In this series, we explore how internal branding shapes innovation culture and extends company longevity. Drawing from personal experience, we’ll reveal how aligned teams create groundbreaking work.
Innovation thrives when everyone has a voice. Yet throughout my educational and professional journey across different cultures, I’ve witnessed how easily voices can be silenced—and the tremendous creative potential that gets lost in the process. Today, I’m sharing insights on how inclusive practices can transform your team’s innovation culture.
When Silence Stifles Creativity: My Cross-Cultural Journey
Growing up in Russia, my educational experience felt more like military training than collaborative learning. Students were treated as lower-class citizens, expected to follow instructions without question. I remember sitting rigid in my chair, ideas bubbling inside but never daring to speak up freely. The hierarchy was clear—teachers commanded, students complied. Creative thinking wasn’t just discouraged; it was often punished as insubordination.
Later, studying in Australia was a culture shock. The physical layout of classrooms and the approach of tutors technically allowed everyone to speak up. Yet I noticed a different barrier: social exclusion. As an international student, my contributions were often met with subtle dismissal from local classmates. One particularly painful memory involves a tutor who made disparaging remarks about Russia, effectively signaling that my cultural perspective wasn’t valued in discussions about global innovation.
In professional settings, I’ve encountered yet another set of barriers: colleagues taking credit for others’ ideas, people showing off rather than collaborating, discussions cut short to “save time,” and promising concepts dismissed outright without exploration. Each instance reinforced a dangerous message: not all voices matter equally in the innovation process.
The Foundation: Psychological Safety Across Cultures
For innovation to flourish, team members need to feel comfortable sharing unconventional ideas without fear of judgment or rejection. This psychological safety becomes even more crucial in multicultural environments where communication styles and power dynamics vary significantly.
Leaders play a pivotal role in fostering this safety by demonstrating vulnerability, celebrating smart risk-taking, and actively conveying that all perspectives—regardless of cultural background, seniority, or personality type—hold value.
Here are practical approaches to promote psychological safety I’ve seen work across cultural contexts:
- Model vulnerability by admitting your own failures and sharing what you learned—this breaks down the hierarchical barriers I experienced in Russian education
- React with genuine curiosity when people share “wild ideas” rather than immediate judgment
- Replace harsh criticism with appreciation and constructive feedback—focusing on how ideas can evolve rather than why they won’t work
- Actively seek input from introverts or team members from cultures where speaking up isn’t encouraged—use multiple channels for idea sharing
Beyond Traditional Brainstorming: Structured Techniques for True Inclusion
My experiences taught me that traditional brainstorming sessions often become stages for the loudest, most confident voices—typically those already empowered by cultural or organisational privilege. Structured techniques can level this playing field.
Brainwriting has proven particularly effective in multicultural teams. Here’s how it works:
- Distribute paper/post-its and pens to everyone regardless of role or seniority
- Pose a clear challenge question—ensure it’s understood across cultural and language backgrounds
- Allow silent idea generation for 5-10 minutes—this eliminates the dominance of native speakers or extroverts
- Pass papers and build on each other’s ideas—creating a collaborative rather than competitive atmosphere
- Categorize, analyze, and prioritize ideas as a group—ensuring all contributions are acknowledged
Other inclusive approaches include round-robin techniques (where each person speaks in turn), web-based ideation platforms (allowing anonymous contributions), or design sprints with clear roles for each participant.
Building an Inclusive Innovation Culture Over Time
The transformation from a culture where some voices dominate (like my experiences with dismissive colleagues taking credit for others’ work) to one where diverse perspectives fuel innovation doesn’t happen overnight. It requires consistent leadership commitment.
Sustainable inclusive innovation demands:
- Regular, structured ideation and feedback sessions that become ritual rather than exception
- Examples and templates that guide creative work while leaving room for unique approaches
- Deliberate gathering of input across roles, backgrounds, and perspectives—especially from those typically underrepresented
- Transparent tracking and celebration of innovation metrics to reinforce the value of inclusive practices
From Personal Pain to Collective Gain
My journey through hierarchical Russian classrooms, subtly exclusive Australian universities, and professionally competitive workplaces has taught me that innovation suffers tremendously when voices are silenced—whether through authority, social pressure, or professional politics.
The most brilliant ideas often come from unexpected sources, and true innovation emerges when we create spaces where everyone feels valued enough to contribute their unique perspective. When we build truly inclusive innovation cultures, we don’t just improve our products or services—we transform our collective human experience.
