You're facing resistance from colleagues stuck in tradition. How can you lead with innovative thought?

In my opinion, managing to lead by example with innovative thought amidst resistance to tradition amongst colleagues requires clear articulation of the benefits, building an open and inclusive culture, leading by example from successful examples, and giving support to the development of skills in innovation.

Yes!!! By acknowledging their value, you create a safe platform for dialogue. This respect allows you to introduce new ideas, showing how innovation can build upon, rather than dismantle, existing cultural differences.

The number one skill you need to develop in order to be effective in this realm is empathy. Humans are traditionally stubburn and resistent to change, even when that change is a good thing. It's important to be a good listener and learn what's behind the resistance. It could be confusion, fear of being rendered obsolete by the changes resulting from the innovation or something else. It's also important to use and acknowledge the wealth of experience a lot of your colleagues may be able to bring to the table when leading with innovative thought. They may be able to provide a lot of useful input in the process. Finally: show, don't tell. Show your colleagues value with how your innovative thinking can help solve their real-world problems.

Understanding the roots of your colleagues' adherence to tradition is indeed crucial in fostering a collaborative and innovative workplace. Traditions often symbolize stability, past successes, and a shared identity that can be deeply ingrained in a company's culture. Acknowledging and respecting these traditions is the first step towards building trust and opening up a platform for dialogue. As a thought leader in HR, it's essential to communicate that innovation doesn't mean discarding the past but rather building upon it. By demonstrating how new ideas can complement and enhance existing practices, you can help your colleagues see the potential for growth without the fear of losing what makes the company unique.

I completely agree with understanding roots being the first step. Showing empathy and using your emotional intelligence (EQ) to truly understand where they are coming from is crucial. Most people simply want to feel acknowledged, and when you are able to do that, you can understand that person on a deeper level. This understanding allows you to comprehend their motivations and the reasons behind their decisions.

Trust is everything. If you're unable to create an environment where your colleagues, or people in general, don't feel safe and have trust, nothing gets done. Building trust is crucial. It takes time and requires vulnerability. The wonderful thing is that, as you continue to nurture it, it grows like a seed into a tree. With trust, you can invoke change and help your colleagues grow.

Building trust is indeed the cornerstone of leading change. For your colleagues to embrace your vision, they must believe in your intentions and trust that you prioritize their best interests. Achieving this requires transparency about your goals and the potential impact of new ideas. Clearly share your thought process and actively invite feedback. When people feel included and heard, they are more likely to open up to new ways of thinking and consider innovative ideas. This collaborative approach not only fosters trust but also encourages a culture of shared ownership and continuous improvement.

Bring your colleagues along for the ride. Share why you think innovation is needed, talk about your ideas, ask for ideas and get feedback. Make it a collaborative effort. This will help others have buy-in in the effort. Plus, you'll build trust by being inclusive. You will also transform resistance to the change to eager anticipation.

Innovative thought implementation benefitting the improvement in process or quality or increased productivity is always good. The innovative thought should be presented to the Approvers of respective vertical, giving information of the pros aspect in process, quality and production. It is also essential to provide the repercusion impact on various other aspects and provide various pros aspects. Once after the approval, proceed with proper training to the team and proceed in implementation. Any innovative thought, implemented with proper process, methods & regulation will always be a successfull story. Current generation has witnessed the benefits of innovation by vandalizing the traditional way of working, if you look back the history.

What work means is changing. What work looks like is changing. Where work is done is changing. How work is done is changing. Innovation must be the ABCs of running a career or company. Tradition is a lovely concept, but innovation needs to be the top initiative, even if it means modernizing traditions. Engage in discussions within organizations and communities to replace the status quo with innovation. Embrace change management strategies, especially communication, to shift thinking. Having open dialogue with all involved is key to moving forward.🚀

To sway colleagues who are anchored in tradition, it's essential to clearly communicate the value of your innovative ideas. Demonstrate how these new concepts can effectively address current challenges or unlock opportunities for growth. Use language that resonates with your audience, linking the benefits of innovation to the metrics and outcomes they prioritize. When colleagues see the tangible advantages, resistance often starts to diminish. By framing innovation as a means to enhance their success and the organization's overall performance, you pave the way for greater acceptance and enthusiasm for new approaches.

Sometimes influence is best achieved through letting your actions speak for themselves. Rather than debating a new idea/approach, are there steps you can take that will illustrate not only your idea but its impact? This should never be done in an “I told you so” way, but rather to take the initiate to bring new ideas to life for others to witness and reflect on rather than getting caught in a never ending loop of debating their relevance.

To truly lead is to first lead yourself. If you want to change the world, you must first change yourself. Leading by example speaks for itself. People are more observant than you think, especially when you are in a leadership position. Taking risks, being bold, honest, and vulnerable, among other traits, all come into play when leading by example. Remember, we're all human and not perfect. When you live and lead by that understanding while continuing to try to make yourself better each day, you are leading by example, my friend.

Knowing that you have a support system to help you along a journey brings a different feeling of confidence. Stepping out of your comfort zone into the unknown is challenging enough. Having people around you who are willing to offer support helps you feel you have a safety net. When you know this, you walk into the unknown with more courage and are willing to think and do things out of the box.

I recently posted about prioritizing working from home. A senior CPA firm owner replied, grateful his employees are back in-office after COVID 'missteps' with work at home, citing a lack of productivity. I challenge all professionals, especially business owners and leaders, to embrace change and the future of work (well beyond remote work). The pace of change is so rapid that relying on 'tradition' will push many businesses and professionals to the back of the pack. I once respected tradition, but access to global talent, technology including AI, generational trends, political uncertainty, and the erosion of trust and loyalty between employee and employer mean work is changing. It's time to embrace the future and innovation. 🚀

Storytelling is a powerful tool. It can honors tradition and bring new innovation. Ask them to craft a short story that honors tradition and brings in one new point of innovation. With EVs - I often ask people anchored in fossil fuel vehicles to imagine a sales pitch to convert from electric to fossil … in a parallel universe where the EV won out over petrol fueled vehicles last century.