Creating a Positive Environment for Innovation

High-pressure, fast-paced work environments are like hot sauce on the brain—they keep everything on fire. While leaders might thrive on this continual state of excitement and ambition, expecting all employees to sustain this intensity is unrealistic. Such an environment can lead to: → Burnout → Disillusionment → High turnover But what if you’re on a mission to change the world or accomplish big things? How can you cultivate a culture of innovation that also supports a sustainable workforce? ⦿ Flexible Schedules: Foster innovation with flexible hours and remote work options, as demonstrated by Google. ⦿ Clear Boundaries: Limit after-hours work and communication to avoid burnout, a strategy championed by 37signals. ⦿ Promote Well-being: Invest in wellness programs and mental health resources, like those offered by Asana. ⦿ Create Innovation Labs: Set up dedicated spaces or times for experimentation and creativity, like 3M's famous 15% rule. ⦿ Encourage Regular Breaks: Implement mandatory downtime, similar to Slack's "no meetings" Fridays, to boost creativity and reduce fatigue. ⦿ Mentorship Programs: Pair employees with mentors to nurture growth and support, following the model used by Pixar Animation Studios to encourage creative collaboration. wearemotto.com

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐮𝐥𝐚 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 Creating a culture innovation and change is a simple formula, but is not simple to cultivate. It requires leadership. 1. All innovation and change is brought about by teamwork and collaboration. 2. And teams and collaboration are brought about by communication. 3. Communication requires psychological safety and trust between managers and colleagues. 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐩. Communication is usually top-down rather than bottom-up, sideways, and top-down. 4. To create communication between people in all directions, the culture and leaders must promote empathic listening skills. Empathic listening goes beyond hearing the other person and feeling what they mean--sensing what they are trying to convey--rather than judging and rejecting. 5. To get beyond and transcend judgment, we must become vulnerable. Being vulnerable means surrendering our ego and being open to others' ideas. Becoming vulnerable requires Emotional Intelligence, specifically self-awareness. The ability to understand who we are and what we tend to do based on our beliefs. It is recognizing our weaknesses and blind spots caused by our biases and our need to look good to others and have all the answers where there are none. When we all can self-reflect as individuals and see we are the cause of our environment and what we are getting, we begin to see the possibilities of what can be. 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐝𝐨 𝐰𝐞 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐯𝐮𝐥𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞? 10 RULE BREAKING NORMS: 1. Look at what you defend. 2. Watch for where you stop and hesitate. 3. Look for when you feel insecure and want to say something to "look good." 4. Watch for when you judge something or someone as good or bad and right and wrong. 5. Listen without judgment. Observe without labeling. 6. Instead of persuading, be persuaded. 7. Allow communication to flow rather than try to control. 8. Use brainstorming and an outside facilitators for change and innovation 9. Create an idea lab. Consider all possibilities. 10. Blow up old protective rules of managing others, such as having all the answers and controlling, and allowing people to "own" their results. In my consulting with clients, they institute these "10 Rule Breaking Norms" to bring about change and innovation. It's remarkable to see how quickly people "buy into" the new ways of interacting to develop breakthrough ideas and solutions. Your partner in success, Joe Murphy ♻️ Cool to forward to your network ________________ THE LEADERSHIP ACADEMY 𝑪𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑳𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒂𝒕 𝑨𝒍𝒍 𝑳𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒔 Over 600 worldwide sessions | Over 45,000 attendees | 4.9/5 Sat Score _________________ 📽 New videos daily, Mon-Fri at 5 PM ET, on success and leadership 🔔 Join over 40,000 over-achievers today #LeadersatAllLevels #Xfactor #TheLeadershipAcademy Infographic: Nature of work

The next time you find yourself in a meeting and someone says 'That won't work', 💡note to self: that leader may have just shut down an innovative idea...and more detrimentally, an innovative person. These negative comments, though seemingly small and initially insignificant, can actually create a toxic environment where employees feel unheard and devalued. And that quickly turns into declining engagement. Are you accidentally killing innovation in your team? Suffocating creativity? Here are some practical ways you can reverse the pattern: ✅Foster a culture of open communication and psychological safety by training your managers on active listening. ✅Encourage your team to share their ideas without immediate judgment by practicing the 3-second pause before responding. ✅Take the time to understand the intention behind their suggestions with this question: What are the potential benefits you see? ✅Consider brainstorming, design thinking, or other creative processes during a structured quarterly or annual team building retreat. This will empower your team, lead to greater innovation, and create a positive work environment! #KeepThatTalent How do you create space for innovation and new ideas in your team? Share your thoughts! #Leadership #Innovation #EmployeeEngagement #Culture #PsychologicalSafety ***** The Mission: Create a better work experience for all, one training at a time. As Managing Principal of LiberationX Contracts, Vanessa and her nationwide team of trainers and coaches empower leaders and executives to build high-performing teams and navigate the complexities of the modern workplace. Work shouldn't just be 'work.' ✅ Message Vanessa Zamy today for more details.