Essential Characteristics in Employees to Drive Innovation

Unless your company is listed in the fortune 500 companies, where thousands of applicants are lining up for positions, odds are that recruiting, training and assembling a team of talented members is a challenging task.
Just like a person’s profile on social networking sites, an applicant’s resume and interviews will only give you a hyped up polished snapshots of who he really is. Thus, it is difficult to know before hand, how they will react when the going gets tough.
This makes it imperative for any organization to hire employees who can learn and innovate processes which will better suit their strategic operations. Mentioned here are a few characteristics to look for in employees in the workplace.
A high capacity for creativity
Most companies thrive over trying different things, so an employee’s creativity is a key factor. Hence an emphasis on innovation will delight a productive employee to help the companies planning to grow and improve.
Under promise and over deliver
A good employee will know that it’s a cardinal sin in business to say something you will do and not deliver accordingly. They would know that going over and beyond to get a job done will make a great impression and will come to fruition in the future.
Take ownership of their work and know when to ask for help
It feels good to be applauded for a job well done, but for a successful employee, getting criticized is equally important to own up to. Apart from this, it is not expected of any employee to be a know-it-all. Therefore, employees should know when to find a person with better knowledge and learn the scaffolding for this approach.
A resourceful self-starter and independent thinker
Most start-ups do not possess a well structured process of training and skill development. Thus, employees have to learn at lightning speeds and share what they learn. They take initiative to master processes and strive to improve upon them to help the company grow.
Focus on activities that maximize productivity.
There are millions of things a person can potentially do in a single day. A successful employee will know which work to prioritize to best ascertain what impact they will have on the business.
Listen and understand first
Great employees have mastered the art of listening. They would listen to their colleagues so that they would feel understood. They will then, communicate their views in the best possible way their colleagues can understand.
Seeking a good challenge   
Every role is centered on the initiation shown by employees to step up to the goals and challenges offered by the job. The want and need for team members to seek challenges that drive the business forward is critical to a company’s current and future growth.
Strive for excellence, not perfection
It’s a known fact that there is no such thing as perfection. Things will never be perfect and can always be improved upon. Successful employees will know not to reach for perfection and rather be proud of their work while ensuring that the end user’s expectations are met.
Employees are the core composition in any organization, and an innovative team is required for any organization to grow consistently. It is also imperative to note that each of these qualities is a fatal personality flaw and should someone perform poorly in any single regard, they are likely to become a liability to the company in the near future. That is why it is important for an organization to recruit employees for whom they are confident will possess these characteristics and be efficient and innovative.