How To Encourage Initiatives & New Ideas
New ideas and initiatives are essential to the growth and development of businesses, whether they operate as for-profit or non-profit establishments. Consistently reviewing an organization's missions, vision and goals is essential to bringing together consumers, the business, and employees or group members. Leaders must continually encourage and reward fresh thinking, promoting an open loop of communication in which individuals are comfortable sharing their ideas.
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Computer
- Internet
- Email marketing program
- Newsletter
- Blog
- Forum
- Empty box (plastic or cardboard)
- Markers
- Pencils
- Paper
- Brainstorming toys
- Refreshments
Instructions
-
-
1
Create a corporate or organizational culture that promotes the sharing of ideas by creating a clear vision, mission and set of goals for the organization. The vision, mission and goals should address how employees' suggestions contribute to the overall growth of the organization. Begin instilling these values in employees from the time they interview to work for your company or join your organization, and regularly reinforce them.
-
2
Start an internal communications plan for your employees or organization members. Your plan should outline the various ways employees can communicate with each other and with management. Everything from internal emails, newsletters, forums, blogs, calendar sharing and routine status meetings can be a part of the communication plan. The plan must let employees or organization members know that your company operates with an open feedback loop and that sharing and communicating are not just acceptable but expected.
-
-
3
Create an employee idea box that's kept in a central location. Keep blank paper, pens, markers, crayons and pencils near the box so employees can jot down ideas and submit them anonymously whenever ideas come to mind. Ensure that the box is checked weekly and that ideas are addressed either during meetings, in the company newsletter or on the company's internal blog or forum. Such sharing enables employees to add to each others' ideas or come up with ways to execute them.
-
4
Organize monthly creative meetings and invite all employees to share their ideas and feedback. Select a goal or purpose for each meeting so it has a focus. Small toys and snacks help to get creativity flowing, so have plenty on hand during your meeting. Use whiteboards to write ideas and give employees notepads to write notes they can turn in when the meeting is over. At the end of the meeting, have attendees vote on ideas to move forward with and then delegate responsibilities to the appropriate persons.
-
5
Come up up with a way to measure the success of each idea and initiative proposed and executed, and come up with a time frame for evaluating and sharing the results.
-
1
References
Resources
- Photo Credit idea !... image by dead_account from Fotolia.com
