“You're afraid you'll be rejected or criticised or ridiculed or misunderstood or - worst of all - ignored. You're afraid there's no market for your creativity, and therefore no point in pursuing it. You're afraid somebody else already did it better. You're afraid everybody else already did it better.” Elizabeth Gilbert - Big Magic
The final question in our Team Effectiveness Model is: “Do we create and innovate?”
This question challenges us to assess whether our teams are merely executing tasks or actively driving change through creativity and innovation.
Innovation doesn’t happen by accident and contrary to popular belief, creativity and innovation is most commonly created through a group process (“the myth of the lone innovator”). It’s the product of the right environment, mindset, and team culture.
Too often, organisations focus on ‘disruptive ideas’ without recognising the quiet power of innovation that happens when teams create together. Most groundbreaking ideas are developed through collaboration and input from diverse teams and communities; new innovations are rarely created in a vacuum, but rather emerge through a network of knowledge sharing and building upon existing work.
The difference? Innovation thrives in teams where diversity of thought and psychological safety are not just buzzwords - they’re integral parts of the culture.
The research is clear - teams that embrace diverse perspectives, focus on being connected, create space for psychological safety, are always learning and have the bravery to test new ideas consistently, outperform those that don’t.
Explore our research in our whitepaper.
Innovation or turning the ideas into useful actions, requires creativity along with judgement, perseverance, and the ability to simplify complex problems.
Here’s how to cultivate it:
Get the processes out of the way. Organisational structures and outdated processes are often the biggest barriers to innovation. Simplify where you can.
Build psychological safety. Your team needs to feel confident that their ideas - no matter how bold - will be heard and considered.
Encourage team reflexivity. Reflecting on what’s worked and what hasn’t without criticism helps teams be open to continuous learning and to innovate more effectively.
Support judgement and bravery. Innovation requires the courage to push ideas through the early stages, even when they seem risky.
If your team’s culture doesn’t encourage failure as a stepping stone to success, it’s time to make a change. Innovation demands space, trust, and a willingness to challenge the norm.
At Gyre, we know innovation starts with creating the right environment - where diverse ideas can flourish, and where teams feel safe to experiment and fail.
So, does your team have the space, trust, and culture to innovate - or is something holding you back?
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