What are some ideas for letting customers know about the changes?Employees can get stuck in old and frequently unimpressive patterns for a range of reasons. The most obvious: They’re simply not out-of-the-box thinkers. They seize one way of doing things and cling to it—no matter what. Deadlines and pressures also rank among the top factors pounding employees into stuck-in-the-box submission. Who has time to think up new approaches when the deadline clock is ticking … and 10 other deadlines are waiting in line right after that? So employees click into autopilot, the fastest way to get things done, and then they move to the next project. Besides, who can focus on creative solutions when his or her attention gets splintered by ever-changing requirements, unexpected demands, and impatient clients or colleagues wanting a dozen things all at once?
Just as critical, employees are plagued by a litany of fears that function like psychological cement shoes: fear of failure, fear of risk, fear of ridicule, fear of the spotlight. They simply drown in them. How much easier to work on predictable projects with predictable outcomes: What a relief.
Still, you can get creative solutions from the most stuck-in-the-box performers. How do you bring them out? What perfect phrases will activate the latent creativity in all of them? This section will explain.
Try to make meetings be problem specific. The more difficult the problem, the more time you should spend discussing solution:
What are some ideas for letting customers know about the changes?
What kinds of messages will best help us reach …
We can position this many ways. I’d like to hear some ideas.
Last year we … This year we need something fresher—more exciting. What do you think?
We need some ideas for the annual conference, and the theme needs to tie into the annual report. What are some ideas?
Quick tip: Partner employees with complementary skills, or create work groups of two or three employees to find inspired ideas and present them to the group.
Not general requests: What’s a better way to approach this?
But specific ones: Think up two ways of approaching this—one at each end of the spectrum of possibility. Take them as far as you can. Later we’ll find solutions in the middle.
Not general requests: How can we fix this problem?
But specific ones: What are three possible ways of fixing this problem? Be creative. Think up something entirely new.
Not general requests: We need to find ways of getting through these blocks.
But specific ones: Here are the four biggest blocks we have to get through to make this project work. See if you can come up with one or two solutions for each of them, and present your ideas on Friday. I don’t care how goofy or outrageous, by the way. Go to town.
See how you can adapt or build on them:
If you remember, last year we … How can we increase by 10 percent?
Tom’s idea was to … He had great results. How can we get that to work for us?
The Foster model indicates that we should take five steps. How do you think we can cut it down to three?
The other team found that … was helpful. But I think we can do even better, don’t you?
They’re definitely conversation stoppers:
Conversation stopper: Does anyone have any ideas about ways to apply the formula?
Conversation opener: What are two, maybe three ways, we can apply the formula?
Conversation stopper: Can anyone determine a better way to do this?
Conversation opener: What are three better ways to do this?
Remain open to any ideas, no matter how outrageous. Instead, consider them fodder for better things to come.
That’s an interesting idea. Let’s take it to the next level.
Let’s put that one in the parking lot and get back to it.
Does anyone want to add to that idea?
How would you apply that idea to the most common scenario?
Does anyone want to add to that idea and see what we get?
Great. What are a few other ideas you can think of?
Can you show me how you’d apply that idea if … happened?
Okay, let’s write that down. Now what are two or three other possibilities?
Yes, and if we work off of that idea, here’s what we can get: …
Let’s make two changes to that idea and see where it takes us.
That idea would work really well with a … How can we adapt it to our current situation?
Quick tip: In a meeting, write all new ideas on a flip chart or white board. Then return to those ideas later. Resist the temptation to shake your head no at an idea or, worse, insult it.
Perk up your employees by tapping into their competitive spirit or their desire for awards. Here are some ways to do that and set some really cool goals with even cooler rewards at the end.
What are some ways we can do a better job than …
We already know what our competitors are up to. Let’s figure out the secret to their success—then find ways to do it better.
Let’s dust them—how are we going to do it?
They’ve been the leading … long enough. Let’s find ways to wipe them off the map.
How are we going to win the … account? It’s got to be innovative, and it has to excite them. Ideas, please.
The competitor won that account three years in a row, and it cost us millions. Now let’s figure out ways to win it back.
Right now, we’re number 8. Not bad out of 100, but not good enough. How are we going to get there?
Let’s go for 25 percent over last year. I know it sounds ambitious, and it is. What are we going to do to get there?
For five years we’ve been getting 15 percent of the market. Let’s think up some really strong new strategies that will win us 25 percent.
When you started here, we were … We can get a lot better, but the old ways won’t get us there. Come up with some ideas and let’s talk about it.
Let’s find some innovative strategies that will win us the Excellence Award.
Right now, we’re rated at B-plus. So what do we have to do to get that up to an A?
If we’re really innovative, we’ll make our goals and get that bonus.
This year I want to see our team getting the award. So how are we going to do it?
Quick tip: Share unusual, and successful, ideas from other professionals. Discuss them for 5 or 10 minutes in your weekly meeting; e-mail interesting articles or ideas; point out inspiring television programs on PBS or the Discovery Channel. Encourage other employees to discuss them at strategy sessions or host brown-bag lunches. These efforts will get your team thinking creatively and will inspire stuck-in-the-box performers as well.
Be specific and give credit where credit is due:
As you suggested in the meeting, we’ll start …
Take a look at the enclosed marketing piece. It reflects the innovation and imagination from the brainstorming session.
From now on, we’re going to implement the process we discussed …
The new approach that Frank developed has already brought rewards.
Thanks, Stacey, for your great idea. We plan to begin implementing it next week.
We predict the new model that the accounting team developed will save us …
The customers have been raving about …
We received the attached e-mails from customers saying how much they appreciate …
Quick tip: Sometimes employees need fresh blood, new insights, and unusual ideas. So bring in someone from the outside—whether a colleague or a seasoned creativity trainer. Make sure this person discusses the risks other professionals took with their innovative approaches. You may not have time for full-day creativity training, but brown-bag lunches, a half-day session, or even an hour talk at a staff meeting can work wonders.