Getting employees' ideas and

getting their involvement is critical in our rapidly changing world. If

your company is going to be competitive, it's mandatory to involve not

just hands, but the ideas from everyone in your organization.

Why is it important to capture

ideas and suggestions? For starters, the process improves individual motivation

and morale. Involvement programs help capture the creativity, energy,

and ideas many people have. They also allow departments and individuals

to work cross-functionally, and create an environment of learning and

constant renewal.

They improve work methods and

processes continually, reduce the costs of doing business, improve safety,

and reduce accidents. Exchanging ideas always improves communication and

the knowledge that top management is open and willing to act on the ideas

improves trust.

Good Idea Boards. Georgiaís

Buckhead Ritz-Carlton Hotel promotes employee involvement by letting write

their ideas on an �easy wipe� board in their department.� Instead of passing

untested ideas up the chain of command, the employee who originates an

idea has responsibility for its achievement.� They follow a three-step

work process: �study it, pilot it, and adopt it.�

A quality coach helps each

department and its employees with the process.� Once an idea is piloted

and found worthwhile, it is adopted. Each month the department forwards

the best idea to the division and then on to the Quality Office for special

recognition. The department awards cash for the best idea of the month.�

The best idea of the division gets a higher amount of money or brunch

in the hotelís restaurant.� At the hotel level, the best idea receives

an even higher amount or dinner for two.� In addition, the winners receive

letters of appreciation and an invitation to a quarterly reception courtesy

of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel.

Idea Campaigns. Most suggestion

programs fail. Suggestion boxes sit and collect dust and approved suggestions

are few and far between.� An effective variation to the suggestion program

is the Idea Campaign.� Over and done with in three weeks, this steroid-enriched

campaign generates hundreds of ideas.

The goal is to get at least

one idea from everyone in the organization.� For the first idea, each

person receives a small token of appreciation such as a coffee cup.� A

second idea is acknowledged with another form of appreciation. At the

end of each week, a special award ceremony recognizes everyone who turned

in ideas or suggestions.� Names drawn from a basket receive other prizes

and gifts.��

Because the program only lasts

three weeks, the program generates a tremendous amount of focused energy

and motivation.� No one wants to be left out of the program--everyone

participates. All ideas have to be considered and all suggestors receive

instantaneous recognition. For participants, the most powerful force is

not the awards, but the feeling that management is listening to their

ideas.

Mini-Kaizens. Many companies

and many Japanese companies use Kaizen, which means continuous improvement.�

Kaizen processes are found mostly in manufacturing environments, but a

Mini-Kaizen, the smaller brother, is appropriate for all organizations

seeking ways to engage employees and their ideas.

A Mini-Kaizen (MK) is tightly

managed and operates on a compressed schedule.� The goal is to finish

in one day or less.� An MK can be used to map out an administrative process,

design a retention plan, or create a customer service strategy. An outside

facilitator who is familiar with the MK process is the key to success.

To prevent the meeting from

becoming laborious or contentious, members are not allowed to talk during

some parts of the brainstorming sessions called �Silent Sorts.� Members

stand up and move around a lot, which minimizes boredom.� At the conclusion,

the organization has an implementation plan and everyone owns the design,

which speeds up the implementation process.

Idea Expositions. The Sony

Corporation is well known for its ability to create and manufacture new

and innovative products.� Each year Sony generates approximately 1000

new products and product innovations.� Founder Masaru Ibukaís philosophy

for success is �never follow others.�

In order to foster the exchange

of ideas within departments, Sonyís Corporate Research sponsors an

annual Idea Exposition. Scientists and engineers display projects and

ideas they are working on.� Open only to Sonyís employees, the exposition

lets individuals share ideas otherwise protected by departmental walls.

Free by E-mail: If you would

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to 770-760-0581 or E-mail us the word �Navigator� to [email protected].

Greg Smith is a nationally

recognized speaker, author, and business performance consultant. He has

written numerous books and featured on television programs such as Bloomberg

News, PBS television, and in publications including Business Week, Kiplingers,

President and CEO, and the Christian Science Monitor. He is the President

and "Captain of the Ship" of a management-consulting firm, Chart

Your Course International, located in Atlanta, Georgia. Phone him at 770-860-9464.

More articles available: https://www.chartcourse.com

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