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Hub You - Innovation and Culture: Necessity isn't the Mother of Invention - Culture is!
As business around the world has become increasingly competitive, the demand for business coaching has increased. Business coaching creates an environment for the overall growth of the business and trains it to adapt to change. A few years ago, just a handful of small businesses used business coaching as a means to augment their business. Today, statistics reveal that almost 58% of the medium or small sized businesses in the US are seeking the benefits of business coaching. Businesses are using coaching because it is a cost effective way to achieve results. It helps to develop personnel skills and performance. Individuals who receive business coaching can expect to find guidance concerning the problems that they face. Business coaching offers new insights into daily business activities and helps improve methods, systems an
These stakeholders are not part of your formal organization. And no doubt you have mechanisms for communicating with them, gathering data from them, and solving their problems. That’s good but not good enough if you want an innovative culture. If you’re like most leaders, your “default setting” for these folks is “outside” of processes such as strategic planning, designing systems and processes and establishing metrics.
Flip it! Make the default setting “inside” – assume that key stakeholders will play an active role in critical business processes. Instead of having to make a case for bringing t
I've learned that no matter who you are and what you do, there will always be someone who thinks you don't know what you're doing.The desire for approval can be debilitating. It will slow you down and make you second guess everything that you do. It is something that simply must be shaken to make the moves you need to make to be truly successful.As the youngest daughter of a dysfunctional family I am used to being told I don't measure up. My mother was always quick to tell me what I did wrong. This is a terrible way to grow up but it did thicken my skin and teach me to rely on my own senses - which we all need to do if we're going to succeed in life.Who gets to decide whether you're qualified to do what you do? In some cases there are legal requirements, licenses, certification or a minimum level
Organizationally speaking, our environment is the organization’s culture - an all-pervasive force that shapes our individual expectations, actions, interpretations and responses to events. There are certain mandates in the culture that make it more natural for members of the organization to innovate. Typically, when you see a list of these, it includes things like trust, communication and risk taking. While those are all valid, they’re a little too abstract to be readily used in leading an organization. Instead, here are three simple mandates that can help you create an environment that supports innovation.
MANDATE 1: GET CAUGHT WITH YOUR ASSUMPTIONS DOWN
Have you ever been in one of those meetings where people aren’t really talking to one another and the discussion goes around in circles?
I was recently working with the executive team of a technology start-up – very smart guys. They wanted to speed up their decision making process. During an offsite, a strategic issue came up. I could tell immediately that the discussion was one of those circular muddles. After about ten minutes, I asked them how much of what they had just heard was “new news” – information that hadn’t been discussed before in this group. The answer? About ten percent! Imagine how much time they were wasting if ninety percent of what they were discussing was old news!
I re-started the discussion by asking them to tell me only the known facts. A team member would put out a fact. I would ask others if it was really a fact. Some pretty wild debates ensued. After nearly thirty minutes of this discussion, the team said they finally understood why they had been discussing this issue for three months! They were now ready to move forward.
The magic? Only that I required them to distinguish between facts, assumptions, opinions and unknowns. Not so complicated, but very important. They were now willing and able to get caught with their assumptions down. And they had learned that in doing so, they were better able to understand one another’s thinking and come to decisions that made sense.
Getting caught with your assumptions down enables lively and genuine conversations instead of those circular muddles. These conversations are key to innovation.
MANDATE 2: THINK OUTSIDE IN
What is “outside” and what is “inside” depends on your perspective. If you’re in fifth grade, everyone in the fourth grade is “outside.” But if you’re the principal, all of the students are “inside.” Who is “outside” your organization and needs to be brought in? Customers, suppliers, community partners and anyone else who is critical to your success.
These stakeholders are not part of your formal organization. And no doubt you have mechanisms for communicating with them, gathering data from them, and solving their problems. That’s good but not good enough if you want an innovative culture. If you’re like most leaders, your “default setting” for these folks is “outside” of processes such as strategic planning, designing systems and processes and establishing metrics.
Flip it! Make the default setting “inside” – assume that key stakeholders will play an active role in critical business processes. Instead of having to make a case for bringing th
So you've got your drawings and design, your permits in hand, a pile of money lined up, your Contractor(s) reviewed and selected, and a gleam in your eye. Well, hang on! The most important step is yet to come before one nail hits the job. Now you have to decide how well you are going to REALLY limit your risk...The first concept to get your head firmly wrapped around is this:If you didn't get it in writing, it NEVER HAPPENED. Period.This is so important, I can't stress the concept enough. I don't care if it's your brother's buddy or your Uncle John- a construction project where money changes hands in return for work is a Business Arrangement, and should be dealt with accordingly. If not, you can leave yourself open to a huge risk of loss, both financially and spirituall
MANDATE 1: GET CAUGHT WITH YOUR ASSUMPTIONS DOWN
Have you ever been in one of those meetings where people aren’t really talking to one another and the discussion goes around in circles?
I was recently working with the executive team of a technology start-up – very smart guys. They wanted to speed up their decision making process. During an offsite, a strategic issue came up. I could tell immediately that the discussion was one of those circular muddles. After about ten minutes, I asked them how much of what they had just heard was “new news” – information that hadn’t been discussed before in this group. The answer? About ten percent! Imagine how much time they were wasting if ninety percent of what they were discussing was old news!
I re-started the discussion by asking them to tell me only the known facts. A team member would put out a fact. I would ask others if it was really a fact. Some pretty wild debates ensued. After nearly thirty minutes of this discussion, the team said they finally understood why they had been discussing this issue for three months! They were now ready to move forward.
The magic? Only that I required them to distinguish between facts, assumptions, opinions and unknowns. Not so complicated, but very important. They were now willing and able to get caught with their assumptions down. And they had learned that in doing so, they were better able to understand one another’s thinking and come to decisions that made sense.
Getting caught with your assumptions down enables lively and genuine conversations instead of those circular muddles. These conversations are key to innovation.
MANDATE 2: THINK OUTSIDE IN
What is “outside” and what is “inside” depends on your perspective. If you’re in fifth grade, everyone in the fourth grade is “outside.” But if you’re the principal, all of the students are “inside.” Who is “outside” your organization and needs to be brought in? Customers, suppliers, community partners and anyone else who is critical to your success.
These stakeholders are not part of your formal organization. And no doubt you have mechanisms for communicating with them, gathering data from them, and solving their problems. That’s good but not good enough if you want an innovative culture. If you’re like most leaders, your “default setting” for these folks is “outside” of processes such as strategic planning, designing systems and processes and establishing metrics.
Flip it! Make the default setting “inside” – assume that key stakeholders will play an active role in critical business processes. Instead of having to make a case for bringing t
Before choosing an employment law solicitor it’s important to put in your background research. Draw up a shortlist of a number of possible solicitors and don’t just plump for the most convenient.Find an employment law specialist – A number of solicitors practise in a number of different areas depending on the needs of their clients. It is useful to build up an ongoing relationship with your current solicitor but they may not be the best person to offer employment law advice, in which case it’s normally best to go with a specialist. They will be more familiar with the ins and outs of employment law and almost certainly provide you with a higher quality of service.Finding a candidate list of Employment Law Solicitors – It is of course possible to find a solicitor in your region
I re-started the discussion by asking them to tell me only the known facts. A team member would put out a fact. I would ask others if it was really a fact. Some pretty wild debates ensued. After nearly thirty minutes of this discussion, the team said they finally understood why they had been discussing this issue for three months! They were now ready to move forward.
The magic? Only that I required them to distinguish between facts, assumptions, opinions and unknowns. Not so complicated, but very important. They were now willing and able to get caught with their assumptions down. And they had learned that in doing so, they were better able to understand one another’s thinking and come to decisions that made sense.
Getting caught with your assumptions down enables lively and genuine conversations instead of those circular muddles. These conversations are key to innovation.
MANDATE 2: THINK OUTSIDE IN
What is “outside” and what is “inside” depends on your perspective. If you’re in fifth grade, everyone in the fourth grade is “outside.” But if you’re the principal, all of the students are “inside.” Who is “outside” your organization and needs to be brought in? Customers, suppliers, community partners and anyone else who is critical to your success.
These stakeholders are not part of your formal organization. And no doubt you have mechanisms for communicating with them, gathering data from them, and solving their problems. That’s good but not good enough if you want an innovative culture. If you’re like most leaders, your “default setting” for these folks is “outside” of processes such as strategic planning, designing systems and processes and establishing metrics.
Flip it! Make the default setting “inside” – assume that key stakeholders will play an active role in critical business processes. Instead of having to make a case for bringing t
During a client interview, it is important to show that client what makes you different from other VA candidates. This is a competative world and clients now search for the most qualified VA by weighing their skills and determining how the VA will benefit them. Skill emphasis during the interview is a must for landing a new client or business project.The majority of clients will search for VAs who stand out based on their experience, their expertise, and their ability to enhance the clients project. Budgets can be expanded and profits can be higher when skills are emphasized properly.There are three main kinds of skill emphasis needed:1. Knowledge Based Skills 2. Transferable Skills 3. Personal TraitsKnowledge-Based SkillsExperience and education are examples of knowledge based
Getting caught with your assumptions down enables lively and genuine conversations instead of those circular muddles. These conversations are key to innovation.
MANDATE 2: THINK OUTSIDE IN
What is “outside” and what is “inside” depends on your perspective. If you’re in fifth grade, everyone in the fourth grade is “outside.” But if you’re the principal, all of the students are “inside.” Who is “outside” your organization and needs to be brought in? Customers, suppliers, community partners and anyone else who is critical to your success.
These stakeholders are not part of your formal organization. And no doubt you have mechanisms for communicating with them, gathering data from them, and solving their problems. That’s good but not good enough if you want an innovative culture. If you’re like most leaders, your “default setting” for these folks is “outside” of processes such as strategic planning, designing systems and processes and establishing metrics.
Flip it! Make the default setting “inside” – assume that key stakeholders will play an active role in critical business processes. Instead of having to make a case for bringing t
Do you want to change your job but don’t know the right way to go about it? Are you vacillating between waiting for your dream job or accepting the first one that comes your way? Or are you a fresher falling in line with what your parents wish you to be rather than what you wish to be? If this is the kind of situation you find yourself in, then the next few minutes will help you get a clearer picture. Here is our bowl of chicken soup for the job seeker’s soul. Read on…Searching for a job today is almost a job in itself because you are spending so much of your time and effort on it. Enthusiasm, excitement, anxiety, frustration and depression-all these are phases one encounters during a job search. The key point is to take this phase positively and persevere till you get that pot of gold at the end of yo
These stakeholders are not part of your formal organization. And no doubt you have mechanisms for communicating with them, gathering data from them, and solving their problems. That’s good but not good enough if you want an innovative culture. If you’re like most leaders, your “default setting” for these folks is “outside” of processes such as strategic planning, designing systems and processes and establishing metrics.
Flip it! Make the default setting “inside” – assume that key stakeholders will play an active role in critical business processes. Instead of having to make a case for bringing them in, ask your team to make a case for when they need to be left out.
By thinking outside in, you’ll increase the likelihood for innovative ideas many times over.
MANDATE 3: HAVE NO “KNOW” BOUNDARIES
You already know that you can’t be the expert at everything. Technology is too complex and moves too fast to make that possible. Whatever your position, whatever your field there are likely folks on your team who can add to your expertise. Especially now that you know that your “team” includes external stakeholders like customers and users. Imagine what they know that you should know!
How do you create a culture where everyone can contribute her expertise fully? Where gaps in knowledge are considered normal, not a “problem” but a routine part of exploring solutions. The most powerful single thing a leader can do in this arena is to say “I don’t know.” If the leader feels comfortable acknowledging that he doesn’t have all the answers, others will begin to assume it’s ok for them to not know. And when it’s ok to not know, we can identify and fill gaps in our knowledge.
Often we don’t acknowledge what we don’t know for fear of seeming ignorant or “not up to the job.” It can feel risky to acknowledge what we lack. Here’s the catch – trust is a risk game and the leader must ante up first.
So, leader, it’s your job to be the first to set the norm of acknowledging what you don’t know and asking for others’ ideas, input and information. When you do that, everyone can contribute without fear of stepping on someone’s toes. Knowledge flows freely without getting stuck in the eddies of invulnerability. And innovation thrives!
MAKING THE NEW CULTURE REAL
Now here’s the hard part. You can’t dictate any part of your culture. An important part of your role as a leader in the organization (formal or informal) is to help foster the development of these mandates in your culture. How do you do that?
First, you set an example. You might, for example, be the first one on the team to say, “I don’t know.” Or you might notice assumptions the group may be taking as facts and call the group’s attention to it.
Second, find opportunities for a brief explanation of why you took the action you did. For example, if you invite a partner to a meeting, be sure your whole team understands that this isn’t an isolated incident but part of how you see your task and your organization.
Third, set the rumor mill on the right track. Every culture has its stories and its heroes. Be on the lookout for places where these new behaviors have created a positive outcome. Then get the story told over and over at the “water cooler.”
If you do these things, you can shape your organization’s culture. It won’t happen overnight – culture change happens slowly, especially in large organizations. But over time the culture will shift and you will have disco
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