• Innovation still begins in the mind. The fuel for the mind is still education. If we want to increase our creativity and innovation we need to read about trends from forward-thinking writers. Some of my reading recommendations include:

1. Books: “Roaring 2000’s” by Harry S. Dent; “Blur” by Stan Davis and Christopher Myer. “Permission Marketing” by Seth Godin and “Circle of Innovation” by Tom Peters. 

2. Publications: “Fast Company” and “The New York Times.”

• Systems hold the key to efficiency. Workers in Silicone Valley are 40% more productive than the rest of the United States! The decade of the 90’s has seen productivity at an all-time high, unemployment at a 30 year low, and inflation in check. Faster and more connected systems have been the key. Where do we start?

1.  Contact manager programs – ACT, Goldmine, Saleslogix, and Microsoft Outlook. Those are just a few of the choices. Analyze what you need to do, and get help from a technology supplier to choose the best program for your operation. 

2. Palm Top Computers – Still more hype than reality. I am trying to integrate my third one with my contact manager program. This is a sound technology to access phone numbers and appointments while on the road, but there are still a lot of bugs in synchronizing (i.e. exchanging data between the palm top and your desktop computer) with large contact databases. I think this will be a great tool in one to two years. 

3. Desk- top computers – Get ready to make a bad decision! Buy second best! Don’t look back! No matter what decision we make here it looks bad tomorrow (there will be quicker, better, faster, and cheaper available tomorrow). Buy one step below the top so you are not paying today’s premium for the “fastest” technology that will be old technology tomorrow. Buying computers is a lesson in humility. You always have buyer’s remorse when you go back to the store 3 months later. 

• Practice the connection paradox. The more interconnected our systems become the greater the need for human connections. Much of our knowledge, wisdom, and creative ideas come from our conversations with others; not just through research on the Internet! This dying art of connecting with others can be a key innovation advantage. The question might be how?

1.  Teach networking and communication skills. Provide training that addresses social communication skills. Provide tangible tips on how to enter a gathering and start a conversation with other people. If we truly want to be more innovative we need to know more specialists that can help us in their area of expertise. We have to get out to the meet them and determine how we can be mutually beneficial to one another. 

•  Knowledge is in; Physical labor is out! According to the Employment Research Group in Ann Arbor, MI the demand for labor is projected to grow 19% between 1996 and 2006 and the supply of labor is expected to grow only 11%! Without adequate manpower we need more brainpower! But how?

1.  Subcontract the mundane. Find the repetitive tasks and consider “jobbing” them out to reduce costs and increase turnaround. This can help to improve morale by eliminating boring tasks. 

2. Make the funnel a tube. Projects go in the top of the funnel; labor constricts the completion of those projects; a smaller number of completed projects come out of the bottom of the funnel. Consider the purchase or lease (this will make more sense as the speed of change continues to accelerate) of labor saving devises and tooling. Exchange equipment for hours.

•  Kill product development committees; teams with a purpose. Innovation will happen best when teams are brought together on a project-by-project basis to achieve some desired result within a specified time frame. Include people from different organizational levels and departments for a winning formula.

1.  Allow project teams to elect their own leaders. Provide these new leaders training on how to run these meetings.

•  Don’t hire people like us! The detriment in creating an innovative environment is fighting the natural inclination to hire people like ourselves. Dare to hire people from non-traditional areas that might initially be viewed as a little “wacky.” Great visionaries were always thought to be a little wacky. We need independent thinkers with the self confidence to stand up for their vision of the future, irrespective of the “popular” or “acceptable” position of those above.1

• 10 Things Fast! To borrow from a previous supervisor of mine the key will be to do 10 things fast. Five will be right; five will be wrong; and then our job is to go back and fix the five that are wrong. If we overanalyze to get it “perfect” the market might be on the second generation of the product before our prototype has ever hit the streets. 

1.  Consider discounts for initial customers who help to test and refine the prototypes. 

•  Leaders publicize their mistakes. Innovation happens in an environment where mistakes are recognized as an inherent part of the process. When leaders posses the humility and self confidence to publicize their mistakes, the tension others feel when they mess up is reduced. 

Dad, I am downloading some attached files with additional articles and notes about leadership and innovation. I hope your Internet Service Provider up there has finally worked out the technical difficulties to allow you to “unzip” this information.

Love always,

Mike

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Mike Foti is Chief Executive Officer of Cleveland Glass Block (a Northcoast 99 recipient for best employers in Northeast Ohio and a Community Pillar Award winner for community service) and President of Leadership Builders. Mike is a national speaker, writer, and consultant who helps individuals and companies get results through people. To ask Mike how he might help you, or to receive his free tips and leadership articles, call 216-531-6085 or visit his web site at www.leadershipbuilders.com.