One survey found that among companies that are successful innovators, 80 percent have top leaders who are innovation champions; that is, they frequently reinforce the value and importance of innovation. These leaders think about innovation, demonstrate its importance through their actions, and follow through to make sure people are investing time and resources in innovation issues.
The leadership style of the top executive sets the tone for how effective an organization is at continuous adaptation and innovation. One style of leadership, referred to as transformational leadership, is particularly suited for bringing about change. Top leaders who use a transformational leadership style enhance organizational innovation both directly, by creating a compelling vision, and indirectly, by creating an environment that supports exploration, experimentation, risk-taking, and sharing of ideas.