Heads-Up! on Organizational Innovation

Take a Stakeholder to Lunch

Brought to you by the InnovationIgniter ... the any time, any where innovation learning system.

Identify all of your stakeholders … the people who are affected by your work, immediately and at a distance.  Your monthly report may only go to 3-4 people but the information in it may get passed along or acted upon by dozens of others.  Start to invite your stakeholders to lunch one or two at a time and just get to know them. 

What’s their life story?  What’s important to them?  What are they trying to accomplish?  You may even want to make notes on index cards so you can remember what’s important to these people who are critical to your career, directly or indirectly.

Ask a Great Question

Igniter Break:  Brought to you by the InnovationIgniter ... the any time, any where innovation learning system.

Make appointments with 5 people senior to yourself in various parts of your organization.  Tell them that you’re working on a professional development project focused on innovative thinking and that you want to ask them one question.  Request 10 minutes of their time and tell them the question: If you knew you couldn’t fail, what one thing would you do that would make all the difference in our future?

During the appointment, take notes and be prepared to talk about the your interests in innovation and your organization in case you are asked.  Send a thank you note after the visit.

Igniter Break:  Brought to you by the InnovationIgniter ... the any time, any where innovation learning system.

Make appointments with 5 people senior to yourself in various parts of your organization.  Tell them that you’re working on a professional development project focused on innovative thinking and that you want to ask them one question.  Request 10 minutes of their time and tell them the question: If you knew you couldn’t fail, what one thing would you do that would make all the difference in our future?

During the appointment, take notes and be prepared to talk about the your interests in innovation and your organization in case you are asked.  Send a thank you note after the visit.

Energy Hunt

Igniter Break:  Brought to you by the InnovationIgniter ... the any time, any where innovation learning system.

Energy Hunt -- Ask three people in your organization this question:  If you could change one thing that would make a significant difference in your working environment, what would it be? Pick people you don’t normally get a chance to talk with ... people in different locations, departments or even business units.  Sometimes it helps to tell them you’re doing a learning project and need help with a homework assignment.  Listen to what they would change … do any of them energize you and suggest a new possibility?