۱- The critical role of innovation leadership for organizational success

۲- The secret sauce for innovation leadership: Creativity, voice, and knowledge sharing

۳- What innovation leaders do: Best-practice recommendations

۴- Final thoughts

References

Abstract

Innovation-the implementation of creative ideas-is one of the most important factors of competitive advantage in 21st century organizations. Yet, leaders do not always encourage employee behaviors that are critical for innovation. We integrate existing literature on the critical factors that serve as antecedents of innovation, including employee voice and knowledge sharing, which in turn lead to creativity and innovation. Based on existing empirical research, we offer evidence-based recommendations for managers to become innovation leaders by: (1) developing the right group norms, (2) designing teams strategically, (3) managing interactions with those outside the team, (4) showing support as a leader, (5) displaying organizational support, and (6) using performance management effectively.

The critical role of innovation leadership for organizational success

The radical transformation of 21st century organizations is nothing less than a modern-day industrial revolution wherein innovation now plays a critical role in determining organizational success (Cascio & Aguinis, 2008, 2019). Innovations leaders are change agents (Rogers, 1995) who promote the manifestation of new ideas in a work context by creating a supportive climate for creativity and managing the innovation process (Basadur, 2004). In light of this innovation revolution, there is a key question that managers at all hierarchical levels should be asking: What can I do to become an innovation leader in my organization? This is a crucial question because organizations able to implement new ideas successfully pull ahead of the competition (Rogers, 1995). In the entertainment industry, for example, Disney’s animation studio Pixarrelies on cutting-edge technology and creative collaboration to gain a competitive advantage. Pixar films (e.g., Finding Nemo, Finding Dory, Toy Story 3) are among the 50 highest-grossing films of all time with Toy Story 3 earning $1.06 billion in 2010 (Mendelson, 2017), making it the third highestgrossing animated film in history. The many accolades Pixar has earned throughout the years include 17 Academy Awards, 8 Golden Globe Awards, and 11 Grammy Awards.