Respecting People and Ideas Fuels Business Innovation

Respecting Ideas is a Necessary Ingredient in Business Innovation

Innovative ideas often result from re-thinking possibilities and re-evaluating assumptions. Emerging trends that some would consider to be “different” or “on the fringe” are often important in the next wave of innovative products. To encourage innovation, responsible business leaders demonstrate respect for all ideas, regardless of the source.

Building a Culture that Values People and Their Ideas

Innovative companies view the level of diversity of the people that they employ as an innovation asset, and create a meaningful work experience for employees with widely varying backgrounds.

ethical business leaders respect ideas Building a culture that respects and values people and ideas is an important step toward innovation. A more diverse organization will have a richer variety of ideas to work with when innovating.

Employees who believe that they are respected, and who believe that their ideas are valued will be in a position to see opportunities for innovation that would otherwise be missed.

Resources for Learning More

“Diversity Drives Innovation” Interview with Debbe Kennedy, Author of “Putting Our Differences to Work” at Ideaconnection.com

Strategies for Retaining Diverse Employees George Thompson, DiversityCouncil.org

Questions to Consider

1. How well do we respect ideas, regardless of the source?

2. When people bring ideas to us as leaders, do we thank them and carefully consider each idea?

3. How could we do a better job of showing employees that all ideas are welcome, so that they will feel free to innovate?