To Successfully Innovate: Learn to be OK with not being OK and be OK with it.

In this new Generation- ‘Selfie’ (yes that includes all from Baby Boomers to Gen Alpha who can’t resist the urge to use filters and post a selfie for all unimportant occasions), imperfection is quickly brushed aside and people only present the best of themselves and I see a big problem brewing with that.

We want to present our best side and soon people will not be tolerant of any form of ‘not so perfect.’ So, what does that have to do with innovation?

Today, millions of people are proudly engaged in making the world a better place working in the International Development sector. From clean energy to climate change adaptations, addressing quality education for all, ensuring access to primary healthcare, promoting gender equity, fostering rural community development, and creating programs that catalyze access to economic opportunities for all. However, we are learning more and more everyday that solving the world's biggest challenges is not a science but an art. We do not have a formula to make change happen but are committed to continuing to partner together to try out new ideas, bringing forward new innovations and concepts drawn from the lessons of work that have come before us, to iterate and learn.

However, in a perfect 'Selfie' world where mistakes are quickly becoming unfashionable, the willingness of innovators and leaders to display and share vulnerability could be under threat. Whether it's the lessons learned from a brilliant concept where, somewhere along the way, we discovered new challenges for which we were unprepared, or leadership that steps up but possesses some of the weaknesses expected of any human being. We are now witnessing a world that is reluctant to admit or confront anything that is “out of place”.

The danger in this lies in the fact that, from studies of personalities and leadership, a balanced combination of strengths and weaknesses anchors a leader with the appropriate level of humility required to cope with the ever-threatening ego, lurking in the shadows to hinder growth and evolution. This unwillingness to be OK with knowing we are not OK stops us from asking the right questions, listening to various opinions, and learning how to draw from the strength of others to drive our own evolution.

This shows up strongly when we develop great concepts and implement programs for transformation. Using ‘filters’ on our learnings to make us “look good” will simply steal from us the power to truly learn from what does not work and evolve solutions that will truly change the world. So, with our brilliant ideas, concepts, innovation, and social businesses let’s try to do the reverse of what we do with our selfies. Rather than ‘filter out’ the things we do not understand, how about we highlight them instead, focus on them and make them a learning point. And for our personal leadership, let’s learn from the truth about all selfies that get posted. No one really ever looks that good anyway! So, if we all have our imperfections, then it is really OK for you to embrace it in your heart when you are not OK and to be comfortable with living in that place of imperfection. That is probably where true leadership and innovation is born.

Adesuwa Ifedi

Written in one of my imperfect moments