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White Room
Writer's pictureRobert L. Dortch, Jr.

Innovation in the Eye of the Storm: Leading Through Crisis


"Bravery is not the absence of fear but the strength to keep going forward anyway."

~Reshma Saujani (Founder, Girls Who Code)


How often have you found yourself in a crisis that required immediate ingenuity and innovation and yet found you and your team struggling to develop solutions and ideas to the challenges demanding immediate attention? Guess what? You are not alone! Many organizations' innovation spectrum often oscillates between euphoric brainstorming sessions and desperate attempts at salvaging sinking ships. In our modern, rapidly evolving landscape, it is not the strongest organizations that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the most responsive to change. Yet, the undertones of innovation within organizations are, paradoxically, either met with boundless enthusiasm or reluctant acquiescence. In an era where organizational agility is admired and essential, innovation stands tall as a non-negotiable imperative.


As leaders, the obligation to ensure that innovation is neither an infrequent eureka nor a last-ditch effort in the face of adversity falls squarely on our shoulders. We must introspectively ask: How can our organization pivot its perception of innovation from luxury to lifeline? Moreover, in the face of adversity, how do we ensure that our team not just understands but champions the cause of innovation at every echelon?


Three paramount lessons emerge for leaders in such challenging terrains.

  1. Consistency Over Contingency: Innovation cannot merely be a reactive measure when things go south. For innovation to be ingrained in an organization's DNA, it must be habitual, intentional, and unceasing - irrespective of circumstances. Innovation shouldn't be a fleeting brainstorming session that dissipates after the meeting. Instead, it needs to be an ever-glowing beacon, a consistent practice regardless of the calm or chaos surrounding an organization. Organizations can preemptively counter challenges by adopting a mindset that champions constant innovation, morphing potential roadblocks into mere detours.

  2. Strategy and Structure: It's a myth that innovation sprouts solely from spontaneous eureka moments. Groundbreaking ideas often emerge from structured environments where individuals feel empowered to think differently. While spontaneity has its place, innovation thrives best in environments where it is strategically cultivated. Therefore, it's crucial to have systems and structures that support and actively encourage new ideas and solutions. By strategically integrating innovation within an organization's blueprint – from its values to its processes to its culture – leaders ensure that it becomes as fundamental as any other operational aspect.

  3. Crisis as Catalyst: Historically, many groundbreaking advancements have been born from necessity during turbulent times. Instead of viewing a crisis as disrupting innovation, perceive it as a powerful impetus. Leaders can harness it as a catalyst for introspection and transformation. Encouraging teams to see change as an opportunity ensures the organization remains resilient, adaptive, and forward-looking. Times of change are the crucibles where true ingenuity is tested and refined.

As we ponder on the role of innovation, leaders should continually challenge their teams and themselves with these probing questions: Is innovation in our organization sporadic or a reliable guiding star? And when faced with uncertainties, how can we pivot our strategies to keep innovation at the forefront?


Questions on Crisis-Driven Innovation:

  1. When looking back at the organization's previous crises or challenges, which innovative solutions emerged that continue to add value today? Were they intentional or inadvertent?

  2. If a crisis were to strike tomorrow, what structures or processes would your organization have to foster innovation? Would your team know how to approach problem-solving innovatively?

  3. How does your organization balance immediate crisis management and long-term innovative thinking? Are there moments when short-term solutions have hampered long-term innovation?

Interactive Exercise -Innovation Pressure Cooker:

Create a rapid brainstorming environment by highlighting a current challenge faced by your organization. Set a timer for 10 minutes, and the team must come up with as many innovative solutions as possible within the time frame. After time's up, teams share their top 3 ideas.

Post-activity Discussion:

• How did the time constraint affect the brainstorming process?

• Were there any standout ideas that can be implemented immediately?



 

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