Why smart leaders embrace collaboration for Innovation

There is no single person, regardless of position or experience who has a monopoly of good ideas. It can be extremely limiting if you must depend on the versatility of your ideas alone. The reason you have team members is because you can’t do the job alone. Likewise, your ideas aren’t sufficient to move the team forward, you need the ideas of your team to complement yours.

There is what is called collaborative thinking, and this is important for leaders who desire to be effective. Leaders and organizations who desire to be innovative requires collaboration. Society has romanticized the idea of the lone genius and this could be counterproductive.

There is a group called “Brain Trust” in a company called Pixar. Pixar is one of the most consistently innovative and successful animation studios in history while “Brain Trust” is a renowned and influential group of experienced directors and storytellers who review and provide constructive feedback on film projects in the company. Ed Catmull, the co-founder established the group to leverage on their wisdom to maintain excellence and high standards. This system allowed Pixar to turn potential failures into triumphs.

There’s a saying in the Yoruba culture of Southwest Nigeria that translates to, “Leveraging other people’s wisdom is why we don’t call an elder a mad man.” This proverb beautifully encapsulates the idea that true wisdom comes from recognising and utilising the knowledge and experiences of others. Both the old and the young have something to bring to the table.
IBM, a company with a rich history of innovation, leveraged this collaborative process and brought together 150,000 employees and stakeholders from 104 countries in an online forum. This initiative was called “Innovation Jam”. In 2006, they opened their innovation process, inviting not just employees, but also their families, business partners, and clients to participate in a massive online brainstorming session. This collaborative effort led to the creation of new businesses worth hundreds of millions of dollars for IBM. It demonstrated that breakthrough ideas can come from anywhere, not just the C-suite.

Many times, experience may fail to proffer solutions to the boggling questions of the moment. At times, ideas that solve problems come from the least expected quarters. Fresh eyes can see old problems in new ways. Use the mind of your team members to the advantage of the team to advance the overall objective.

One of the most famous examples of this principle in action is the story of Richard Montañez, a janitor at Frito-Lay. Montañez, who had no formal education beyond fourth grade, came up with the idea for Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. Despite his position, he pitched the idea directly to the CEO, Roger Enrico. The CEO was impressed, and Montañez was tasked with developing the product. Flamin’ Hot Cheetos was launched in 1992, and it was a massive success, generating $1billion revenue within the first year. This story illustrates how groundbreaking ideas can come from any level of an organization, and how important it is for leaders to be open to these ideas.
As a leader, your role isn’t to be the source of all wisdom, but rather to create an environment where great ideas can flourish and to recognize potential when you see it.

Interestingly, Google’s famous “20 percent time” policy, which allowed engineers to spend 20% of their work time on projects of their choosing, led to the development of some of the company’s most successful products, including Gmail and AdSense. This policy demonstrated how empowering employees for the creation of new ideas can lead to significant innovation.

In today’s complex world, no single person can have all the answers. The most effective leaders recognize this and actively seek out the diverse perspectives and ideas of their team members. By creating an environment that encourages, and values input from all levels, you not only tap into a wealth of potential innovations but also foster a more engaged, motivated, and committed team.

The role of a team lead isn’t to be the smartest person in the room, but to create the smartest team. By leveraging the collective wisdom of your entire organization, you will be better equipped to tackle challenges, seize opportunities, and drive your team towards success.

As you move forward in your leadership journey, challenge yourself to seek out and seriously consider ideas from every corner of your organization. You might just find that the next big breakthrough is hiding in plain sight, just waiting for you to listen.

Oluwole Dada is a management and marketing professional. He writes from Lagos, Nigeria