12 Key Aspects of Innovative Leaders

"Learning and innovation go hand in hand. The arrogance of success is to think that what you did yesterday will be sufficient for tomorrow." – William Pollard

How to Drive Creative Change For Massive Success

If you are planning to get your organization to make radical changes that will slingshot it warp speed ahead of your competitors in these tough times, it will be due to your smart, passionate, and visionary leaders who think and act with unquestioned boldness, daring and speed. That is the essence of innovative leadership! Right now there are over 700 different definitions of “leadership.” Most are interesting, useful and valid, if not somewhat common in their collective context. But, perhaps the only real common denominator of all those definitions is that an effective leader has devoted followers.  

Although an executive, manager or administrator certainly can (and often should) be a “leader” if the situation requires it, leadership is really more a role and state of being than a position, function or title. Our impressive military (especially the U.S. Marines and various Special Ops units) teaches all their combat personnel about what effective leaders need to do in various hostile situations so they can confidently assume that role in the event their non-commissioned officers and command officers are unable to do so. Leadership is not about systems or procedures. It is not about things. It’s about people—about motivating, inspiring, directing, and developing them for peak (goal-oriented) performance. It’s about getting the absolute most and best from the people who follow you and about giving back to them in a cycle of mutual respect, support and caring for each other. It is not about controlling (as many managers do), but about advancing forward in the progress of a goal or mission. Much has been written about and taught regarding the various behavioral styles of leaders. Here are just some (many self-evident) forms of identified leadership that have been written about and practiced:

• Autocratic

• Participative

• Bureaucratic

• Entrepreneurial                     

• Delegative

• Charismatic

• Task-oriented

• Situational                        

• Transactional

• Visionary

• Transformational

• Servant          

These leadership variations are essentially methods or behavioral styles of getting people to commit to and act upon the goals and plans that you, as leader, has communicated to them for action. Some leadership styles are outdated, unproductive or suboptimal in their usefulness in today’s frenetically-paced world and sophisticated workplace. Other leadership styles are best-suited to a particular industry or type of organizational mission. In general, though, leaders tend to have a dominant (not domineering) style for themselves — a leadership approach that they frequently use in a wide variety of situations. Various research, though, has discovered that there is no one best style to use all the time — leaders must adjust their command mode to the unique situation and its degree of urgency as well as to the various types of people (especially the highly creative types) being led.

In general, I define leadership as the ability to get followers deeply committed to fulfilling a vision, objective, or course of action that they, the “followers” (through the influence of their leader), believe is achievable, valuable and worthwhile doing. An innovative leader, though, is an exceptional and rare one — a person who promotes, focuses and uses maximum effective creativity from followers to achieve remarkable breakthroughs in all operational and financial performance aspects in their organization. These leaders galvanize and energize people to achieve things they’ve only longed for and dreamed of previously. Look at the successful leaders of innovation in any industry today and you will see 12 common characteristics associated with them.

12 Characteristics, Behaviors and Actions of Innovative Leaders

1.  Innovation Drives Everything. Innovative leaders know that nothing can maximize top line revenue and bottom line profits better than using innovation to improve organizational: a) effectiveness;     b) efficiency; c) productivity and d) quality in every operational activity, function and process whether in sales, marketing, product development, R&D, supply chain management, manufacturing, distribution and customer service among many others. These leaders strongly promote, support (not just talk about) and reward the innovative efforts and accomplishments of their people. For these leaders innovation is a must have everyday, every way activity.

2.  Quick, Decisive Action-Focused. Speed, responsiveness, and agility are everything to innovative leaders who analyze situations, make decisions and act on opportunities quickly. They find shortcuts to slash the red tape and bureaucracy that stifles efficiency and demotivates employees. They would rather make a wrong decision than blow a potential opportunity by cautiously sitting still and playing it safe until all the data is in or all the committees have analyzed, discussed and procrastinated the now-gone opportunity to death. These leaders know that speed of decision-making and quick (but not impulsive) action are a key strategy for building success in the future.

3. Culture Immersed in Progressive Change. Innovative leaders build creative organizations and foster a strong, exciting, optimistic culture of on-going, never-ending positive change and high levels of innovation. They ensure that their organizations continually learn, adapt, evolve, and improve. Their first objective is to deal with turbulent change impacting them in their industry and world, then become master of that change. They are “ChangeMasters” who might bring about a game-changing (e.g. “Disruptive Technology” or new business model) trend or breakthrough providing a tidal wave of revolutionary value for the benefit of many. Innovation is the “Growth DNA” in the organization’s culture that drives the values, beliefs, operating norms, behaviors, rewards and incentives on a daily basis. Innovative leaders carefully craft, grow and nurture a vibrant culture that embraces and applies heavy doses of creativity and innovation in everything they do. You can’t build good products in poor factories. The factory of creativity is the organization’s culture and daily operating environment. A major role of the leader is to create that special, rewarding “Can Do” environment where imagination, smart risk-taking, aggressive initiatives, and bold endeavors are encouraged, recognized and rewarded. 

4.  Future-Obsessed. Managers are tasked with ensuring efficient, high-quality operations. They have to sustain consistently, high standards of operating their departments or divisions. That means they are in the “maintain and control” mode. If they improve or change things, it is incremental so as not to disrupt or impede smooth on-going operations. Leaders on the other hand, are tasked with planning change for the future that will enable the organization to grow, adapt, prosper and improve in all the critical operation and financial parameters that matter most. Innovative leaders have to be architects that remodel, reinvent and reinvigorate their organization to maintain its lead in its industry. Often that means switching on a parallel track from the present to the future at some point. Sometimes leaders have to dismantle and rebuild their organization to meet the extreme challenges of tomorrow. That usually causes chaos, confusion and anxiety for those holding tight on the reins of today. But, it has to be done. Otherwise, the organization will stagnate, falter and be exposed to threats and significant challenges from competitors and elsewhere. The beckoning horizon ahead actually excites these leaders who want to see their visions take form in new, vastly superior ways. These leaders are always asking, “What next?” “Where else?” While managers are busy dealing with daily operations, leaders—futurists—are busy fine-tuning their ideas and plotting the series of bold moves that will drive their organization confidently and proudly into the years ahead.

5. Visionaries. The most innovative leaders are the most visionary. They use their vivid imaginations to see far ahead into their world of possibilities and opportunities. They envision paths leading to breakthrough products, new technologies and services and business models that can create new industries or dominate current ones. Walt Disney was such a brilliant, multi-talented optimistic visionary and pioneer who reinvented and redefined animations, television shows, movies and invented theme parks — a far cry from amusement parks of their day. Steve Jobs of Apple is another visionary who never used focus groups, but instead developed products and services with the understanding that “if you build it, they will buy it” because customers need it, even though they may not realize it just yet. Elon Musk is a reigning, world-leading visionary who sees far, far into the future with his Tesla vehicles, Space X rockets and Hyperloop. These exceptional leaders see farther into a future than others — a future filled with seemingly unlimited opportunities. They study likely tomorrow’s trends, shifting customer requirements and evolving demographics. They love technological and scientific advances. They wake up every day thinking about the promises of an exciting, awaiting tomorrow.

6. Masters of Motivation and Inspiration. Innovative leaders first get people excited and enthusiastic, then committed, and finally they get people moving swiftly toward the goals they set forth. Vanguard leaders know exactly how to tap into secret chambers and reveries of the minds, hearts, and souls of their followers. They know which “buttons to push” to activate their followers’ pride, faith, hope, optimism, and can-do spirit. These leaders make their followers feel special as if they were an elite exclusive “force of nature” meeting head on with some noble destiny. They help their employees fulfill a deep longing for creativity and innovation directed at some meaningful venture. These leaders impart to their followers or employees a sense of invincibility, power and control over their situations.  They accomplish two overwhelmingly important things: they make people feel good about themselves and they make them feel good about what they are accomplishing. Innovative business leaders then strive to give their employees purposeful work that they find worthwhile and beneficial to others in society. Great leaders interact closely with their followers. They connect with and engage with them in a cause or mission. Amazing things happen when a leader announces a daring adventure (e.g save the economy, rebuild an industry or build a new one, fight a deserving battle, help the unfortunate) and then the leader marches with his or her people along the destined path to a sense of greatness. As Jean De LeFontaigne aptly said, “Man is so made that when anything touches his soul, impossibilities disappear.” It is that wise and “street-wise innovative leader who touches and lights a fire of burning desire in hearts and souls. 

7.  Passionate Advocates. Innovative leaders are emotionally-driven. They openly show their honest feelings, sometimes intensely. They demonstrate that they deeply care about doing the right things right (and doing them right) and fighting for a worthy cause, perhaps with a moral high ground attached to it. The raw passion they possess and demonstrate rubs off on their followers. In business, whether it is showcasing their excitement about invigorating ideas, needed changes, or new products and services, these passionate advocates can’t help but get others feeling and absorbing their energy, enthusiasm and optimism. Some of the most successful innovative leaders communicate to their followers that making money — while certainly at the forefront — is not their ultimate driving force. But, running an ethical, socially-responsible company that makes the very finest finest products and services and contributes to society causes employees to feel the pride, good purpose and accomplishment that they all share in.

8. Super-salespeople and Evangelists. The secret of innovative leadership is not authority, but using influence to attain the loyalty and commitment and action of followers. President Dwight Eisenhower noted, “You do not lead by hitting people over the head — that’s assault, not leadership.” Innovative leaders persuasively communicate an optimistic, bright, enticing picture of the future for their followers— a future that followers eagerly buy into. They elicit strong support along the way. These psychologically smart and well-meaning leaders are compelling and captivating “dream merchants.” They keep the dream alive by enthusiastically communicating the bright grand vision and lofty goals at every opportunity. They convince people to get on board and stay on board to enjoy and savor the wonderfully rewarding trip to a brighter and more satisfying and rewarding future.

9. Rule Breakers. The only real rule true innovative leaders have is, “There are no rules.” Now, of course, this does not apply to safety, legal, ethical or other rules that all people in the organization have to — and should — adhere to. We are talking about arbitrary rules and policies that are outdated, counterproductive or otherwise contrary to common sense. Bureaucratic thinking, even in small organizations, focuses on strictly (oftentimes “blindly”) following rules, regulations, methods, procedures and policies. Most people often cannot remember who or why the unpopular rules were established. But, they are, unfortunately, still enforced for some unknown, illogical reason. Too many rules stifle initiative and creativity, slow down the gears of progress and frustrate, annoy and demotivate people. Bureaucracy is about “running a tight ship.” Unfortunately, given that, a ship (like a company) will stay in the harbor a lot and that’s not what ships (or companies) are built for. They are supposed to set sail on an exciting voyage of adventure and opportunity! Innovative leaders help their followers to discard their burdensome policy and procedures manuals and, instead, create plain old common sense — flexible — guidelines to enable people to function in a smart, efficient and effective way. 

10. Opportunists. Innovative leaders have their antennas sensitively tuned to picking up any hint of an opportunity or possibility to which they might capitalize. They aggressively seek out and grab (or create) ideas and opportunities before others are even aware of their existence. Innovative leaders are voracious readers and researchers who spot early evolving trends, technological developments, new management techniques and anything else that has promise and can be used and leveraged to benefit their organization. They’re always asking themselves questions like: 

• “How might this relate to or positively affect my organization?”                                    

• “How can I best use it or how can I get other great ideas from it?”              

• “In what ways can we adapt that model, technology or concept in our company?”    

• “How might I learn from and creatively apply what I just read (or saw, experienced)?”  

•  "Is it possible to improve upon this concept to give us a greater competitive edge?"

• What are some possibilities for leveraging this idea to better solve our problem?

11. High-Gain Risk-Takers. For many people “risk” is a dirty four-letter word to be shunned. You won’t find innovative leaders thinking small and acting with undue, restrained caution. Their plans are grandiose, their actions big and daring. Their appetite for risk is greater than those clinging to the false safety of the status quo. In today’s world, not taking smart, calculated risks is often the very biggest risk one can incur as other companies in one’s industry (especially newcomers around the world) strive to develop spectacular innovations that will leap frog them far ahead of the fearful, risk-averse industry incumbents. Innovative leaders seek massive gains and aren’t afraid to take those risks, necessary to achieve them. Companies such as Boeing have literally “bet their company” several times on breakthrough aircraft designs (such as the 707, 747 and 787) that established them in the forefront of the industry for decades. These are visionary people who create huge fortunes and world-changing innovations, not by sheepishly holding back by playing it safe and doing the same "acceptable" things over and over, but by boldly standing up and venturing far ahead of the “sit and stay still” crowd.

12. Mountain Climbers. What does Alexander the Great, Thomas Edison, Nikola Tesla, Walt Disney, General George Patton, Henry Ford and other past and present “Captains of Innovation” in business or war have in common? As soon as one victory was achieved, these leaders gave their people little to rest on their laurels, but instead had them continue onto a greater achievement, a bigger victory yet and a more impressive innovation. Innovative leaders always try to get the very best people to work with them (notice I said “with,” not “for”). These forward-thinking leaders recruit people who are creative, driven, ambitious, trustworthy and never satisfied with what they did before. Overachievers are always looking for the next great thing and will vigorously push and pull, until they get it. What innovative leaders do is metaphorically climb and conquer mountain peaks with their people. Once done, the leaders get their people’s stamina charged up to climb yet another tougher, higher, more challenging elevation. Because of the special nature of these followers, they love to “mountain climb.” If they are lingering too long between climbs in the “valley base camp of work,” they become restless, bored and antsy. So, the innovative leader picks those projects, that like mountain ranges, are there to be challenged, then conquered—always a new and exhilarating mountain to overcome and raise the flag of success on the peak.

Every Organization Needs More Innovative Leaders!

Innovative leadership is the highest form of leading in any business, government, military or other organization because of the huge contributions that style of leadership makes in the lives of all stakeholders — employees, customers, suppliers, partners, and the greater community at large. Innovative leaders take their organizations to far away, exciting and adventurous destinations that originally started as a grand vision and stirring dream of what might be. They are all about progress, action and B-I-G impressive results! Are YOU growing as an innovative leader?

About the Author

Ray Anthony is the Chief “Innovader” at Anthony Innovation Group in The Woodlands, Texas, USA. He is the author of 9 books and over 100 articles on organizational change, innovation, leadership, creativity, sales, presentation skills and other strategic business topics. His vanguard book, Innovative Presentations For Dummies (Wiley Publishing) shows how to powerfully reimagine, reinvent and remake presentations that win against the toughest odds. Ray is a successful, dynamic keynote speaker, executive coach, program developer, corporate trainer, videographer and creative who has worked with numerous Fortune 500 corporations and elite U.S. government agencies (e.g. CIA, NASA and USSOCOM) to help improve their operational performance and results through creativity and innovation. He can be reached at innovader@comcast.net or cell: 832-594-4747.