~ Systems Mapping
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Hello,
Welcome to Connecting Dots, the monthly newsletter on Innovation Leadership by Brett Macfarlane.
This month we address the systemic nature of innovation leadership.
Then I share a short but big update on my private practice.
Best,
Brett
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Systemic Innovation
A hard truth about innovation that many people get wrong is thinking that it’s only a task or a thing to manage. There is a big difference between managing an innovation project and being an innovation leader. The former is a task and the latter is a practice.
Innovation is a systemic outcome. It is how a leader works with their team within the culture around them. It sounds obvious to say but is greatly overlooked that the leader, the team and the culture are a system.
Seasoned innovation leaders often report relief when we start to illuminate the systemic aspects of their roles and career. Relief because we illuminate the “soft” factors like the culture that are the enabling lubricant or paralyzing glue of innovation’s “hard” factors like resources, inventions, prototypes and policies.
I’m working on finding a shortcut to explain the truth that innovation is a systemic outcome. For professionals, the key point is to see innovation not just as what you do but also as how your team works within itself and the wider organization.
All three spheres are part of a system that produces innovation outcomes which may or may not achieve the desired objectives. Let’s unpack the system a bit more:
Me:
The individual sphere is your imprinted mindset, capabilities and practice. This combines the theory and tools of how to do innovation with your behavioural practice of doing it. In other words, it’s the combination of "know-what" and "know-how."
My Team:
The group sphere is the team and collaboration involved in an innovation initiative. A combination of group dynamics, resources, policies and processes that the group buys into, adapts or resists.
Our Culture:
The culture sphere is the wider organization and the external ecosystems it operates within. Often this is overlooked or seen as soft or fuzzy. Yet, the always-present cultural currents and dynamics in an organization can be assessed, decoded and adjusted where needed.
We know from my research that innovation leaders do integrate all three levels. However, they rarely are conscious of this systemic picture. In particular the cultural sphere.
Once we connect all three and work with the specifics of their situation it’s like a fog lifts. We demystify why and how they perform as well as the tensions and frustrations they experience.
“That’s a relief! It’s not just me.”
It’s amazing the relief they feel. Partly to be able to diagnose their pain or understand the performance factors of their success. Relief also comes from not feeling alone. Their experiences are normalized, in a way unique to each individual.
I always feel great energy from innovation leaders when they start to take a systemic approach. It’s like dashboard lights turning on and they can see how the current system is helping or hindering performance.
Curiously, of late multiple exceptional innovation leaders have laser-focused on this systemic aspect of innovation. I have noticed a theme that they are anticipating heightened innovation complexity and opportunity in the next few years. You can be excited about the value unlocked with a systemic approach to innovation.
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Hopefully this “inside out” view of systemic leadership has been insightful from a practitioner's point of view to connect the dots of your work. You may also be interested in this “outside in” working model of pathway components from an executive’s point of view when responsible for organization wide innovation capital. I’m keen to hear what could make the models better.
Brett’s Movements
I am in Canada this week. Up in the Coast Mountains for an end-of-summer break and writing retreat. Stunning. I return to London on Tuesday and then head to Amsterdam for an INSEAD reunion followed by a few days in Paris.
On this trip, I am publicly launching my organizational consultancy. Technically, my practice is a few years old. I have quietly been refining the core offering and validating my approach.
It has been humbling and fun to do so working with leaders at top tech firms, management consultancies, creative/design agencies and sportswear brands. Thank you to everyone who has given feedback and support.
It's not a loud launch and some language is still being crafted. However, the foundation is rock solid and I’m pleased to open up and say:
Brett’s organizational consultancy specializes in leadership development and innovation for tech and creative organizations.
Individuals Progress Together is his motto. It represents a systemic approach to leadership and organizational development. His practice unites organizational psychology, change-management and innovation methodologies. Through action learning, you practically develop knowledge and capabilities on the job doing real work.
Services:
Coaching leadership behaviours and practices
Assessing organizational culture and identity
Training innovation knowledge and skills
My goal is to help elevate 1 million innovation leaders in the next decade. So far I’ve developed 5,000 professionals in a range of programs with a 72 NPS.
Learn more at brettmacfarlane.com
Please keep me in mind and share my practice with your favourite innovation leader or your company’s head of organizational/talent development. I’m always open to having a chat to explore if my approach is a good fit for your challenges.
Have a great back-to-school September.
Best,
Brett
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