| This may come as a surprise but when it comes | | | | to refine, improve or radicallychange the systems, |
| toinnovative leadership, substance wins out over | | | | cyclical or process-oriented natures, orgraphical |
| style everytime. | | | | representations of their work environments |
| Most organizations focus their time, attention and | | | | oroperational model. |
| money ontraining or recruiting operational, | | | | You're likely to find these types of employees |
| activity-based leaders -however, very few | | | | workingwithin your midst, or they may have |
| companies devote any investment in | | | | recently joined yourorganization from other |
| thedevelopment of innovative leadership | | | | companies. |
| competences. | | | | Tip-3 - Embraces, Leads or Has Experienced and |
| Unlike traditional leadership, style isn't as important | | | | Is Now |
| asthe substance of an innovative leader. | | | | Prepared for Radical Change |
| Leadership styles usually involve strategic solutions | | | | While most people either avoid making changes or |
| totactical challenges - leaders employ styles to | | | | prefer notto undergo change, innovative |
| influence,govern or relate to people. | | | | leadership demands anemotional and psychological |
| Innovative leadership depends on the substance | | | | acceptance of or a positivemental attitude for the |
| of one'sinnovation strategy, the model for | | | | constant realities of change. |
| innovating in use, theprinciples and fundamentals of | | | | In keeping with the themes of Tips one and two, |
| the technologies involved inthe innovation, and the | | | | you willdiscover these people have experienced |
| organizational elements needed tomake the | | | | serious changes intheir living conditions or locations, |
| innovation successful. | | | | work environments orsituations and in their job |
| What follows are some criteria you can use to | | | | descriptions or knowledgebases. |
| identify,recruit, develop and improve the | | | | You may want to groom these people by helping |
| capabilities of qualifiedcandidates for your | | | | themstrengthen their relationship-building, |
| innovative leadership ranks. | | | | communications,collaboration and cooperation and |
| Tip-1 - Has Acquired a Broad, Insightful Knowledge | | | | coaching skills. Yourinvestments of time and |
| of the | | | | money would be well rewarded. |
| Humanities, Technologies or your Industry | | | | The famous innovator, entrepreneur and |
| This candidate has extensively read or written | | | | industrialist, Howard |
| about andpossesses in-depth experiential | | | | Hughes, purportedly said, "Never judge a man by |
| knowledge of one or more ofthe following areas: | | | | hisappearnace, always judge him by his |
| 1. Understands the challenges of the human | | | | experience!" Hissentitment is the dominant theme |
| condition [perhaps worked as a missionary, been a | | | | of this article. |
| volunteer, or lived and participated in the affairs | | | | You can not evaluate a person based on what |
| of a foreign community], | | | | you see, youmust use conversations to |
| 2. Knows one or more of the technologies critical | | | | determine their worth to yourorganization instead. |
| to your organization's success or | | | | A scripted interview or your |
| 3. Worked in the exact or a related industry or | | | | everydayhomogenuous scoring sheet system is |
| has experience working with a similar business | | | | not likely to identifytruly innovative leadership |
| model as yours | | | | candidates. |
| The more of these experiences and knowledges | | | | Who would have hired Bill Gates as a software |
| a candidate hasacquired, the more likely she is to | | | | developer, |
| have the potential forbecoming a superior | | | | Warren Buffet as stock broker, Sir Richard |
| innovative leader. | | | | Branson as anentrepreneurial leader or Steve Jobs |
| An ideal profile might look like this: | | | | as a CEO using ordianryhiring criteria and |
| "Candidate-A is a former relief aid worker who | | | | methods? |
| lived andworked in 2 or more other countries, | | | | "Books were my pass to personal freedom. I |
| who studied technologywhile in school and who | | | | learned to readat age three, and soon discovered |
| worked for 3 years as a part-timeassociate at a | | | | there was a whole world toconquer that went |
| competitor company." | | | | beyond our farm in Mississippi." |
| Tip-2 Appreciates Why the Engineering of | | | | - Oprah Winfrey, Entertainment and Social |
| Systems, Cycles, | | | | Entrepreneur |
| Processes and Graphic Representations Are | | | | Nearly every innovator has been a serious |
| Primary Causes for | | | | student of life,technology or business - the |
| Organizational Success | | | | majority of innovative leadersare readers or |
| Your search for and promotion of qualified | | | | experimenters or doers in their subjectmatter of |
| candidates forinnovative leadership positions must | | | | choice and interest. |
| include those personswho are able to eloquently | | | | You will discover what the true secret of |
| express or demonstrate therequirements for and | | | | innovativeleadership is: innovators have a passion, |
| importance of systems, cyclicalprinciples, | | | | commitment andloyalty for pursuing and being |
| processes and graphical depictions of keybusiness | | | | excellence. In a word,innovative leaders will put |
| elements. | | | | substance above style everytime. |
| Those candidates who have this level of | | | | Copyright © 2006, Mustard Seed |
| appreciation forcore organizational components will | | | | Investments Inc. |
| have performedprodigious amounts of work on | | | | All rights reserved. |
| them or spent significantamounts of time trying | | | | |