Is Your Business Aligned for Idea Generation?

Page A. Thibault, MBA

Many ideas are born and lost in isolation.  Think of ideas you have had that were never developed or implemented due to poor communication, lack of buy-in or just plain ineffective execution. An employee idea system is not a put into place and leave it type of program.  You must actively manage and control your organization’s platform to harness your employee ideas and to execute those ideas effectively.  Productivity is not just about how efficiently we work – but depends on our ability to make an impact on what matters most.

An employee idea is the spark of imagination that represents only one percent of the idea’s potential and passage.  The other 99 percent is the process needed to develop the capacity for employee ideas to develop.  Without a process for employee ideas, then each idea is handled on an ad hoc basis.  When ideas are handled ad hoc, there are many distractions that can derail our ideas.  For example:  deadlines, budgets, clients and a myriad of other constraints.  Therefore, we need structure to capture and arrange ideas in a way that allows them to build upon one another in a helpful manner.

Structure allows us to agree on how to respond to and implement ideas consistently – which in turn results in less confusion for your organization.  Many employee ideas have a cross-functional component, as well as differing levels of organizational responsibility; therefore, having structure in place simplifies implementation that may otherwise be complex and unwieldy. Collaboration is the binding force that brings several small sparks together to drive innovation and allows you to successfully adapt to the continual changes that occur in and around your organization. Teamwork and collaboration thrive in environments where tasks and methods are clearly defined.   In today’s competitive environment it is no longer enough to simply be more efficient or cheaper than your competition – you must transform your ideas into a unique differentiator that outperforms your competition!

Idea Share of the Month!

When designing your employee idea system, you must take into account your organization’s unique culture!  A cookie cutter idea system that layers on top of existing management and lacks in scope and depth will most likely fail resulting in a more disengaged workforce.

To sign up for Page’s Idea Share Tip of the Week! Please visit Frame of Mind Consulting.

Welcome to the JZN Associates Blog the 17th of Each Month!

Have you ever been so frustrated by a company’s poor customer service that you wanted to scream?
 

Is it possible anyone ever felt that way about your company’s customer service?

According to current statistics, for every one customer who complains to you, 26 won’t tell you they are unhappy--but they will tell nine to fifteen other people. And a scary 13% of them will tell 20 or more people. Picture them in the middle of town…with a bullhorn made out of your hide.

               Don’t let this happen to you!

Now picture yourself enjoying a successful business, secure in the knowledge that your staff is using their well-honed Emotional Intelligence skills to deliver sparkling customer care to your constituents.

Emotional Intelligence--also known as soft skills, or people skills—makes the difference in any arena between going through the motions and delivering an authentic, warm experience. As the principal of JZN Associates, my specialty, my passion, is helping individuals put their Emotional Intelligence to practical use in their careers and in their personal lives. I am available to agencies, organizations, and corporations. My experience is in recruiting, hiring, training, managing and motivating across a variety of industries, in both the non-profit and for profit worlds.

Watch my blog for Pearls of Wisdom on such topics as 

·         CustomerCentric Mindset

·         Employee Retention

·         From Disgruntled Customer to Biggest Fan…And much more…….

Jeannie Newman

http://jznassociates.com   Jeannie@JZNAssociates.com   860.794.4109

 

 

 

 

 

Ann Meacham

“I’m overwhelmed; no time to plan!”

Face it: Firefighting is an adrenaline rush. Sitting down to plan requires discipline, quiet time and deep thought. When businesses focus on the mini-crises that are always erupting around them, they lose sight of their goals and their strategies for success.

Lack of clear purpose, vision and direction create a culture of wasted time and money. Vision-purpose is a powerful tool to keep you moving forward.

What can you do?

STOP! …get away from your work if only for a couple of hours.  Focus on thinking about what outcome you want.  This isn’t only about money.  What do you want your company to look like in three years?  What are the steps you will need to take to become that?

Once you have a clear picture of what it will be, deciding on a plan becomes easier.  

To set expectations that you and your people can meet decide:

What is the goal?  3 – 6 goals that will lead to the Vision

How will be accomplished?  Steps that will lead to the outcome.

Who will champion it? Make sure it happens.

When do the parts need to be completed? Create milestones.

Where can you go for help?  Delegate, access a resource or hire someone when needed.

Focus on strategies for growth and the firefighting will subside.  New revenues will start to flow!

Ann is president of Leadership Dynamics. Sign up for bi-weekly insights with her Leader's Digest.  Go to www.leadyourteams.com

Lead with Power, Learn with Purpose, Live with Passion: Meet Alain Hunkins

Hello Movers & Shakers! I’m Alain Hunkins.  

My mission is to create a vibrant, alive world by kindling the fire of brilliance in people.

Over the past twenty years, I've been immersed in learning and teaching personal and leadership development.   

A facilitator, consultant, speaker, author, trainer and coach, I've led over a thousand groups across the country and on five continents. I've worked with C-level Fortune 500 executives, front line workers at pet food factories, and everything in between.   

Last month in NYC

A voracious learner about all things leadership, I love to share my latest insights in my weekly blog (with 250+ posts in the archives.)  You can find that blog at: www.pioneerleadership.com

In addition to my own leadership consulting, I also serve as Senior Faculty for three terrific global training organizations. 

Are you interested in learning more about:

Innovation? Check out: www.futurethink.com

Personal Energy Management?  Go to: www.theenergyproject.com

Experiential Learning? Click on: www.eaglesflight.com

You can see me discussing the power of renewal below:

I look forward to sharing the 3rd of each month here with you. 

To continue the conversation, connect with me on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/alainhunkins

Success and Happiness? Yes, You Can!

Linda Spevacek - Coach, Speaker, Author

Hello Readers,
My name is Linda Spevacek and I have the pleasure of sharing success tips with you on the 20th of each month. I am a speaker, coach, and author with a background in the high-intensity world of investments and dealmaking. My specialty is teaching entrepreneurs, as well as leaders seeking to move up within a company, how to achieve prosperity in every sense of the word: business success, joy in your relationships, personal fulfillment and peace of mind.

If there is one thing I've learned along this journey of striving to achieve and be the best at what you do, it is that our business lives and our personal lives are inseparably intertwined. The good news is that you need never sacrifice one over the other: having success and happiness together is not only possible, it is essential! [That is your tip for today ;-)]

I loved every minute of my high-powered corporate career, until meetings and policies and reporting took all the fun out of actually doing business! And with two young children, a husband, a house, and a desire to have more time for community activities, friends and yes, I'll say it - tennis and skiing - I hired a personal coach to help me set up a business lifestyle that worked for me. I received my own coaching certification, hung out a shingle, and never looked back.

Speaking topics include Become the CEO of Your Life, Get Your S.P.A.R.K, and Life Balance for the Real World: "How I Managed to Run a Business, Celebrate 30 Years of Wedded Bliss, Serve as an Elected Official, Get My College Kid Out of the House for the 5th Time, and Write a Book With 7 Other Women, Without Losing My Mind!" Individual and corporate trainings focus on leadership development, business building based on your expertise, and strengthening your success mindset, to name a few. Please visit www.ExpertProsperity.com for more information and many more success tips. See you next month!