Does the word innovation inspire or scare you? Does it register with you at all?
Innovation is great when it’s systematically do-able through taking the right steps and connecting with the right people in the right ways to expand your possibilities.
The innovation misconception…
For many companies ‘Innovative’ is a name they give themselves because they have one product that was quite inventive and successful in its early years. I’ve been there in the 90’s.
I have found though working in manufacturing companies, that Innovation ‘reality’ for many of us is that we are short-term driven by current company performance and our next pay review prospects. Fast incremental progression tends to be what is rewarded or simply increasing existing sales. Pursuing creative business transforming ideas doesn’t get a look in a lot of the time.
So, how can we climb out of the sort term survival loop and become innovation champions?
The well established answer is, goals, leadership, focus and productivity. The productivity is about working smarter, to then free up more resource for the longer term work to also be done. We have all heard it said ‘work smarter not harder’.
This applies to us both as individuals and as businesses, But it needs to be simple.
Here is the new take on it….
Our fastest simplest route to get what matters done can be to ‘Stride4 it’ using the stride4 steps.
The steps are simple and clear, this leading to much more useful plus inspiring communications in all your team-work.
The ST>R>I>DE4 it steps are…
‘ST’ Set Target > ‘R’ Reality > ‘I’ Ideas > ‘DE’ Develop by early Engagement.
The steps work to quickly structure your thinking and communication.
The best thing though is that the ‘reality’ realisation step in stride4, coupled with the ‘ST’ set target, ‘i’ for ‘ideas’ and ‘DE’ ~ ‘Develop by early engagement’ can promote more innovation ~ innovation focused on goals.
Stride4ing it is not just simply setting up a four step work-flow though. It’s a powerful way of thinking and communicating that is very easily summarised and learnt with the four steps.
Stride4 creates a business culture for the refinement of many focused ideas (and elimination of ideas where necessary) This then leads to relevant innovation rather than setting out to be innovative for the sake of being innovative.
A key part of it is that all involved learn to appreciate each person’s reality is different from the next and each business’ reality is different from the next. This is a good thing for exploring and developing new ideas. Team members will learn to challenge one another, but in a good, productive way. Whole team involvement. Whole team engagement. Whole team genius.
Where from here?…
Your next steps (stride4 ones) on your creative journey…
ST-R-I-DE4 it….
‘ST’ Set Target, – ‘R’ Reality, – ‘I’ Ideas, – ‘DE’ Develop by early Engagement.
Now lets stride4it !…
10 ways to ‘stride4it’ for business progress and innovation thrill.
- Stride4it… to structure and focus your next creative problem solving meeting.
- Stride4it… to review and tune into your company, departmental, or team mission statements.
- Stride4it… to overhaul your company emails for clarity and focus.
- Stride4it… to project manage and focus your virtual teams. Your extended teams incorporating partners, suppliers and out of house experts.
- Stride4it… to structure your evaluation of new and future Internet enabled communication means and channels. … Keep your company finger on the pulse of rapidly changing communications.
- Stride4it… to tune into staff performance reviews in a positive, supportive way and migrate instead to a continuous support and feedback process stride4ing it.
- Stride4it… to create special assignment collaborative task teams of people who have not previously met or worked together.
- Stride4it… to promote your companies team working culture and so attract top quality business partners and employees.
- Stride4it… to get the greatest potential from hiring outside consultants, freelancers and experts… Use more of their ability, have them understand your needs more clearly.
- Stride4it… to tune into and understand your business needs more clearly and so get all your teams pulling together to create success… To update your business culture to a 21st century way of working.
