The call for corporate innovation has become cliché.  As large companies struggle to find new ways to compete, their CEOs talk about agility, lean principles and startup collaborations. But most of this is disconnected from the day-to-day operations of their business. Leaders know that creating the right culture is a critical part of fostering innovation. But even companies with engaging and collaborative cultures can miss innovation opportunities.

Often unnoticed, innovative potential exists among the workforce. At most large companies employee counts run into the thousands. Employees carry with them a rich reservoir of customer knowledge, strong working relationships, an understanding of common problems and creative solutions.  Here are five ways leaders can tap into this vast in-house asset and unleash innovative potential among their intrapreneurs.

Ask Questions.  Leaders who can ask open-ended question about the future, customer needs or new products can motivate people to think about bigger possibilities. This style of questioning also takes the focus off the short term metrics which often stifles innovation.  Questions beget possibility.  They stir imaginations. Most importantly, questions create interaction and engage, which is far more powerful than heavy-handed plans and commands from the executive office.

Empower People.  Innovation requires initiative. When employees suggest a well-thought out, viable idea, management needs to empower them to take action.  Leaders should provide funding and guidelines for experimentation and then set employees free. Tinkering, testing, failing and piloting are essential to the innovation process. While these pilot versions might not be perfect they act as blueprints for the final product.

Be Present.  Opportunities and new ideas are everywhere, but you have to open your eyes.  Busy executives tend to be caught in a vicious cycle of travel, shareholder meetings, report prep and administrative approvals. The leaders who make time to walk the halls, listen to client support calls, sit in on sales meetings and grab lunch with their teams will come away with a list of new ideas.  Simply watching and listening to the business in real-time, can lead to innovation.

Connect The Dots.  Executives have the benefit of sitting in a unique vantage point.  They have a holistic and 360 degree view of the business across countries, between customers and suppliers through shareholder comments and questions. Sometimes innovation requires combining ideas or assets from different countries or business units. A failed product in one region might be perfect for another market.  A good pilot product in one business unit might need a hungry sales team from another business unit.  Only those sitting at the top can see the different pieces and how to creatively combine them.

Showcase Successes.  If leaders want to encourage more risk-taking and innovation, they need to point to examples of it that are already taking place in their company.  When leaders reward and recognize employees who take a risk, speak their mind or suggest a new idea, it builds confidence in the entire workforce.  Praise goes a long way in igniting a workforce and demonstrating that ordinary employees can contribute in extraordinary ways.