What Our Children Taught Me About Innovation

When our children were little, I had a simple philosophy when it came to chores:

“Here’s how I do it—you can do it your way, as long as the end result is the same.”

One child folded her t-shirts with military precision. The other two shoved everything in a drawer and called it a day. Both got it done. (Eventually. 😉)

That approach worked because it gave them ownership—and a little creative freedom.

And that’s exactly what innovation needs to thrive on teams.

As a leader (and a parent), your job isn’t to dictate every step—it’s to define the goal and empower your team to find the best path forward.

Here are a few ways to foster innovation in your team:

• Encourage risk-taking: Reward experimentation, even when it flops.

• Seek diverse perspectives: Innovation loves a fresh angle.

• Provide resources: Time and tools make a difference.

And one of my favorite team questions: “What’s one thing we could do differently this week to improve?”

Innovation isn’t always flashy. Sometimes, it starts with something as simple as letting people store their clothes their way.