An innovative leader is someone who values continuous assessment and improvement, challenges the traditional ways of doing things, and changes processes and structures with purpose and meaning. He or she ask, “What can we do better next time?” at the completion of an initiative. A great leader also balances the need for stability with the goal to improve an annual program, as well as questions the need to change something before considering changes.

Innovative leaders encourage creativity in their organizations and create safe and welcoming spaces for organization members to propose new ideas. Check out these resources to learn how to create an innovative environment in your organization.

From simply paying attention for new perspectives and patterns, to promoting collaboration, to giving yourself and your organization permission to play with ideas, these articles highlight skills can emphasize in order to create an innovative environment within your organization.

In this animated short clip, Steven Johnson describes the type of environment we need in order to foster creative thinking and the process of producing good ideas. He also notes the importance of connecting and exchanging ideas with one another.