Autonomous vehicles.

Wearable pain-relief technology.

Eye-tracking software that controls computers.

They’re all real. And for the smart risk-takers who have driven their success, they’re extremely profitable.

Why doesn’t every company develop game-changing products like these guys? Mostly because they don’t understand these keys to driving innovation:

Challenge the status quo.

Instead of shying away from threats or change, discuss your organization’s toughest problems with employees. Challenge your team each day to share new thoughts (even contrary, far-fetched or unpopular ideas), and teach them to disagree without being confrontational.

Don’t wait for 100% consensus.

Nothing thwarts innovation like waiting for everyone to agree before moving forward with a fresh idea. Make sure your team leaders have enough independence in decision-making to innovate. Foster a culture in which individuals are respected for creating – even when they don’t have full consensus on their methods.

Likewise, streamline innovators’ efforts by eliminating unnecessary interim rounds of approval and feedback during the development stage. When you trust employees to see their own work through to completion, you help them maintain critical confidence and momentum.

Increase tolerance for uncertainty.

Help employees get more comfortable with making decisions and taking action, even when information is incomplete. To push through indecisiveness, ask questions like: “How much to we really need to know before it’s acceptable to make a decision?”

Have your team’s back.

Build internal relationships based on respect, trust and shared confidence. Make it clear, through your words and actions, that you are an advocate for their best ideas. Most of all, make it okay to fail:

• Outline acceptable parameters for taking calculated risks.
• Do not demean or punish employees for trying something that does not work out.
• When an employee fails, help your whole team learn from the mistake.

Nix whining, criticism and other innovation-killing behavior.

Not surprisingly, an oppressive culture stifles creativity. Instead of punishing mistakes as a way to promote success, celebrate employees who find solutions to problems. Encourage “can do” behaviors. Enlist your biggest critics and whiners in developing a more supportive environment that encourages new ways of thinking.

Drive innovation with intelligent staffing.

As a leading national staffing agency, Exact Staff can provide the talented people and smart staffing solutions to turn your innovative ideas into reality.

To develop the best strategy for your organization, we invite you to schedule a free workforce consultation with us. Together we can assess your needs, brainstorm options and design creative solutions to help you overcome whatever workforce or hiring challenges you face.