Spyreism no.9 - Be the moon while generating numerous suns

Innovation leadership is often viewed as a stage where managers play the leading role, dazzling the audience with their vision and ideas. But what if the most impactful innovation managers aren’t the stars at the center of the show? What if their true brilliance comes from illuminating others—helping them shine as stars in their own right?

This Spyreism, “Be the Moon While Generating Numerous Suns,” challenges innovation leaders to shift their focus from personal achievement to collective empowerment. By enabling others to thrive, you create a constellation of success that reflects back on you, making you shine as a powerful, guiding moon.

The Illusion of Being the Star

Many innovation managers are drawn to their role because they are passionate about ideas and love being at the forefront of change. They want to lead the charge, be recognized for breakthrough innovations, and have their names tied to transformative initiatives. However, striving to be the star comes with risks:

1. Bottlenecking Creativity: When managers focus on being the primary source of ideas, they unintentionally stifle creativity in others. Teams might defer to their judgment instead of exploring their own ideas, leading to fewer and less diverse contributions.
2. Burnout and Scalability: Being the “star” of every initiative is exhausting and unsustainable. Innovation thrives on scale, and a single person or team cannot carry the weight of an entire organization’s creative future.
3. Lack of a system: When one innovation manager is the “star” it means that when this star leaves the organization or moves on to their next role, it will be challenging to replace them since it was all about them and not others or a systematic approach.
4. Rejection: Innovation managers have the challenge of engaging the commitment of decision makers in the organization since deployments at scale are not possible otherwise. Positioning yourself as a star increases the chances that your work and recommendations will not be followed.

Instead of trying to outshine everyone, the most effective innovation managers act like the moon: reflecting light, guiding others, and allowing their teams to shine brightly.

Generating Suns: Empowering Teams to Illuminate the Organization

The analogy of the moon highlights a powerful truth: the moon’s light comes from the sun. For innovation leaders, the “suns” are the stars they create within their teams and across the organization. Here’s how to cultivate this dynamic:

1. Foster Autonomy with Accountability: Great leaders give their teams the space to innovate while ensuring they remain aligned with strategic goals. Frameworks like Spyre’s Corporate Venture Blueprint provide tools to guide innovation initiatives without micromanaging. Managers become facilitators, not controllers, of progress.
2. Recognize and Elevate Others: Acknowledge and celebrate the contributions of individuals and teams. This not only boosts morale but also signals to the organization that innovation is everyone’s responsibility. Publicly showcasing successful projects reflects well on the leader who empowered them.
3. Enable Skill Development: Equip your teams with the tools, training, and resources they need to excel. For example, the Spyre methodology emphasizes building a community of “innovation leaders” - agents of change who act as hubs of innovation throughout the organization.
4. Encourage a Culture of Experimentation: By creating a safe space for experimentation, leaders allow their teams to learn from failures and build on successes. This iterative process transforms the organization into a factory of ideas ready to scale.

The Bright Moon Effect: How Empowering Others Reflects Back on You

When innovation managers prioritize enabling others, they create a ripple effect of success. Here’s why this approach is so effective:

? Exponential Impact: A single leader’s ideas can only go so far. By empowering dozens of innovators, the organization benefits from a wealth of diverse ideas and approaches.

? Sustained Influence: When others succeed under your guidance, you’re recognized as the force behind their growth. This builds your reputation as a transformative leader, not just a creative thinker.

? Organizational Resilience: An empowered team can adapt to challenges, ensuring the organization continues to innovate even in times of uncertainty .

Conclusion: Reflecting Brilliance

The most effective innovation leaders don’t seek to be the star at the center of attention. They become the moon—reflecting the brilliance of the suns they’ve created. By enabling others to shine, they foster a culture of collective achievement that outshines any individual contribution.

Be the moon, and your light will shine brighter than ever.

If you wish to learn more about how this is done, click below to schedule a complimentary innovation snapshot meeting https://www.spyre.group/advisorymeeting .