12 Questions Team Leaders Should Be Asking Themselves
Major auto manufacturers are acting quickly to repurpose their production lines to generate ventilators and other vital medical supplies to aid in the Coronavirus pandemic. Does your team have the same level of agility and innovation? It’s up to you as the team leader. Ask yourself:
How well do I frame the opportunity and business need for innovation?
How well do I ask questions that have no immediate, clear answer?
How well do I describe the vision for where innovation will bring us?
How well do I identify next steps in the innovation process?
How well do I answer the question my team members may have: why do we need to innovate?
How well do I provide pertinent information about the challenge?
How well do I inspire and energize my team members to lean into this challenge?
When I ask team members to sign up for a task, do they eagerly respond?
How well do I create a psychologically safe team session?
Do I remember to praise people appropriately for their contributions?
How transparent am I? Do I think aloud? Do I openly explore “crazy” ideas?
Do I remember to set the time and place for the next meeting?
Leaders who lead teams poised for innovation exhibit these twelve behaviors, which are grounded by four specific “Character Habits”:
Integrity: They are open and honest.
Responsibility: They vividly describe the need for innovation—tying it to everyone’s desire to leave the world a better place.
Forgiveness: They put their “critical parent” into a straitjacket!
Compassion: They are quick to praise and hand out compliments.
Make sure your leadership behavior is grounded in a foundation of character that inspires innovation in your workforce.