We the Innovators …. PRESENTED BY: SANDRA CROWE, MA, PCC AUTHOR,SINCE STRANGLING ISN’T AN OPTION… ipma-hr.org

Innovator WHAT IS AN INNOVATOR: ENGLISH THESAURUS SAYS: VISIONARY, PIONEER, INVENTOR, DEVELOPER, TRENDSETTER ipma-hr.org

Boils down to one word…. INNOVATOR=CREATOR How can you be a Innovator given the limitations of your job, beauracracy, and your own mindset?

Card Exercise: Think about something you are challenged by, are struggling with, or would like an answer to. Pick a card and look at it. With a question, ask what the card either represents or messages. What new ideas are possible from thinking about this? Now with a partner, see what he/she offers in new ways of thinking about an old issue or something you haven’t yet resolved. Brain Gym Exercises Change Your Brain, Change Your Way of Thinking

Asking the Right Questions Three types of Questions: Put your foot on the: G: gathering; information oriented; helpful for understanding: A: Analytical; cost/benefit; pain oriented S: Solution oriented; shifts their idea about what is possible: What if?

Examples: Environmental Bowes Credit Corporation wanting to improve communication between their employees in order to increase idea generation. The company decided to completely redesign the interior office space to resemble a calm, small village. The idea was to break down communication barriers. The redesigned office had its own village square and café, which was designed to encourage trust and a feeling of community amongst employees. The relaxed workplace saw the company go from strength to strength, launching successful new products because of the increased collaboration and communication levels.

Examples: Market Opportunity Spotify is one example of a company that spotted a gap in the market and exploited it through creative and innovative thinking. The subscription music service allows paying users to stream unlimited music on their computers and phones. Launched at a time when piracy was at a high level, and people were reluctant to pay above the odds to download music, the service addressed a clear new market, and offered individuals an affordable and revolutionary way to enjoy high quantities of music, without having to resort to illegal downloads.

Examples: New Ways of Thinking in an Old Industry All professional sport is now a business, because of the vast amounts of sponsorship money involved. In cycling, Team Sky used innovation to great success in 2012 to pull off one of the greatest British sporting feats of all time in winning the Tour de France. Dave Brailsford, performance director at British Cycling, put the success down to a strategy of incremental improvements. The team took the innovative approach of making tiny improvements in all areas, going to unprecedented extremes, like ordering a custom-made, skin-tight, leader’s yellow jersey for Bradley Wiggins to wear in time trials

What Would Google Do? Examples of how Google facilitates and implements innovation. They create a culture of creativity and possibility. Opportunities for creative breaks everywhere: ping pong tables, play rooms, toys, and open space Daily concerns taken away: hair cuts, food, day care etc… Innovation is valued. People’s ideas, thoughts, questions and concerns are valued. “What do you think is seen as a real question. People listen.”

Ideas for bringing forth Creativity and Innovation

Implementable Ideas Have a “What if?” session with employees only to explore ideas. Have a follow on or separate session for implementation of those ideas. Create a room where people can go in and be creative. Have toys, marker, white boards where people can go in alone or in groups to create Ask “what questions could open up new ways of thinking?” Read what others may be doing and see what that inspires

Continued… Ask your employees to come up with x number of ideas to bring to a meeting on a topic. Then see what percolates from that. Have a white board, box, bulletin board, or some place on line where people can record their thoughts, ideas or brainstorms that can be addressed at the next meeting Come up with creative ways to brand yourself, like “googly”.

What will you invent, implement, innovate and create? Now what?