started life as a creative spark. For instance, number of inventions that were grown in the minds of script writers in Star Trek, and have since gone on to become real world products, is truly remarkable. Being proactive and constantly seeking new opportunities to innovate and grow acts as an inspiration in leadership that cannot be underestimated.
"It's not about ideas. It's about making ideas happen."
- Scott Belsky, Co-Founder of Behance.
For those of you that don't know him, Scott is a successful entrepreneur and author who understands the importance of execution in turning innovative ideas into reality. In order to be a successful leader, you need to be able to take action and bring your ideas to life. This requires a combination of creativity, strategic thinking, and the ability to lead and motivate a team. Somewhat apt that Behance would go on to be acquired by Adobe for $150M in the social media rush of 2012. Adobe products are now so imbedded into creative and design thinking, that there impact on Leadership could be an entire article in itself.
"Innovation is taking two things that already exist and putting them together in a new way."
- Tom Freston, Co-Founder of MTV.
Connect the dots and see new possibilities that drive leadership culture. As a product of that decade and a huge 80s music fan it is hard to look beyond the technological advances and impact on culture that MTV made. Even now, I still hear reference to the brand and how it set a new tone for being pioneers in their space - leaders and brands aspire to be the next MTV, the future change agent. I’m constantly in awe of how we are able to identify new markets, technologies, and trends and then find new ways to combine them in order to create something unique and valuable. In fact, a COO of a well-known Fashion label said to me just last year that their goal was to create the same impact on culture that MTV had in the 80s - what an inspiring mission statement to help galvanize the troops
"The best way to predict your future is to create it."
- Peter Drucker, Management Consultant and Author.
In many of the leadership workshops we run, Peter is often quoted in relation to importance of being proactive and taking ownership of your future. As leaders, this means the ability to anticipate and adapt to changes in the market and constantly seek new channels to innovate and grow.
Successful leaders understand that innovation is a critical component of leadership. They are constantly seeking new ideas and ways to stay ahead of the curve. By embodying the spirit of innovation, they are able to create new opportunities, disrupt industries, and transform the way we interact with technology. As we look to the future, it is clear that innovation will continue to be a driving force in the technology industry and that the most successful leaders will be those who are able to embrace and harness its power.
So there you have it - Innovation and Leadership go hand in hand. If you're looking to unpick your technical, product or design leadership, and require an advisory team with deep, embedded experience in this space, please do contact TDA Search or visit our website for more information: www.tdasearch.com
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