Leadership sets direction, but management enables innovation
Senior leadership may declare that innovation is a priority, but this message is abstract until it reaches teams.
The reality is innovation happens within teams, not executive suites or boardrooms, where managers influence the translation of strategy into work, decisions about time for experimentation, and the level of collaboration across different areas of the organisation.
The reliance on management is one of the reasons why consistency and improvement matter. Successful innovation should not be determined by inherited management competency, it’s too important. A systemic approach that recognises managing teams and people is the key to innovation is needed, and that means investing in management development. How teams are managed is more important than what they are asked to do.
Is this correct and are there real examples people can share of the above?