What do you do if your boss is resistant to change and innovation?

1. Find out if their compensation portion is tied to innovation KPI? 2. Does the enterprise has innovation KOIs (if not, then #1 is not going to work) 3. Ask what % portion of annual budget is allocated to innovation driven ideas or new business models? (Typically forward looking companies allocate 70% running the current business, 20% to adjacent mkt ideas, 10% to innovation driven products, service, new biz models) Direct pontification to the boss will not yield any results if #1 is absent.

Tenho trabalhado sem chefes a maior parte da minha vida, mas o que recomendo que se fa?a em caso de um líder resistente a inova??o e mudan?a, é ganhar a confian?a dele propondo pequenos ajustes (embasados por uma pesquisa 360). Uma vez que ele veja resultados, posso encorajá-lo a dar passos mais ousados, sempre respaldada por argumentos técnicos e também emocionais.

The key to success lies in embracing change. Change is the sole consistent factor, and in the business realm, history has shown that companies failing to embrace innovation find themselves sidelined in the market. Hence, it's crucial that: 1. We emphasize the significance of innovation. 2. We actively adapt to change to secure our position in the market. 3. We consistently strategize for sustainability. If the boss fails to grasp this concept, perhaps it's time for new leadership.

Patience and strategic communication are essential when the boss is resistant to change. By addressing the concerns, demonstrating the benefits of innovation, and consistently delivering results, trust can be cultivated over time. This approach builds a solid foundation for eventual acceptance of change and fosters a more collaborative and progressive work environment.

I couldn't agree more. I once had a truly inspiring boss who also made me feel incredibly valued. They were genuinely interested in my ideas and always appreciated my perspectives. Even when we had differing opinions, they encouraged me to try mine on a smaller scale, within my own workload or area of responsibility. Whenever my approach proved successful, they would come to me, commend my courage for taking the initiative, and acknowledge that my approach was indeed the right way to go.

It's a given that every creative or innovative idea won't be accepted immediately. So the key factor is convince your audience (your boss in this case) with a compelling storytelling that is supported by your data-driven analysis. From my own experience, when I sought to make changes in project execution at my workplace, initial resistance was high. The best approach was to lead by example. Over 6 months, I executed various projects by applying the changes, and gradually, our senior management began to notice the positive outcomes: improved team performance, heightened morale, and, ultimately, greater customer satisfaction. Consequently, the change was embraced with solid results and metrics.

Change is hard, but the “we’ve always done it this way” mentality is a death sentence. The best way to inspire change is to teach people about the importance of being flexible and show them the value for the change. Explaining to someone who doesn’t want to hear it, won’t do anything. Show them. Use examples, use data, use facts. They need to feel it to see it so take them on a journey to get the point across. Engage their senses and let them experience the new ideas so they can see how great things can be. And always back up the fun stuff with numbers, proof or something tangible that shows the logic and not just the cool idea. And sometimes you just have to do it and they’ll thank you for it later. Risky, yes, but worth it!

Address objections before they are raised, make suggestions not requests, highlight potential positive outcomes and not the problem/ loss.