LeaderLines
Poll finds "leadership or staff support" biggest barrier to innovation
In our LeaderLines last month we looked at the idea of “rapid innovation” and an organization’s ability to create, develop, and implement a great idea in 100 days. Our poll asked what’s stopping you from piloting your great idea in the next 100 days.
Nearly 45% of you said it was leadership or staff support.   Twice the number who said you said you were too busy.
 

Full Poll Results:

Question: Think about a GREAT idea you have. What’s the main thing stopping you from piloting it in the next 100 days?
_Leadership or staff support (45%)
_Hard to figure out details (6%)
_No urgency (6%)
_Too risky (11%)
_Too busy (22%)
_Nothing! I'm doing it. (11%)

Peter Lane, ICL reacts:  For many in the nonprofit world, we have grown accustomed to a culture of crisis and a culture of deficit. There is never enough time, enough staff, enough resources, enough volunteers…and on and on. The end result can be organizational inertia. 

As a leader in your organization—whether executive director, board member, or staff person—think about how can you demonstrate the practice of generative learning and innovation. Make a bold goal public, and dare your team to experiment and, yes, sometimes fail on the road to finding what works.  Model that practice for others in the organization. Even when you are busy, how can you engage others in conversation that builds curiosity and is exploratory? Small steps can change the culture and mindset of your organization. Who knows, it may even lead to a great idea that changes your organization in the next 100 days!