In many businesses today, each employee is told exactly what they are to do, when and how to do it. Everything that they do needs to be according to the liking of the leadership and there is no room within the organisation for individual creativity, expression or ideas. Leaders of these types of organisations feel that they know the best way for things to be done and leave no room to hear from employees of possible alternative options.
You are not the real power of your organisation

What many leaders need to realise is that they are not the real power of the company, but that the staff are the ones involved in making the company work, and that it is the leader’s job to empower, motivate and show an interest in the employees, and create an enabling environment for them to learn, develop, grow and innovate.

The main role of organisational leadership

The main role of organisational leadership is to provide a clear purpose (reason for existence), vision (picture of the future) and set of values (how we treat one another along the way) that each employee lives by. When these basic principles are ingrained in staff members, they will be free to innovate and synergise within their work environment. Within this framework, an organisation needs to be treated as a living system that attempts to capture the dynamics of improvisation in order to release limitless potential and endless possibilities within their working environments. Great employees aligned with the same purpose, vision and values are more powerful than if all are soloing.

How much greatness are you willing to grant your people?

A monumental question for leaders in any organisation to consider is: How much greatness are you willing to grant your people? Each talented worker within an organisation wants to be recognised for what they add to the organisation. It is the leadership that can impart this recognition, which is key to releasing the potential within people, and retaining their talents in the long term.

You don’t have to lead from the front

Another important revelation that all organisational leaders should note is that leaders do not have to lead from the front. While it is always important to model what you expect from others, a leader does not need to be at the front ordering everyone around. Organisational structure should flow from creative needs and not be imposed on members in an effort to dominate or control. Leaders can only relax control over their organisations if they trust the natural ability of their team, and that their team members are united behind clear purpose, vision and values.

Constant creativity is possible if leaders create the conditions for it to develop, such as:

• A shared and inspiring identity;
• The necessary information to make decisions being available to everyone in the organisation;
• The opportunity for diverse people to spend time together to develop authentic relationships and great teams;
• An environment where each employee does not need to ask permission for every decision they make;
• Where not everything is planned ahead of time;
• An environment where individuals are free to experiment and  make mistakes; and
• Where you don’t always have to be perfectly efficient.

Once these aspects are in place, leaders must let go and give employees the freedom to experiment and learn. Organisations that seek constant creativity and innovation from their staff - which is becoming increasingly needed in order to get ahead in our complex, diverse and integrated society today - need to produce a freeing and conducive environment for their staff to live out the company’s values and for their creativity to flourish.

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