I thought about explaining that they need to look at their business in advertising terms – reach and frequency.  Or perhaps to look at trial vs. repeat business.  After all, isn't that a key function of innovation?  To come up with new stuff for your loyal customers to buy from you?   And, of course, to attract new customers?

In the 2010 IBM Global CEO Study , CEOs said that their companies received between 15 and 20% of their revenue generated from new sources over the past five years, and yet expect it to increase to 25 to 30% of revenue in the next five years.   3M, a historical leader in innovation, draws 25% of their sales from products released in the past five years.  While that number is down from 33%, (see DrawSuccess blog entitled: Innovation vs. Efficiency or Innovation AND Efficiency), it still begs the question:

What % of your company's sales in five years
will come from products you're not selling today?

The next question, of course, is:

Where are the ideas
for new products, services and programs
going to come from?

I went online and searched, "Innovate or Die" and saw the following presentation on Slideshare, and thought I'd spread the word.  Enjoy!  And feel free to comment. 

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2017215,00.html

Some observations:

"When you fear for your lives, you pull together:"  also

Those outside the mine demonstrated transparent leadership and managed the emotions health of the miners through full disclosure of the facts and range of outcomes possible.  This way, they avoided elation followed by disappointment which could lead to depression – or worse. 

The article ends on a happy note: that the miners were being preparing for a significant increase in income due to the interview opportunities that will inevitably come their way. 

As I say in my book, "Five Reasons Why Bad Things Happen, How to Turn Tragedies into Triumph," there can often be a reward or blessing in a tragedy.  And, in this case, the blessings also extend to all of us in the business of managing teams – there are lessons in this tragedy-turned-to-triumph for each of us to take forward to improve our lives.  

- Brownell Landrum

The real voyage of discovery

consists not in seeking new landscapes,

but in having new eyes.

- Marcel Proust

Oftentimes in business we think we need to do something radical, go somewhere completely different, in order to find the breakthrough we 're looking for.   We may hire innovation experts, or we may think that our best chances of growth and expansion will come from acquiring another company.  

However, in most cases, we are sitting on the proverbial "acres of diamonds" in our own back yard: our own employees.  THEY can be our new set of "eyes" Marcel Proust refers to, helping us see our business from a new perspective.

Creativity, when nurtured with an open, engaging, fun and safe process (like the DrawSuccess Game!) can come from anywhere – and everywhere – in your company.  DrawSuccess stimulates "Innovation at all Levels" from the mail room to the board room.  

And not only is DrawSuccess more affordable – and far less risky – than the other options mentioned above, it's also a powerful program for accelerating team performance through the Three Critical Components:  Performance, Ownership and a proven Process!

Contact Us to learn more!

In Sheena Lyengar's lecture on Choosing, (watch below) she discusses the American culture of choice.  While another favorite TED lecture – Malcolm Gladwell on Spaghetti Sauce – reinforces our desire (or is it a compulsion?) for choice. Lyengar's lecture contrasts America vs. other culture's perspective on choice, which is interesting.  But the question within the question is: if choice is so important to us, and having a choice even can significantly increase our efficiency and accomplishment, then how can we use this information to improve our workplace productivity? 

Lyengar discusses a study where a group of children were given a project to work on.  Some were told which activity to do, and some were given a choice in which activity to work on and how they could perform it.  The result?  Although they all performed the same activity, the American children performed 2 1/2 times better when empowered with choice.   But, to quote Ms. Lyengar, "If the task was dictated to them by another, their performance suffered." 

So,again, the question: what would happen to American productivity if people had more of a choice in what jobs they do and how they do them? 

Recently, when I was on a panel of "Innovation Experts" a member of the audience asked if the people who come up with the ideas for a project should be the ones who work on the project, or if it should be delegated to the people who normally fill the jobs.  While one of my fellow panelists said the latter, more traditional approach, I strongly disagreed.  The question I asked:

Where is the Ownership? 

If employees don't have a chance to choose the projects they work on – and, especially if they can't work on their own ideas, companies are significantly reducing their efficiency and effectiveness. 

Choice is a critical component of Ownership.

Ownership is crucial.

Ownership enhances employee engagement.

Ownership improves retention.

Ownership increases productivity.

How would you rate your company on choice, ownership and productivity?  What improvements could you make?  Please share your thoughts below.

DrawSuccess, when implemented effectively, is a key influencer or Ownership.  Now only do teams get an opportunity to generate their ideas and solutions, the process itself, being a "bottom-up" approach vs. the traditional, yet oppressive top-down management style, empowers employees to significantly higher levels of engagement. 

All this from a Game? 

You won't believe it until you try it.  To learn more about DrawSuccess, Contact Us. 

Today's topic: Shift in Leadership Style

Excerpt from the Study:

"To enact continuous change, Standouts avoid the old command and control style of leadership. Fifty-eight percent prefer to persuade and influence compared to just 17 percent that tend toward command and control.

"They acknowledge the continued importance of communications 'from the top,'  especially to establish clarity of purpose and company values. But they also are embracing “viral” forms of communication to engage those inside and outside their organizations."

In the study, CEOs listed "People Skills" as one of the top three focus areas for the next five years, #2 behind "Getting closer to the customer." 

Since a majority of CEOs are, what we call in the DrawSuccess world "Green Geniuses", their natural inclination may be more to accomplishing tasks than working with people.  However, the smart ones know that nothing can be accomplished alone: you need people to achieve the company's goals.  The IBM study demonstrates a promising shift in approach: toward "persuade and influence" vs. "command and control." 

But what's even more effective than "persuade and influence?"  "Ownership and Engagement."  By asking people for their ideas and solutions, and then empowering them with the resources to act on these ideas, leaders will achieve greater levels of both Ownership and Engagement.

To learn how DrawSuccess can increase immediacy, Contact Us.

To request a copy of the 2010 IBM Global CEO Study, go to: http://www-935.ibm.com/services/us/ceo/ceostudy2010/index.html. 

More DrawSuccess Blogs on the Study:

• Reflections on IBM’s CEO Study: Managing Complexity
• Reflections on IBM’s CEO Study: Predicting Innovation
• Reflections on IBM’s CEO Study: Shift in Leadership Style
• Reflections on IBM’s CEO Study: Creative Organizations
• Reflections on IBM’s CEO Study: Immediacy
• Reflections on IBM’s CEO Study: Solving Complexity Through Dexterity
• Reflections on IBM’s CEO Study: Leadership Creativity
• Reflecting on IBM’s CEO Study: Customer Intimacy

Today's topic: Leadership Creativity

Excerpt from the Study:

"Creativity is the most important leadership quality.

"Leaders, they said, must be ready to upset the status quo even if it is successful. They must be comfortable with and committed to ongoing experimentation."

How Creative are the Leaders in your organization?  Or,said another way, how Leading are the Creatives? 

How many Kinds of Innovation can you identify?  In a recent DrawSuccess session with some of the leading innovative minds in the world, 28 kinds of innovation were recognized. 

Our DrawSuccess Innovation & Problem-Solving Module covers each of these kinds of innovation while also stimulating ideas and solutions in all areas of business, from new products to sales & customer service to time management and more. 

To learn more, Contact Us.

To request a copy of the 2010 IBM Global CEO Study, go to: http://www-935.ibm.com/services/us/ceo/ceostudy2010/index.html. 

More DrawSuccess Blogs on the Study:

• Reflections on IBM’s CEO Study: Managing Complexity
• Reflections on IBM’s CEO Study: Predicting Innovation
• Reflections on IBM’s CEO Study: Shift in Leadership Style
• Reflections on IBM’s CEO Study: Creative Organizations
• Reflections on IBM’s CEO Study: Immediacy
• Reflections on IBM’s CEO Study: Solving Complexity Through Dexterity
• Reflections on IBM’s CEO Study: Leadership Creativity
• Reflecting on IBM’s CEO Study: Customer Intimacy

Makes you wonder – what would happen if companies measured "Gross Employee Happiness?" 

The Bhutan 72-page survey is interesting (download below), including the following questions:

1. What are the six or seven things that you consider to be most important in leading to a happy and contented life?
2. How much do you enjoy life?
3. How often is each of the following kinds of support available to you when you need it?   Someone to help you when you are sick?  Someone to help you when you have problems (decision making, financial, emotional, etc.)
4. What are your main sources of stress?
5. Do you consider Karma in the course of your daily life?
6. What types of songs do you usually listen to most?
7. How would you describe your sense of belonging to your local community?
8. How much do you trust Bhutanese people in general?
9. We would like to know how you spent your time yesterday. Beginning with when you woke up, can you please recount various activities you performed and how long they took?  How did you feel doing this activity?

1=impatient for it to end
2=happy
3=frustrated/annoyed
4=depressed
5=competent/capable
6=hassled/pushed around
7=warm/friendly
8=angry/hostile
9=worried/anxious
10=Enjoying myself
11=tired

At DrawSuccess, our mission is to "Change the world in a fun and profitable way."  We believe that all of these elements are necessary – change – the world – fun – profitable.

Change – positive change of course!
The World – indicates global reach and the desire to impact as many people as possible
Fun – certainly an important component of happines
Profitable – not only does profit indicate monetary reward but profit is also defined as "advantage; benefit; gain."  And it's vital to quantify! 

What do you think?  Any suggestions?  Please provide your comments below.

• Prizes for the best Comments posted on our blogs
• Contests for New DrawSuccess Question Ideas, and
• Fun questions to share with your colleagues, family and friends!

This week: A Circle Question from the DrawSuccess Game!

Contest: Answer the question below and submit your answers in the comments section below. 

Bonus Questions:

1. How has achieving these accomplishments changed your life?
2. In what ways does your Inner Genius Style influence your desire to achieve?

• Prizes for the best Comments posted on our blogs
• Contests for New DrawSuccess Question Ideas, and
• Fun questions to share with your colleagues, family and friends!

This week: A Circle Question from the DrawSuccess Game!

Answer the question below.

Share your answers with your colleagues, family and friends – and US – by entering in the Comments section below. 

Contest this Week!

Have an idea for a new DrawSuccess Circle question?  Share with us by entering it below and win a prize!

Character/Self Image, Strengths and Talents:

Contributions to a Group: