Leaders have a choice to make. Should they imitate what has already been successful done, or innovate away from the past and chart their own course?

Can a career be summed up in three words: Imitate or Innovate? In my career I have found that the answer to the question on whether to imitate or innovate is – it depends.

Imitation is preferred when you are following success. Innovation is preferred when you are defining success. Sometimes you job is to do it the right way; sometimes it’s to invent the right way.

Imitate and learn, Imitation has its purpose in learning from those that have successfully accomplished what you desire.

George Bernard Shaw said, “Imitation is not just the sincerest form of flattery – it’s the sincerest form of learning.”

And Niccolo Maachiavelli wrote in his book The Prince, “A prudent man will always try to follow in the footsteps of great men and imitate those who have been truly outstanding, so that, if he is not quite as skillful as they, at least some of their ability may rub off on him.”

Imitate and leverage. However, we all have different strengths, our own style of leadership. For that individual part of us, innovation is the choice.

Tom Peters summed up the question on imitation or innovation by saying, “Swipe from the best, then adapt.”  

You don’t always have to do it differently, you can win by just doing it better.

“Keep on the outlook for novel and interesting ideas that others have used successfully. Your idea has to be original only in its adaptation to the problem you are currently working on.” – Thomas Edison

Imitate and lead. I know that everything I set out to accomplish is possible, not because I know how to do everything, but because somewhere, someone has either already done what I want to do or has the skill and knowledge to accomplish what I want to do.

Leaders are successful when they enable their teams to use the best of each person on the team to achieve more than any one person on the team.

Marcus Aurelius said, “Because a thing seems difficult for you, do not think it impossible for anyone to accomplish.”

For those who are at the fork in the road and have to decide if they should imitate or innovate, I say, imitate what you have learned from others that worked, but innovate in your own style of implementing those successes.