Jay Sachetti joined Jeff O’Brien, partner at Husch Blackwell and Dyanne Ross-Hanson, president of Exit Planning Strategies talked about the market for mergers and acquisitions, exit planning opportunities for companies that don’t end up for sale and how companies can maximize their eventual sale price during an early October panel at the first Upsize on Tap event at Summit Brewing Co. in St. Paul.
When the state Legislature passed a law requiring employers to provide paid leave and safe time for employees, Justin Bieganek started hearing differing details from friends, colleagues and peers.
I’ll be honest, on Friday afternoon my mind is wandering to my dinner plans for the evening; it is not focused on a critical business endeavor.
This common approach creates problems because of a lack of direction, hasty preparation, the wrong group of employees, and the aforementioned time of day.
Thinking creatively has become an essential part of the workplace. However, the discipline of creativity usually takes a backseat to other business functions.
Individuals are rewarded for looking busy. Managers equate productivity to a frazzled team running from meeting to meeting, attempting to satisfy unrealistic timelines.
With this paradigm that has been created, when can organizations think creatively? And how can businesses grow if vital employees are not considering the future?
I’ve worked for start-up firms and multibillion-dollar organizations that have faced the pressure to produce both revenue and creative ideas. Individuals will gravitate to revenue demands over the expectation of coming up with an inventive idea.
There are proven methods to increase revenue – for example, adjusting the price or generating a promotion – but most employees are not trained on methods to develop a unique idea. One method I’ve used is going running until a creative name popped into my head. I selected a name quickly (mainly out of my desire to get back to the couch) and although the name worked, I would not recommend this approach. Imaginative thinking requires discipline. Creativity is just as important as analyzing daily sales numbers, reviewing a quarterly budget, or preparing for a client presentation.
An organization cannot make constructive change by simply stating on an indiscriminate day, “OK, now it’s time to get creative!” There is an efficient process that stimulates creativity.
First, block off time to think. It sounds strange, but your team needs to carve out time to consider alternative solutions. Hold time on your calendar, because it will only happen if there is upfront commitment. But make sure this time is sacrosanct. Do not use this thinking period as “extra time” during the week when you get overbooked.
Second, go where your consumers are. Plan a team field trip to participate in an activity that puts you in your consumers’ world.
If you’re targeting eight-year-old boys, go to the zoo. What are they eating? How are they interacting with friends?
Are you focused on physicians? Attend their medical conferences, check out their waiting rooms, or subscribe to the journals they read. Involve yourself in your consumers’ environment and be observant. Give yourself license to leave your cube.
Third, hold a brainstorming or ideation session. This session cannot be perceived as a boondoggle. It is imperative to demonstrate the upfront expectation and the desired end result of an effective session. All participants must be engaged in a high-energy process where contribution is expected. A professional facilitator will guide the group through exercises to reach a clearly defined goal.
The facilitator’s role is to listen and compile all points of view absent of personal bias. A facilitator enables all participants to contribute without eliminating idea flow through session management.
Fourth, ensure you have a robust group working on the idea.The concept is universal to any project, but especially important to a creative endeavor.
With idea generation, everyone is on a level playing field. A thought from an associate should be valued the same as one from a VP.
Select participants who are team members and also individuals that are not as close to the project who can offer a unique, unbiased perspective.
Creative people from outside your organization such as an expert from your target market or a linguist can provide fresh ideas.
No stupid ideasFifth, create an open, trusting environment. It is human nature that no one wants to look stupid. Yet being creative involves taking a risk.
If management is present in a creative session and they are overbearing or judgmental, the process will be stifled. Offering an idea that is unpopular or expensive should not be a career-limiting endeavor. Set the scene that all ideas are worthwhile.
While Carol might offer an off-the-wall idea, that thought may trigger a winner in Ben’s head. Create an environment where people are comfortable sharing all of their ideas.
Sixth, accept the fact that there are very few new ideas. Innovative thinking is not an agonizing search for a unique idea.
Look back at old ideas that have been explored. Examine what was effective with old concepts and delve into what did not work. Sit with an individual who has 25 years of experience along with employees new to the organization.
Learn from the past, but take into account current marketplace conditions. An important activity is sharing ideas between different functional areas within an organization since communication can often be less than ideal.
Seven, assign a creativity champion in your organization. Employees tend to marginalize creative aspects of their job, assuming someone else is responsible. Making an individual accountable for creativity is the first step in creating and implementing innovative ideas.
The creativity champion manages the creative process. Odds are you will find an individual on your team who will be empowered and impassioned by the responsibility.
Creativity is a crucial aspect to any growth-oriented business. Award-winning ideas are built from collaborative thoughts offered by individuals with diverse perspectives.
Dedicating resources to thinking creatively is vital to the future success of any business. Start today and begin sharing your ideas!
contact Kara Joy Lazarus is founder and principal of Think Pink Idea Consulting in Minneapolis, an idea-generation firm focused on leading ideations, moderating market research, developing branding and positioning, and writing marketing plans: 612.922.7377; ka**@************as.com; www.thinkpinkideas.com.
