Organizational culture change is essential to turn a traditional development organization into an innovation and collaboration powerhouse. And a firm commitment from the institution’s leaders helps to drive that change.
But there’s more to that equation, Alexia Latortue suggested during a panel discussion at an innovation and learning event held recently at the Asian Development Bank headquarters in Manila.
Employees “need to have a firm sense that management will have their backs if something goes wrong,” said the deputy assistant secretary for development policy and debt at the U.S. Treasury. “And then management needs to have a real sense that shareholders will have their back if something goes wrong.”