# 5.3 Leadership for innovation

While individual practices are vital, for innovation to flourish in teams or organisations of any type, the appropriate leadership is necessary.

In a review of the relationship between leadership and innovation, Kesting and colleagues (2015) found that different stages of the innovation process require different types of leadership. This conclusion is supported by Lee and colleagues (2020) who argue that:

> ...when seeking to help employees innovate, leaders should behave in a manner that is characterized by actively role-modelling desired behaviours, providing autonomy, goal directed support such as ensuring adequate resources and lending social influence to followers when required.

(Lee et al, 2020, p.18)

While the need for adaptability in leadership approaches is vital, one model that offers a specifically innovation-oriented perspective on leadership is that of the leader as ‘Innovation Architect’ developed by Miller and Wedells-Wedellsborg (2013).

OpenLearn - Innovation in policing
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