To start this is something I have been working on for some time, it?s not perfect but it?s what I believe in to my core.
Building Idea Succession
Every company out there started as one person, one idea and then that idea grows, gets taken up by others. They then expand the idea and grow the original idea beyond the scope of the founder/originator.
This is the expected growth pattern of most businesses, however when your idea stops growing how does your business continue to grow?
Does the founder/originator need more or better ideas? Of course they do, but honestly you are always hoping for staff that will take an idea and grow it with you.
I believe that in creating a culture of innovation, development, and accountability; you can create an office full of idea succession where your employees can grow your business for you.
Defining Assets
So the first step to me in office productivity and idea succession is defining your existing staff assets, being able to do this is a skill in itself and will take time and patience.
Many a company I have consulted for only to have them tell me ?oh they are invaluable? or ?they are a waste? only to find out the opposite was true. Be as honest about your perceptions as you can be, if you can?t be honest try seeking an outside opinion.
So now to actually define your assets list your personnel one at a time, then list exactly what they are 100% responsible and accountable for and doing each day/week/month.
This gives you a quick glance of where you have staff and what they are doing. I am guilty as any at letting this slide from time to time, as you add new people or work on too many projects but you have to be diligent and really keep this up to date at all times, it will save you time/money/sanity.
Once you have defined the assets you have it?s on to allocating resources.
Allocating Resources
I define every person in an office as an asset and how I deploy, assign, and converse with them has a value. You have to define your assets and once defined be honest about allocating them. Maybe you have someone who is in a management position who would make the company more being a doer or a doer who shows good management skills, it?s really up to you be honest with yourself.
A killer in allocating resources is to know when you are wrong, admitting it, and correcting it.
I could write for ages on allocating resources but this is just a short summary and if you have questions feel free to ask here and I will respond.
After you have defined and allocated resources how do you go about getting them to create and then own new ideas?
Idea Generation
For me Idea generation is about getting your employees to engage in the projects they are working on and allowing them to fail, learn, and adapt.
This past year I have tried two tactics on it, and although lots of ideas came from them the idea ownership was almost nonexistent. The first was to do open idea brainstorming where people are in small groups and have a leader and note taker then do one idea per person, not related to anything just an idea, the second was directed and planned brainstorming and specific follow thru to project management.
Creating Idea Ownership and a slight recap
Idea ownership is taking those newly generated ideas by your teams and getting someone to take ownership of it, to actually make it happen, follow-up, and grow with the idea. If this were easy or easy to implement all companies would be nonstop growth machines, since it?s not, what you have to do is find the people who you believe will take on that personal responsibility and nurture and grow them.
Key take aways for me
Something that I am going over in my post recap on this topic is trying to decide my failure points, as in where did I fail the process or the development. Thinking about it further, I believe now that I didn?t have enough development resources to fully realize this as a way of culture. So in my next attempt I will hire more development resources.
Let me know your thoughts or questions.
Building Idea Succession
Every company out there started as one person, one idea and then that idea grows, gets taken up by others. They then expand the idea and grow the original idea beyond the scope of the founder/originator.
This is the expected growth pattern of most businesses, however when your idea stops growing how does your business continue to grow?
Does the founder/originator need more or better ideas? Of course they do, but honestly you are always hoping for staff that will take an idea and grow it with you.
I believe that in creating a culture of innovation, development, and accountability; you can create an office full of idea succession where your employees can grow your business for you.
Defining Assets
So the first step to me in office productivity and idea succession is defining your existing staff assets, being able to do this is a skill in itself and will take time and patience.
Many a company I have consulted for only to have them tell me ?oh they are invaluable? or ?they are a waste? only to find out the opposite was true. Be as honest about your perceptions as you can be, if you can?t be honest try seeking an outside opinion.
So now to actually define your assets list your personnel one at a time, then list exactly what they are 100% responsible and accountable for and doing each day/week/month.
This gives you a quick glance of where you have staff and what they are doing. I am guilty as any at letting this slide from time to time, as you add new people or work on too many projects but you have to be diligent and really keep this up to date at all times, it will save you time/money/sanity.
Once you have defined the assets you have it?s on to allocating resources.
Allocating Resources
I define every person in an office as an asset and how I deploy, assign, and converse with them has a value. You have to define your assets and once defined be honest about allocating them. Maybe you have someone who is in a management position who would make the company more being a doer or a doer who shows good management skills, it?s really up to you be honest with yourself.
A killer in allocating resources is to know when you are wrong, admitting it, and correcting it.
I could write for ages on allocating resources but this is just a short summary and if you have questions feel free to ask here and I will respond.
After you have defined and allocated resources how do you go about getting them to create and then own new ideas?
Idea Generation
For me Idea generation is about getting your employees to engage in the projects they are working on and allowing them to fail, learn, and adapt.
This past year I have tried two tactics on it, and although lots of ideas came from them the idea ownership was almost nonexistent. The first was to do open idea brainstorming where people are in small groups and have a leader and note taker then do one idea per person, not related to anything just an idea, the second was directed and planned brainstorming and specific follow thru to project management.
Creating Idea Ownership and a slight recap
Idea ownership is taking those newly generated ideas by your teams and getting someone to take ownership of it, to actually make it happen, follow-up, and grow with the idea. If this were easy or easy to implement all companies would be nonstop growth machines, since it?s not, what you have to do is find the people who you believe will take on that personal responsibility and nurture and grow them.
Key take aways for me
Something that I am going over in my post recap on this topic is trying to decide my failure points, as in where did I fail the process or the development. Thinking about it further, I believe now that I didn?t have enough development resources to fully realize this as a way of culture. So in my next attempt I will hire more development resources.
Let me know your thoughts or questions.
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