Want improved innovation? Get more water coolers!

The big buzz for companies today is to espouse their desire to be innovative. By the way they tell it, everything – from slumping sales to anemic product offerings – can be revived through innovation. Yet, innovation seems a tricky thing to define. To some, it’s the big idea; have a grand idea and that is being innovative. But is it really? Everyone has ideas each day and yet no one seems to be swimming in profits. Ever have one of those moments when you think of a creative solution, only to see an ad for that very thing just moments later? Sure, we all have. And in that is the difference. Where many have ideas, few actually do something about it. People who take the idea and do something about it. To me, that’s where innovation happens.

Sure, but what’s that have to do with water coolers?

Most large companies have been busily down-sizing, right-sizing and off-shoring for years in an attempt to stay viable and competitive. In so doing, workloads have increased on staff and reduced the amount of “free” time during the workday. Being social at work, or at least the water cooler conversation, seems to have become a thing of the past. And that could be what’s killing innovation. No longer is there the ability to have casual conversation with co-workers, to talk about work, express ideas, and share in a way that builds connection and trust. And it’s these things; cross-pollination, communication, connectedness and trust that are the foundation for innovations.

So what’s a business to do?

The short answer is foster an environment of information sharing. For too long, businesses have focused on being efficient. Frivolity like off-topic conversations, information sharing or casual conversation, have been left to lunch-and-learn programs with most too busy or too burned out to attend. An investment must be made – during business hours – to stimulate activities that permit people to see over their cubicle wall and achieve the “Ah-Ha” moment when dots become connected in a new way. Interactions should be live; face to face events where people can connect, share, and communicate directly. No Web-Ex, no CBT’s, no dialing in. e-Communication is not communication and last I checked, my computer dislikes water!

How do you think companies can stimulate innovation?

Note: As an object lesson, apparently yours truly isn't the first to think of this! http://bit.ly/fjcOXo

Vanilla Ice Got It Right

Really, did I just say that? Yup, I did. When it comes to communication & problem solving in relationships – working or otherwise – Robert Matthew Van Winkle hit the nail on the head in, “Ice, Ice, Baby” with the salient prose, “Stop, Collaborate & Listen.” Allow me to interpret this classic masterpiece; reordered for maximum effect.

STOP

With so many demands your attention – the interruption of email, text messages, IM’s, phone calls, and people dropping by or stopping you in the hallway. The passive attention grabbers of the internet, social media sites, personal tasks, social commitments or wondering what day it is since you have a report due on Thursday at noon…it’s a wonder anything gets done under these conditions. The fix? Stop. Just stop doing anything that doesn’t relate to what is currently happening. It’s time to focus. Stop everything else. Make the physical gesture of silencing the noise and make the mental effort to pay attention. Stop.

LISTEN

People have a heard time just sitting back and listening. Devote all of that focus we created above to really hear what is being said. Turn off your mental detective who is trying to jump to a solution; silence the inner lawyer working to dismantle, rebut or defend against what it is hearing. Instead, put yourself in the speakers’ shoes, see through their eyes, and feel their feelings for a few moments.

COLLABORATE

Once everything is on the table, now is the time to open up communications by asking open-ended questions. This is not the time to deliver any counterpoints – we silenced the lawyer, remember? It’s time to ask questions that provide you with a deeper understanding of the speakers’ feelings and point of view. Open-ended questions expand the discussion because they can’t be answered with a simple, “yes” or “no”. They require more information to be provided. For instance, “How do you know when the job is complete”, “What defines success”, and “What could be done differently next time” are all excellent examples of questions that require the speaker to add specific information into the conversation. Having that meaning means that a richer understanding and leads to the best possible solutions.

Once you have followed these steps, lather, rinse and repeat or, follow the steps over and over until you have come to a solution.

Once you have it, celebrate! Perhaps with a guilty pleasure?

Cheers,

John

Cold calls suck

Picking up a phone and calling a stranger. Getting that person to subsequently do or commit to something. That’s hard. Sometimes that’s scary. And I don’t know anyone who likes cold calling. Instead, try warm calling. Warm calling involves taking the time to plan the call. Always plan your calls. The process is easy:

• Write it down
• How will you say it
• Find something to connect to

Write It Down

I don’t care how long the call will be, take notes. If you’re like most people you’ll get nervous and forget where you want the call to go, or leave out important details. Save yourself the agony and just write down your objectives and important details.

How Will You Say It

Now take a look at what you wrote. How does it sound? When you practice it – and yes, you will practice it – how does it come across? Are you using negative phrases like “I don’t know about you but…” or “We might not be the best in the market but…” While you’re taking out the negatives, take out the “but’s” too. I hit on those last year and it still applies.

Find Something To Connect To

Lastly, find something you like about the person & can relate to. Again, do it ahead of time by doing some research on the internet or LinkedIn. If you are looking to build a relationship that closes sales, do the work and know a little something about your prospect. If nothing is available then “like” the sound of their voice, their greeting, or their Southern drawl. I don’t actually care if you actually like it; do it because the enthusiasm and energy it creates will come across in your discussion that way and bring you that much closer to success. Now who wouldn’t want that?

So tell me, what do you think about the warm call?

Project Management Made Easy

It seems everyone I know these days is a project manager of some stripe. May be they have their PMP (Project Management Professional certification) and maybe they don't. Sometimes they use excel to keep track of things and other times it's a FileMaker or Access database. The pros run straight to Microsoft Project and get their Gantt chart on.

It all comes down to simple moves really:

1. Have a plan.
2. Confirm the details & document.
3. Build a realistic time line of activities.
4. Kick off your project with all stakeholders involved.
   

Then:

1. Hold people accountable for their part(s).
2. Report on status regularly.
3. Make sure what is being done are the right things. Do that by asking a lot of questions.
4. Ask more questions. Make sure you understand all of the "whys".
   
5. Use problem solving & facilitation skills to ensure progress.
6. Celebrate when finished.
7. Thank everyone involved personally & specifically.

That's it. Sure, we could discuss scope expansion and other things that might blow up the project, but really it's all handled the same way - communicate. Get the details, assess the impact, get approval (or not) and add the new information into your plan (or not).

And for me, when all else fails, I remind myself of the right moves by going to the men and women with the "Right Stuff," NASA because let's face it, I don't need to reinvent the wheel - I got projects to do!

News & Information

Whenever I find an interesting piece of information, like a PDF that I'll want to refer to later, or a news article I think a colleague will find useful I stick it into a draft email called, "News & Information." There is no frequency of delivery, or mandate on subject matter, it's just things I believe will be useful and I'll want to retain and share. Once the email fills up, I shoot it off to folks who have expressed interest. And yes, they always can opt out!

I find this is a great way to share information among colleagues and is also an easy way to file away those tid-bits I have curated into my sent email!

How do you share information? Would you find something like this annoying? Drop a line and let me know!

2 Bucks to Change Your Life

Want to change you life forever? Do you want to get rid of negativity or drop an annoying habit?

It's easy. Go to your local bank, and get $100 in $2 bills. I like these bills because not only are they well, money, but they are so rarely used that they are unique and leave an impression. Now go ahead and tell your co-workers and family that every time you are negative you 'll give them two bucks.

Your problem will be solved quickly, trust me.

Of course, people may bait you to trick you into being negative, but that's part of the lesson.

Let's hope for your sake it's not a long one!

Trust Your Gut

Today an opportunity came my way. The downside is that it went too. The story goes like this, I was taking lunch at my favorite independent bookseller - they have a really great Cajun cafe I wanted to try, so I sat solo and ordered some grub.

I was seated at a narrow two-top, filled with all sorts of condiments which, being a bookstore, was a bit cluttered and left me without the ability to have my usual "lunch read." Behind me sat a few men discussing their business, the troubles they were having, and what they could possibly do about it. The startling bit was that it was EXACTLY my domain of expertise and EXACTLY the type of environment I have historically produced big results in. I wondered how I could break into the conversation and offer my services - I do consulting projects after all and often I'm willing to share information just to help. But, "How do I do this and not seem like a creepy interloper?" I thought. I checked my pockets and, sure enough, I had business cards on me. I should just say something I thought. I decided I would after I finished my lunch. Then I decided I would after they finished lunch. And again when we were in line together to pay the bill.

In the end, I couldn't get over appearing nosy that I didn't say anything. Even though I knew I could help. As I drove back to work I called a confidante and gave him an explanation. "You blew it," was all he said. The thing is, I knew I did. The tightness in my chest told me. The nausea in my gut was telling me. I had missed an opportunity.

The lesson here is to put myself into time out until I realize nothing awful could have happened. Who cares if they thought I was a creep, the upshot would have been that at least I tried. When I weigh the upside versus the downside, the former far outweighs the latter. I missed an opportunity and that pains me.

I'm grateful that this has happened. For all of the speaking that I do, the mentoring, consulting, and presenting; for all of the talking to random strangers I am regularly a party to, apparently I have trouble when "selling" is on the line.

Now that I know this happens, I'll make sure it never happens again.

Am I alone? Have you ever missed an opportunity? What have you done about it?