Where Do You Get Your Ideas?

I get asked a lot where I come up with some of my ideas. I typically answer that question by saying: “Everywhere.” I look for ways to improve my areas of responsibility from ideas that I see everywhere else. It doesn’t matter what type of business you’re in, there are common things that you do that others do in other industries. For example, if you package products and ship them via mail, how do other companies that ship products via the mail handle the same issue? Chances are you aren’t the first person to encounter a given issue. In fact, someone has probably already figured out how to automate it. But, unless you know where to look and what to look for, you might not know it’s out there.  Look around when you go into stores, factories, businesses, etc. Let your curiosity run free. Make note of the things that they do that are automated or utilize machinery. Evaluate how they do things that are similar to what you and your team do.  Is their way better than your way?  Is it more automated than yours?  Ask to speak to the store manager.

You might want to start with introducing yourself, explaining what you do and why you want to ask some questions. That way, he or she won’t think you are competition trying to steal ideas. Ask how they handled the same task before the automation. Why did they automate? How much has the automation saved them? Who came up with the idea to automate it?

The bottom line is, you don’t necessarily have to invent something yourself to become more efficient or to improve. More than likely, there are already different ways to accomplish the same result.

Consider joining a business group or club that consists of leaders of other companies and/or industries within your area. These groups typically meet once a month and have a speaker or a discussion topic.  This is a great way to not only see some fresh ideas from others, but to network with other leaders who may be looking for fresh and bright ideas within their own areas. Most industries have something similar to this. Engineers and automation technicians do this a lot. Automating something isn’t industry-or business-specific. Almost anything can be automated with time or money. The Engineers and automation technicians commonly share best ideas among each other. 

Another area that we tend to overlook for ideas on how to improve is our own front-line employees. They are the ones doing it day in and day out and trust me; they know what needs to be improved. This is the best place to start. They might give you a very good idea of what needs to be improved upon, and possibly the solution to your problem. If that is the case, make sure the employee gets as much credit as possible for the idea. That will provide incentive for others to start looking for other ways to improve.

 

 

What's Significant to You?

I spent this last weekend in Galveston Texas on a family reunion. On my wife's side (the Russell family) they get together every two years to celebrate their Russell heritage. My father-in-law, Tom, has three brothers, Al, Bob and Bill. Each of the four brothers take turn hosting the family reunion, since each live in different cities. This year it was the eldest brother, Al's turn. Living in Houston, Al arranged for the reunion to be on Galveston Island, just about an hour south of Houston.

The accommodations were very nice. We rented two, 2 story houses to accommodate everyone, only about 3 blocks from the Gulf. Each house had a large covered porch for enjoying the gulf breezes. Our family stayed on the 2nd floor, which had a very nice view.

No matter which brother is the host for the event, there is always time set aside for reminiscing about growing up. The history of the Russell family goes back many years.

When their mother (Annabel Russell) passed away in 2005, the brothers divided up her possessions among the family. Some belonged to Annabel and some belonged to their father Wade's mother, Annie Lee Spain, who was born August 26, 1882. Everyone knew Annie Lee as “Granny”. Granny passed away on October 14, 1970.

Tom brought something to share with the family that he apparently discovered in his attic. He found a small, paper notebook titled “Hogarth” Drawing Tablet. It’s what appears to be an art class project of Granny’s dated November 2, 1895. It contained penciled drawings of small animals, a calendar, and other simple sketches. This is the first true “artifact” that I have seen from Granny herself. Until now, I had only heard about things through conversations at the reunions.

My 17 year old daughter, Mandy, found this piece simply amazing! Not because of its incredible art work or its amazing quality, but merely because it was 100 years older than her. She was born in 1995. The fact that she was holding something in her hand that was created by an ancestor of hers over a century ago is what astonished her.

This reminds me that you never really know how something you do or say can impact others, either intended to or not. And, you may never even know about the impact that it had. What might seem trivial and not important to you might be significant to others, even someone that you have never met. You never know the impact that you could have. This is not only true in your personal life but also true in your business.

Reflect back on the mentors in your life and consider the impacts that they had.  What did they do in particular that had an impact on you? What are some things that you have done that could have an affirmative impact on others?  What's significant to you?

Supreme Court give you FUD'S?

Man-o-man, did my twitter feeds, Facebook and email explode lately! Shortly after the Supreme Court issued its ruling on the Affordable Care Act (aka ObamaCare), the flood gates were opened. According to the comments, the Supreme Court is either awesome or awful. Today they made either the best decision or the worst decision in the history of decision making. (Ok, I have large diverse group of friends and followers). There were no middle of the road comments; they were heavily weighted to one side or the other. Everyone will be saved or the world is coming to an end. I suspect that many of you probably experienced similar situations.

So how much time did you spend listening, watching and having conversations about the Supreme Court’s decision today? How much time do you think your employees spent discussing the same issue? Whether you agree or disagree with the decision, not much is going to change immediately. Matter of fact, it will probably be 2014 or later before you see any impact from it. A lot can change between now and then. This is what I refer to as FUD’S; or Fears, Uncertainties, Doubts and Suspicions. You get distracted and lose focus on your business and spend time worrying about what “could” happen in the future. Don't let your fears and emotions get the best of you. Stay focused and stay in touch with your customers. They may be experiencing their own set of FUD’s at this time as well. If they see you paying attention to them and their needs and not sweating the things that you can’t control at this point, they may be more relaxed and less stressed about it.

Spend the next 30 days focusing on what you do best! Spend time planning, setting new goals and focusing on what is important for you and your business. If you do just that, at the end of these 30 days, you will be so impressed with what you accomplished, your FUD’s will have an entirely different look about them.

Don't dwell on the Supreme Court decision; focus on your mental state. You can't control their decision, you can control your mindset!

Start with a Goal

Have you made your New Year’s resolution's yet? Lose weight, spend more time with the kids, quit smoking, or get organized? Most of use have made some type of resolution either this year or in the past. What were your results? Did you achieve what you wanted? Making a New Year’s resolution is nothing more than establishing a personal goal. It more commonly involves stopping something that we are doing or includes starting something that we aren’t.

In the business world, we commonly utilize the S.M.A.R.T. method for establishing goals. S.M.A.R.T. stands for:

Specific — stated in clear, objective terms

Measurable — the results of the objective can be measured

Achievable — the goal is in your realm of responsibility and control

Results-Oriented — the goal should define the specific results to be achieved

Time-Bound — specific time-frame information or target deadlines are included

You should establish personal goals in your career as well. In fact, both your personal goals and career goals should be supportive of each other. Establishing and achieving both personal and career goals can generate a synergistic effect. Achieving one of your goals should get you closer to achieving another one. For example, stating that you want to get more organized at work and work fewer hours should support your personal goal of spending more time with your family and friends.

Similar to the S.M.A.R.T. method above, before you establish personal goals, you must be sure of a few things. It’s important to evaluate your goals before you commit. There are several questions that you should ask first:

Can I actually control it?

Do I really want it?

How much time will it take?

How will it impact others?

How will I measure my success?

The answers to these questions are critical if you intend to be successful with your goals. These questions are your foundation to helping you become victorious. Make sure you understand why these questions are so important.