Innovative ideas change the world and while not every app or piece of software can be a game changer, creating disruptive technologies is one of the keys to success. Innovation is described as the application of new ideas to create better results. Dev teams that are focused on innovation often have more success and are able to create better results compared to more established teams.
Innovation has long been regarded as a tool for identifying fresh approaches to pressing problems, particularly those caused by technology disruption. But it’s unlikely that the difficulties we experience today will be anything like those we confront in the future. Businesses need to build the strategic capacity to address unforeseen issues in the modern world. You can now study strategic innovation online courses to develop future-focused innovation strategies. To help foster innovation within your dev team, follow this guide.
Tolerate Mistakes and Encourage Learning from Them
Not every idea can be successful and for every great innovative idea, there have been countless failures. Mistakes are part of being creative and looking to innovate, and it’s important to tolerate them. Punishing these mistakes or treating them like a failure is only going to discourage further innovation. What is important is that your team learns from them. Each mistake is a learning opportunity and a chance for your team to develop something even better. Focusing on constructive feedback and constant learning can help your team realize how their innovative ideas can still succeed.
Develop a More Collaborative Culture
Collaboration and teamwork are key to creating innovative ideas. Most major innovations came as a result of multiple people working together to solve a problem. You should encourage collaboration within your team and ensure that all ideas are shared. Make sure your team knows that sharing ideas is welcomed and all ideas are valued. If you’re running a larger company with multiple teams, you should also ensure that different departments are also collaborating. Your team can break out of their silos, get inspired by new ways of thinking, and come up with ways in which departments could collaborate to make procedures more efficient.
Let Your Team Have Greater Freedom
Aside from the freedom to make mistakes, you should ensure your team feels less constrained in general. Getting out of the office is a great way to feel more creative, and a change in scenery can do a lot of good for productivity too. Go exploring in different settings and inspire your employees to do the same. It might be enough to take an energizing stroll, have lunch at a nearby cafe, or even spend a Monday morning working from home. This doesn’t mean encouraging unprofessional behavior, but giving greater freedom should inspire your team to work hard and have more fun while doing so.
Implement Reverse Mentoring
Reserve mentoring is a process of teaming junior developers up with more senior members of the team. Both parties should be able to gain new skills and knowledge, and it’s also a great way to help develop new perspectives. Although a senior employee may have years of business experience and industry information to impart, a junior employee may have insightful knowledge about emerging technology that could benefit the company or a better grasp of what motivates the new generation.
Reward Innovation
Employees need to feel valued to be at their best, and you should always reward innovation as much as possible. You can develop a reward system that not only encourages new ideas but also allows employees to receive recognition and rewards for their efforts. Creating a fun and enjoyable working environment will help make employees more successful and creative.
Cover Photo by Antonio Janeski on Unsplash