The important role of leaders in giving their employees the space and permission to get creative
It’s the CEO and their senior leader’s duty to take on the role of chief reframing officer, helping to broaden or redirect the company’s collective purpose and open up new spaces and avenues for everyone to look for new ideas inside the new larger ‘mental box
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Not every CEO can be the next Steve Jobs, constantly conjuring up game-changing new ideas and revolutionary products. But what all CEOs and senior leaders can be is champions for innovation within their own organisations. They are the ones who can help give their employees the freedom and space to get creative, while also setting the boundaries within which this innovation can take place.
The former CEO of Finnish lifestyle brand Fiskars, Kari Kauniskangas, described his approach to the challenge of embedding innovation into his organisation this way: “It’s important for me to make sure our people have the desire, will and freedom to find better ways of doing business. In search of new ideas, we have to give them permission to go crazy! But we also have to create boxes that define their focus and challenge people to innovate in the areas of greatest need.”
[This article is republished courtesy of INSEAD Knowledge, the portal to the latest business insights and views of The Business School of the World. Copyright INSEAD 2024]