As organizations grow, communications become more formal and standard procedures are implemented to sustain the consistency and quality of work, and to boost productivity. But the drive for conformity increases bureaucracy that can inadvertently stifle the very creativity and initiative your people are encouraged to practice. Innovation is then compromised.
How can you balance structure with initiative to drive growth?
While structure and bureaucracy provide a foundation on which to build a business, one consequence of this trend is the drift towards mediocrity. The same conformity that delivers greater reliability, risk-proofing and safety with each decision can breed a fear of failure. With more to lose, there is more pressure not to lose it.
Stability and innovation are both vital ingredients of growth. To provide equilibrium between the two, promote a little insurgency once in a while and encourage your team to look beyond the bureaucracy for a new idea or approach. Constant change is the new norm in our connected, “experience” economy and organizations must consistently adapt and evolve.
Investigate a novel technology that disrupts the status quo, strengthens your competitive advantage and compels a response. Accelerate your response time or time-to-market. Change the infrastructure, the rules or the flow of information to empower or quicken decision-making.
Redefine the fear of failure to balance the benefits of stability with the need for innovation.
How does your organization balance structure with initiative?
How can you encourage the occasional insurgency?
