What if the greatest barrier to innovation is...YOU?
Innovation is a buzzword we hear all the time, but as leaders, how do we keep up with the demand for continuous innovation and have a meaningful impact?
In the spirit of innovation - and with some help from ChatGPT - I’ve created a quiz to uncover your innovation leadership style.
Before we jump in, I have to be honest: this theme feels a bit intimidating.
Innovation is a vast and complex topic, and I’m no expert. But that’s why I’m thrilled to bring to you two incredible guests this month, each one bringing deep insights and expertise in innovation.
I’ll introduce them shortly, but first—let’s get curious about you.
QUIZ: YOUR INNOVATION LEADERSHIP STYLE
This quiz has five questions, each with five possible answers. Ready? Let’s go!
1. When faced with a new challenge, your first instinct is to:
a) Imagine an entirely new idea or solution that could disrupt the status quo.
b) Look for small, measurable improvements to current products, processes or ideas.
c) Try several different approaches to see what works best.
d) Assemble a team with diverse perspectives to brainstorm ideas and solutions.
e) Infuse energy and excitement into your team to spark creative ideas.
2. What’s your preferred approach to brainstorming?
a) Share a bold idea and challenge the team to build on it.
b) Focus the discussion on solving a specific problem step by step.
c) Encourage wild ideas, knowing that even “bad” ones might inspire success.
d) Facilitate group discussions around new ideas where everyone feels heard.
e) Use games, humor, or creative exercises to spark unconventional thinking.
3. As a leader, how do you handle failure when implementing new ideas?
a) View it as a steppingstone to even bigger breakthroughs.
b) Analyze it to improve processes and avoid similar issues in the future.
c) Celebrate it as a natural part of experimenting and learning.
d) Use it as an opportunity to deepen collaboration and problem-solve together.
e) Turn it into a teachable moment with positivity and humor.
4. What motivates you most as a leader?
a) Making a lasting impact through bold, transformative ideas.
b) Seeing steady progress and measurable improvements.
c) Discovering what works through curiosity and experimentation.
d) Building strong relationships and fostering a collaborative culture.
e) Creating an environment where people love working and innovating together.
5. How do you define success in innovation?
a) Transforming an industry or creating something groundbreaking.
b) Consistently improving efficiency and meeting goals.
c) Learning from experiments, even if they don’t work out.
d) Seeing how collaboration leads to unexpected ideas.
e) Watching people have fun while coming up with creative ideas and solutions.
QUIZ TALLY
Time to tally up your quiz to reveal your preferred leadership innovation style. I’ll give you a minute to do that now…
Let me give you a rundown of the five innovation leadership styles in which this quiz is based. Each option (A, B, C, D, E) corresponds to a specific innovation leadership style.
A. The Visionary: Focuses on big-picture, disruptive ideas and inspires others with bold goals.
B. The Optimizer: Excels at incremental improvements and refining processes for maximum efficiency.
C. The Experimenter: Encourages trial and error, embraces failures, and learns from mistakes.
D. The Connector: Brings diverse people and ideas together to spark innovation through collaboration.
E. The Playmaker: Fosters a culture of fun and creativity, seeing joy as essential to the process.
So, if you had…
Mostly A’s: you’re more of a Visionary Leader
Mostly B’s: you’re more of an Optimizer Leader
Mostly C’s: you’re more of an Experimenter Leader
Mostly D’s: you’re more of a Connector Leader
Mostly E’s: you’re more of a Playmaker Leader
QUIZ REFLECTIONS & DEVELOPMENT AREAS
Now that you’ve tallied your results, let’s reflect.
What did you discover about your innovation leadership style?
Do your results feel accurate, or were there surprises?
Most importantly, where do you see opportunities in which you want to grow and adapt?
Every leadership style has strengths to amplify and potential blind spots to address. Let’s explore how you can lean into your unique style while also broadening your innovation leadership approach.
A. If you usually prefer to innovate as a VISIONARY…
You’re the big-picture thinker who inspires transformative change. Your strength lies in bold ideas that disrupt the status quo. To magnify this, seek opportunities where your vision can thrive—whether in your current role or elsewhere. However, remember that executing a vision requires other people. Surround yourself with a team that complements your strengths, and practice patience as others catch up to your bold ideas.
B. If you usually prefer to innovate as an OPTIMIZER…
You excel at refining systems and processes for efficiency and clarity. Use this skill to build trust and consistency within your team. Be mindful, though, not to over-optimize at the expense of creativity. Embrace flexibility and partner with visionaries to ensure your improvements align with larger goals.
C. If you usually prefer to innovate as an EXPERIMENTER…
Your willingness to take risks and embrace trial and error is invaluable. Continue to foster a culture of experimentation and celebrate small wins to maintain momentum. That said, balance your love for change with clear goals to avoid instability. Not every experiment leads to success, so develop a framework for rigorous evaluation.
D. If you usually prefer to innovate as a CONNECTOR…
You’re the glue that brings diverse people and ideas together. Your collaborative approach creates synergy and innovation. To enhance this, focus on strategic relationships rather than spreading yourself too thin. While collaboration is your superpower, balance it with decisiveness to avoid delays.
E. If you usually prefer to innovate as a PLAYMAKER…
You infuse energy and joy into your team, sparking creativity in unconventional ways. Use this to inspire others to take risks and think outside the box. Just ensure that fun aligns with strategic objectives and be mindful of team members who may prefer a more grounded approach. Striking this balance will amplify your impact.
This quiz just starts to hint at various ways leaders can demonstrate innovation. I hope this quiz helps you recognize your strengths and helps you find ways to grow. My guess is that you identify with more than one style. Or this quiz has broadened your whole perspective on innovation leadership.
Magnify your strengths and look for ways to grow. Do both.
One more critical question before we wrap up.
How much innovation are you losing simply because you’re too busy or distracted?
Innovation requires time, space, and attention. You can’t cultivate innovation at all unless you at least have these three ingredients.
If you’re looking for inspiration, I’ve recently started reading Jenny Odell’s book How to Do Nothing. This book and others like Cal Newport’s book Deep Work can help all of us find ways to step back and think.
Sometimes the most innovative act is simply taking time to think.
Next Up
As we continue our exploration of innovation and leadership, I'm thrilled to introduce to you two exceptional guests who exemplify innovative leadership.
First, we'll hear from Sandy Fershee, who is a trailblazer in design and innovation and currently serves as the Head of Design and User Experience at Audible, where she leads the creation of seamless and impactful experiences across the company’s ecosystem. With career spanning leadership roles at Ford, Tonal, and other major organizations, Sandy has consistently leveraged human-centered design to drive transformative change. Notably, she spearheaded the evolution of the iconic F-150 into a hybrid/electric vehicle and led groundbreaking projects for brands like Google, Disney, and JPMorgan Chase. Her thought leadership has been featured in Fast Company, Forbes, and NPR, and she is a sought-after speaker at venues like SXSW and Stanford University. Sandy’s passion for mentoring and nurturing diverse teams underpins her mission to create work environments where innovation and people thrive. Prepare to be inspired by her insights into leadership, innovation, and the power of design.
Next, we'll talk to Máuhan Zonoozy. Mauhan is a visionary leader with nearly two decades of experience at the intersection of culture and consumer technology. As the former Head of Innovation at Spotify, he spearheaded futuristic initiatives, including managing a $100M creator equity fund and driving content innovation through emerging technologies. Currently, he’s the founder of a pre-IPO music and AI startup, continuing to push the boundaries of creativity and technology. Throughout his career, Máuhan has built ventures alongside global giants at BCG Digital Ventures, led Shell’s global innovation group as CEO, and founded Bubbl, a viral video product that reached millions of users before being acquired. Featured in outlets like Billboard, Variety, and TechCrunch, Máuhan is also an angel investor and mentor, shaping the future of media, AI, and innovation. Get ready to dive into his world of forward-thinking leadership and transformative ideas.
You're always welcome at the table, where every discussion has the potential for transformative change.
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