Make a move to unlock and unleash innovation at your business

Innovation is top of mind for business leaders today. And for good reason: To stay relevant, to grow and thrive, businesses need to be agile and inventive. Able to quickly adopt and adapt to advanced technologies and processes, respond to changing customer demands and create positive user experiences. All while lowering costs and increasing productivity, of course.

So last month, I talked about leadership effectiveness as the foundation for building a culture of innovation, poised to leapfrog the competition. But that’s just part of the solution. Because sometimes even the best leaders run into roadblocks.

To figure out how to overcome the barriers, Great Place to Work analyzed 792 organizations across a wide variety of industries and locations in the US. They used machine learning algorithms to identify written phrases, Trust Index survey statements and demographics associated with both encouraging and discouraging innovation. The results identified numerous challenges and spotlighted the ultimate innovation killer: everyday fear.

Michael Bush, CEO of Great Place to Work, says if people are afraid at work, they won’t have the mental freedom to invent and ideate. Whether they’re afraid to ask for time off when their child is sick, to be the lone critic of a planned course of action or to share an unsolicited suggestion for making a process more efficient, people need to feel safe sharing their voice, being authentic and taking risks in the workplace.

It’s more than just saying it’s OK to be different or to fail. It’s how we treat the person who went out on a limb. Do we spin the experience into a celebration of individuality, risk-taking and a learning opportunity? Rather than ostracism, shame or blame? If we do, that’s psychological and emotional safety. And it’s a beautiful, freeing experience.

If we don’t, our team members will feel afraid to ask for what they need, or feel left out, isolated, shut down. And if that happens, if they don’t feel a sense of belonging, they won’t have the drive, passion or mental freedom to dream up new ideas.

So more than anything, our managers, supervisors and leaders need to truly care about their people and show their care in meaningful, believable ways. They need to walk the walk, empathically communicating and connecting with their team members. That creates an environment where people feel valued and that their opinion matters. Where they are excited to contribute, knowing they can make a difference.

But wait, there’s more! In addition to developing caring, effective leaders, here are some suggestions for identifying and removing the roadblocks to innovation in the workplace:

Be curious, create opportunities, consider every idea

If you’re a leader, you may need to encourage your team members to speak up and especially to challenge or disagree with you. So take the initiative and create opportunities: ask questions and listen. Seek out dissenting opinions and be receptive and open to them, without judgment. Put out a suggestion box if that’s what it takes. And make a big point of showing gratitude and appreciation when people speak up.

Most important: Actually consider every question, comment, suggestion and idea. Of course they won’t all be good ones. But if you want people to share their ideas, they need to believe you will listen and think deeply about what they have to say. It’s good business, after all, because great ideas can come from anywhere and everywhere, anyone and everyone.

Free up time, space and headspace

If your team members are in meetings and doing task-oriented work all day, they won’t have the time or mental space to explore new ideas or “think outside the box” on projects. So make experimentation and free thinking a priority by building it into the schedule. Some companies go as far as allocating a set amount of time for brainstorming, like 10% or 15% of the workweek. Whatever you decide, provide time and space for people to be as inventive as possible.

For example, allow your team members to work in their “happy places” — where they’re most creative and productive. If the office or cubicle interferes with concentration or restricts free thinking, or if they do their best brainstorming at night, you might consider flexible hours and locations. The bottom line: When team members work where and when they’re most imaginative, they’ll perform at higher levels and be more likely to generate game-changing ideas.

Follow Hilton’s playbook: Empower with purpose

Great Place to Work’s innovation research showed that a sense of purpose “feeds people’s desire to be part of something bigger than themselves, inspiring new inventions and better ways of doing things.” Conversely, “If employees feel they’re left out of the company’s mission and excitement, they quickly feel excluded from innovation, as well.”

To see purpose in practice, check out Volume 1 of Great Place to Work’s “For All” profile series, which shows how Hilton’s purpose-forward culture drives its success. Winner of numerous Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For and Great Place to Work honors, Hilton is a poster child for “purpose from the top,” promising “To be the most hospitable company in the world — by creating heartfelt experiences for guests, meaningful opportunities for team members, high value for owners and a positive impact in our communities.”

Hilton CEO Chris Nassetta makes sure every team member feels part of this purpose, giving everyone at every level the authority to make “executive decisions” on their own. The company’s “Make It Right” mantra empowers people to start fixing problems as soon as they see them, rather than wait for official approval to do so.

So make your purpose your mantra — verbally, in writing and, most important, in practice. And do everything you can to avoid squelching purpose by treating everyone fairly and providing equal opportunities for all. Because the Great Place to Work’s innovation study revealed that perceived inequities in pay, perks and opportunities can “prevent people in the trenches from tapping into the deeper purpose of the organization, and therefore dampen their creativity and commitment.”

Mix it up, fire ‘em up

Innovation comes from fresh thinking, diverse perspectives and a variety of experiences. If your teams are predetermined and set in stone by client, department or location, for example, they risk becoming stale. The same people led by the same leader for every project can become so routine, it inhibits creativity and ideation. Consider mixing it up. Bring in people from other teams and parts of the company. Let someone else run the project, even someone not at the manager level. At the very least, workshop or crowdsource your assignment around the company to gather outside insight.

To keep people excited and their creative juices flowing, provide opportunities to learn and grow. Perhaps by mixing up teams, retraining, internal job-shadowing or switching roles. Offer books, tools, education and resources to gain skills and inspiration. Encourage everyone to try new experiences and meet new people in their personal lives, too. It will widen your understanding of your customers and help you stay ahead of trends.

And be generous with praise and encouragement for fresh thinking, acknowledging efforts and contributions. Public recognition and appreciation is a huge source of motivation, reducing the risk and providing a reward.

In summary in simplest terms: Include everyone in the innovation process, and ensure they know and feel included in the process. It’s good business and good for business.

Lauren Dixon is CEO of Dixon Schwabl Inc., a marketing communications firm, which has been honored as a best place to work.