Innovation in local government is often associated with new technology or expensive modernization projects. But according to Brian Elms, founder of Change Agents Training and creator of Denver Peak Academy, the biggest barriers to innovation are usually much more human.

Elms is a nationally recognized expert in organizational innovation who helps local governments eliminate unnecessary work, improve processes, and build employee-driven cultures of innovation. Through Denver Peak Academy, he helped the City and County of Denver save more than $30 million while training thousands of public sector professionals in practical problem-solving and continuous improvement.

During a recent interview, Elms shared practical insights on how local governments can build innovation cultures that improve organizational performance and resident service.

Innovation Bottlenecks Are Usually Human, Not Technical

What slows innovation in local government? Elms points first to mindset and agency. “In terms of the biggest bottleneck: we are. It's usually us and our mindset, how we attack our challenges, if we feel agency in order to make change, or not, and if we believe that we have the ability to make change.”

That challenge exists in organizations of every size. Employees often feel constrained by bureaucracy, hierarchy, or fear of failure. Over time, that can discourage people from improving the systems around them.

Small Improvements Can Create Big Organizational Change

For many organizations, innovation feels intimidating because it is associated only with large-scale transformation. But Elms says the real power of innovation is in practical, incremental improvements.

“I’ve always defined innovation as something you’ve done differently,” he explained. “Whether it’s updating a form or changing a website.”

Those smaller changes matter more than many leaders realize. “If people are afraid to make simple, small, and practical changes, we’ll never see a breakthrough.”

Workplace Culture: Why Innovation Can’t Be Top-Down Alone

A major focus of Elms’ work is democratized innovation: the idea that everyone in an organization can improve systems and services. “Everyone has the ability to make something better,” he said. “That changes the belief system in the organization when everyone’s a participant.”

Rather than waiting for large technology investments or executive mandates, Elms encourages organizations to empower employees closest to the work to identify bottlenecks and solve problems collaboratively.

He shared an example from Myrtle Beach, where a participant in one of his trainings redesigned how services were delivered to individuals struggling with opioid addiction. By removing unnecessary steps in the process, she was able to provide support directly in the field instead of repeatedly returning to the office between visits. “She’s saving lives,” Elms said. “Actually saving lives.”

The Leadership Habits That Help Innovation Thrive

According to Elms, successful innovation cultures are strongly tied to leadership behavior.
“100% of it is leadership,” he said.

He emphasized that leaders must create environments where employees feel trusted to experiment, contribute ideas, and learn from failure.

“The first idea is the worst idea,” Elms said. “Failure creates better ideas.”

He also stressed that innovation cannot rely entirely on leadership approval.

“Agency comes from you,” he said. “Your boss might not be great. Your environment at work might not be great. But if you don’t do something different, it doesn’t get better.”

Innovation in Purpose-Driven Work

Beyond processes and leadership, Elms returns to a larger idea: purpose. “We go into public service to help people,” he said. “We are the number one purpose-driven [industry] in the world that never talks about our purpose.”

For Elms, innovation is ultimately about improving how governments serve their communities and making public service more effective, fulfilling, and impactful.

Inside ICMA’s Innovation Bootcamp

ICMA’s Innovation Bootcamp, led by Brian Elms, is designed to help local government professionals rethink processes, identify unnecessary work, and build practical innovation skills that improve organizational performance and service delivery.

The online cohort program includes live sessions, self-paced learning, and hands-on activities that provide actionable tools participants can apply immediately in their organizations. The next Innovation Bootcamp cohort begins June 2.

Learn More