Leader structure and consideration for innovation

Leading for innovation is inherently cognitive in nature, but its implementation is often through the behaviors of managers of creative people, teams, and organizations. One challenge is that leading for creativity requires unique behaviors in order to provide appropriate structure and consideration that result in innovative performance. In this chapter, the authors review task- and person-focused behavioral theories and then develop a multi-level framework with specific guidelines for leading for innovation. The model looks at multiple criteria including three group levels (individual, team, and organization) and three specific areas that require attention for structure and consideration: idea development, work processes, and social environment. The intersection of these dynamics across levels in an organizational setting provides a framework that allows the authors to provide recommendations for leaders. They develop 20 different propositions that touch all of the levels in the model; although all the behaviors are important and could stand alone, this taxonomy allows for a leader to make informed decisions about how to initiate structure and what types of consideration to provide. Similarly, the model illustrates how the leadership behaviors impact the various conceptual areas and organizational. They conclude with a call for additional exploration and utilization of the hypothesized behaviors in the model.