Unlocking the Key to Success: The Role of Innovation in Leadership
Hello, my name is Faith Strapp and I am an intern turned Board Member for Leaders of Today. The opportunity to work with this organization has taught me a lot about myself and my values. Specifically, I have delved into the importance of the value of innovation from not only a business perspective as it is one of the Leaders of Today core values but also from a life-long personal perspective.
When I think about innovation I think about creativity and expansion which can both seem daunting at first but what I have come to learn through my life experiences as a student, an intern, and an athlete is that is not necessarily true.
In order to innovate you have to start small even if that means just looking at something from a new angle. Essentially innovation is more about perspective than anything else. Henry Ford is quoted saying “If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.” This is a perfect example of how a new perspective can become an innovative development, this case of course being the invention of the car which I think is safe to say changed many things for society as a whole. Although this is a decently revolutionary example of innovation or innovative spirit that does not always have to be the case.
Innovation can be an everyday practice for each and every one of us. This could mean finding new ways to challenge yourself during the day through self-reflection in the form of meditation or something as simple as a crossword puzzle to keep your brain active. This could also mean adding new things to your routine in the morning to make each day special and finding things to look forward to while you go about your day. Innovation is to bring about meaningful change but meaningful does not always have to equate to life-altering. Meaningful can be putting a smile on someone’s face or learning something new about yourself. Innovative ideas, stories, lifestyles, and people can come from anywhere it is just a matter of finding and advancing an innovative spirit.
What is important to know about cultivating an innovative spirit is that it requires going out of your comfort zone and being prepared to stand in that place with conviction because many people might question you at first but ultimately the right people will see the value in what you are doing and then be able to see the vision you have and stand with you and support you. All in all, innovation is a building block for success and progress especially within our organization and the students that we support.
We believe that giving students, the leaders of today, the opportunity to serve and make an impact will create vision and entrepreneurship for a better tomorrow.
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