Step 1.....Pick an area of interest in your company that needs fresh ideas and have contest.
Why a contest?
Contests create excitement and stir up competition. It's no secret that we cannot run at a full sprint at work for very long but we can and should have times that test our sprint speed and agility and a contest can do just that. A contest helps give a reason for extra effort and engagement and when it comes to solving big challenges or making new innovative breakthroughs sometimes that is exactly what it takes.
Businesses can add big value to their employees and to their bottom line when they make people feel included and involved in big projects. Not to mention the added perspective gained from crowd sourcing the company's entire population. The key to broad perspective is through inclusion of everyone and not just those who are directly involved in the problem. Remember, cross functional teams are more successful than teams that only include one department because innovation is a social experience that thrives from unique connections.
Make sure that you have a way of capturing not just the results of each team but how they came up with it. Including the methods and the connections that built the idea!
Also, if you are a small company with very few employees don't think you have to keep it all in house. There is so much to be gained from including vendors and subcontractors you do business with in the effort.
And last but not least, make it fun! There is more blood flow and therefore oxygen to the brain when it's fun versus stressful and that makes for more creative problem solving and agile thinking.
Why a contest?
Contests create excitement and stir up competition. It's no secret that we cannot run at a full sprint at work for very long but we can and should have times that test our sprint speed and agility and a contest can do just that. A contest helps give a reason for extra effort and engagement and when it comes to solving big challenges or making new innovative breakthroughs sometimes that is exactly what it takes.
Businesses can add big value to their employees and to their bottom line when they make people feel included and involved in big projects. Not to mention the added perspective gained from crowd sourcing the company's entire population. The key to broad perspective is through inclusion of everyone and not just those who are directly involved in the problem. Remember, cross functional teams are more successful than teams that only include one department because innovation is a social experience that thrives from unique connections.
Make sure that you have a way of capturing not just the results of each team but how they came up with it. Including the methods and the connections that built the idea!
Also, if you are a small company with very few employees don't think you have to keep it all in house. There is so much to be gained from including vendors and subcontractors you do business with in the effort.
And last but not least, make it fun! There is more blood flow and therefore oxygen to the brain when it's fun versus stressful and that makes for more creative problem solving and agile thinking.
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