Throw for the Bull’s Eye, but Accept the Holes in the Wall
Innovation is directly tied to leadership, and that entails creating a sustainable innovative environment, and executing that innovation. Creating an innovative environment is a fundamental shift for the manager. Transition to innovation is no longer looking for acceptance, but looking for success and tolerating failure. Innovation is a lot like throwing at a dart board. You are going to miss the board and put some holes in the wall, but you will hit the bull’s eye.
Many times corporate environments reward acceptance, fail to recognize success, and does not tolerate failure. How many job descriptions include a requirement of “has a track record of dismal failures.” Without failure, there is no consistent risk to meet the opportunities. Innovation is like playing darts. Sometimes you miss the board, sometimes you come close, and as you practice, you are going to get a bull’s eye.
For the project manager the dilemma is to risk corporate cultural rejection and project failure or ensure acceptance by following well established techniques. The later has been the choice, but to further corporate competitive advantage, this can no longer be the standard. We must evaluate each project as it is initiated to find appropriate methodologies and techniques for that project.
By acting and reacting to the project with your creativity and full set of project management skills, you empower the project and team to take a life of its own, and realize it’s potential. You can’t control the project, you can only control yourself. Realizing this will ensure your success. Each team member manages their own perceptions and expectations of the project, as the project manager you must do the same.