How To Let Game-Changers Flourish

Some of the best innovations (and yes please do not just think that just a new aha idea is innovation, because innovation is also the trust you create as a manager to build team ownership, plan and prepare to execute the idea) are what may sound like dumb, stupid ideas by crazy, free spirited people.

These people are the mavericks in any organization and never follow the herd. They are thought leaders who walk the path less trodden and remember that does make the big difference between good and great. They are difficult and restless, refuse to toe the line, have greater risk appetite and have a huge level of confidence and restlessness.

This confidence is often mistaken in most organizations as rebellion or arrogance. However these are mostly people who are neither rebellious nor arrogant, they are simple people who do not want to just play the game and believe in changing the game.

They are game-changers who do not wish to settle for ordinary and want to go beyond and achieve the extraordinary. Organizations which do not encourage these mavericks are organizations that never move from good to great and hence become average and may not achieve greatness. To paraphrase the French enlightenment writer and thinker, Monsieur Francois-Marie Arouet, more popularly known by his nom de plume - Voltaire - "The enemy of the best is the good".

Action: As a manager, when you see worth and potential in people who are confident, free spirited and free thinkers, do not stifle their potential. Instead look for positive ways to harness their energy. Enable them to fuel their fire and support them to unleash their potential, by pursuing their passions.

You need to move from being a good manager to a great leader, who can empower these mavericks by creating an ecosystem of interdependence, while working to minimize any negative impact of their unconventional thought leadership. You can help to create a culture of failure for honest mistakes to achieve the extraordinary as a team.

Remember one can never create great innovations without experimenting and failing along the way to achieve extraordinary success. Ignite their inner-fire and push their prowess to go for extraordinary and help them create ownership with team members and others within the organization.

When you ignite their fires, this will also help kindle or rekindles your own inner-fire and the fires within your other team members. Slowly but surely you shall see your team and organization moving from ordinary to extraordinary and from good to great. With your team work towards planning and preparation to meet any setback or obstacles.

Always remember my 7P mantra- Prior Proper Planning & Preparation, Prevents Poor Performance. This planning and preparation will enable achieving the extraordinary and create a culture for greatness. This is the simple secret of great leaders, great teams and great organizations.