Chamonix, France / January 2011
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Dear Innovator,
I have been pleasantly surprised by the great reception for newsletters like Leaderless Teams and Maintaining High Performance. The feedback I receive can be summarized as “I've never heard my own experience described out loud, It is very helpful. Thank you.”
I feared these articles might seem fluffy or a bit esoteric. Yet, not so. There is great value in describing out loud the specific dynamics many innovation leaders experience.
Most leaders, increasingly as they rise in seniority, frequently report feeling alone and lacking a thought partner. It is an experience that is especially true for innovation leaders.
Therefore, I decided to dedicate the next three monthly newsletters to the emotional dynamics all innovation leaders experience—starting this month with risk-taking.
I hope you find it helpful and please tell me, are your experiences similar?
~Brett
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Innovation Risk Takers
I recently came across some research that dispels the myth that action sports athletes are reckless risk-seekers. The evidence tells us that they are careful and calculating risk managers. The risk-seekers don’t last long as the law of averages isn’t in their favour, their judgement is poor and they make more errors with catastrophic outcomes.
Article: https://www.apa.org/monitor/2023/09/adventure-sports-navigating-decisions
Podcast: https://www.apa.org/news/podcasts/speaking-of-psychology/extreme-sports
This insight into long-term action sports athletes aligns with what I find in long-run repeat innovation leaders. In professional organizations, repeat innovators are very aware of and active managers of risk. They see dangers and develop ways to work with and through them.
In my work, very few innovators match the innovate-at-all-cost archetypes often celebrated in business media and pop culture. The real innovator is a forgotten leader. These are the millions of professionals who quietly and collaboratively go about making improvements to their team, company or industry by driving change with others toward a goal and by actively managing risk.
I share this short reflection to increase the number of people who can be considered innovation leaders. While reducing pressure some innovation leaders put on themselves believing they need to do it all or deny the reality of risk.
It’s a relevant time of year to think about the characteristics of the leaders you want to tackle your “big bets” next year that involve some form of innovation. Are you deploying the risk-seeking or the risk-calculating? Both take risks but one with a much higher rate of success with lower professional or personal costs.
~ Onwards ~
Learn more about Brett’s leadership development practice for global executives with innovation responsibilities.
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