Turning a great idea into a working solution
Everyone is looking for a New Idea.
Innovative solutions are the life blood of organisations attempting to maintain buoyancy in competitive markets. When you find the New Idea that will make the difference, its important to ensure it has the intended oganisational outcome.
Here are some tips to overcome obstacles to brave solutions.
1. Obstacle: Lack of follow-through
Its sadly common for organisations to invest great energy and enthusiasm into finding a solution or innovation, rolling it out on the wave of a high-energy launch and then expecting the New Idea to run itself (with, perhaps, a few token posters and an accountable person). This is costly and ineffective.
Solution:
Effectiveness requires support, integration, buy-in and follow-through. You'll need creative steps and processes to ensure this happens. Ensure that everyone integrates the key motivators and remind them of the intention - often; establish ways to address problems that may arise; empower team leaders to nurture the process; establish performance outcomes and monitoring and measurement devices, but perhaps most important of all: keep it fun, engaging and vital!
2. Obstacle: Great overview, but no anchors
This is a variation on the first point. The concept, the plan of action, the documentation, the strategy are all vital components to launch the New Idea in the organisation. However, without step-by-step support and follow-through, the habits and demands of everyday business will leave it adrift. It may work only in part, or fizzle out over time.
Solution:
Integrating innovation requires a layered approach of well-thought out actions designed to anchor components of the plan. Focus on key performance areas that ensure positive change and identify ways to measure the effectiveness of these anchors.
3. Obstacle: "I've told them what to do, why isn't it happening?"
Many organisations grapple with the perception that employees are resistant to change or incapable of following new directives in spite of receiving detailed instructions.
Solution:
Its not about 'telling' its about getting buy-in. To do this, employees need to feel involved, in the changes, planning and growth. Help people own the New Idea and get excited about making it happen. For example: ask teams to come up with specific solutions that they take accountability for and then skill and empower them to do so. They need to understand how their particular area is vital to the overall plan and be excited about their contribution
Remember: Getting employee buy-in and consulting them in crafting solutions is critical. This does not have to be a large, overwhelming process of negotiations. It can be fun, pertinent and effective.
4. Obstacle: "Not another change!"
Change Fatigue is an organisational ailment of the times. The perception is that decision-makers focus on unrealistic, forward movement without allowing changes time to take effect before making another one. Change processes are often perceived as the latest management fad, with the underlying sub-text being that there is no understanding of the issues involved. There is often enormous resistance to 'more change' and deliberately or not, these attitudes sabotage success.
Solution:
Engagement, buy-in and genuine executive involvement all smooth over this resistance. Support structures help with the fatigue. Encourage "think tanks" and specific process to facilitate discussion and a sense of unity and shared vision. Its important to deal with these issues up-front and as openly as possible and it requires skill and focus to address the fatigue in an effective, timely way.
5. Obstacle: "I'm the boss. Do what I say, not what I do."
Successful solutions require senior level management to invest in modelling the behaviours. Lack of authentic buy-in from the top is a guarantee of inconsistent follow-through, resistance and ineffectiveness.
Solution:
Sometimes the leadership level needs one-on-one or small group processes to facilitate true buy-in. Executive Coaches are skilled at assisting busy senior level members to embrace authenticity and communicate their vision effectively. Devise relevant techniques to ensure that the vision is modeled effectively and challenge management to communicate in ways that impact the success of the strategy. These interventions must be powerful, focussed and vital to business performance.
Contact dialogue if you would like to chat about the issues that your organisation faces when implementing new strategies. After all, partnering with you is what we do.