What are some effective ways to convey the importance of innovation to other leaders and to the IT team?

Innovation should be part of everyone's DNA, regardless of the organization. Even in simple jobs, there can be significant process innovation. People on the front lines are most capable of providing this because they work with it day in and day out. For example, when we implemented workday, we had an opportunity to streamline operations that had grown into place organically. Everyone should think about how they can do their job in a better fashion. This should be part of everyone's job description. Innovation doesn't mean creating a space shuttle or landing on the moon. Even people in entry-level positions can be innovative and have a huge impact. It's also important that everyone in the organization knows where the organization is going. It doesn't matter if you're the first entry-level person, you need to know what you're doing is moving the organization forward.

Innovation is not a solo endeavor. You can't do it alone. It's important to get your team engaged and to connect with other partners in the organization. Everyone on your team needs to feel empowered and have leadership support. If you can foster this connection across the organization, it becomes more powerful. Other leaders bring their teams into the equation, leading to the whole organization looking at it. The more eyes and hands you have on it, the better the understanding of the bigger picture. It's crucial to measure and demonstrate wins along the way and not just look at a Big Bang approach. Test your hypotheses, so you can