Author Archives: Inspiring Innovations, Inc.
TRIPLE III TIME: Creating Creativity
Welcome to the first week of the new year 2024! Whether you traditionally make New Year resolutions and/or formulate a plan to do a whole bunch of things better…be totally aware that no matter what…things are and will continue to change all around you everyday!!
With this fact in mind, I want everyone to think about this IDEAL quote as a strong, continuous priority for our new year.
“Expand the way you think about the future…and it could also help you create better work in the present.” (Tom May, Great TED Talks: Creativity)
Please reread (at least twice) and grasp all of the importance of each word in this quote. There are so many innovation-driving factors that can and should be initiated based on the directives that can be drawn from Mr. May’s words.
Think about it!
If you are making a strategic plan for the next 5 years…why not try some of your 5 year ideas tomorrow?? Or if you are putting together a teaching plan for the next semester/term…don’t wait until the last weeks of the class to exercise creativity with the students. Or if you’re a leader/manager/advisor for a group of people…will you start the year by initiating changes in their workplace with minimal issues…or challenge them NOW with futuristic assignments for what could be?
Bottomline: INNOVATION & CREATIVITY will be a more regular TRIPLE III TIME topic focus in 2024. Not just because it is my life-long area of interest…but equally because it is a CHANGE MANAGEMENT TOOL…which can make all tomorrows something to look forward to.
TRIPLE III TIME: Pay Attention To The “Little Things”!
Guess what? This final 2023 TRIPLE III TIME blog message represents 10 years…yes a decade of sharing leadership, communication, professional development, innovation and sometimes personal special topic discussions. Since January of 2014, every Friday Jessie, Deanna and I work together to make sure each weekly (hopefully) inspirational posting is placed online for all to see.
Has it been challenging…YES. Has it been fun…YES. Do I feel it’s time to quit?…NO!
So as we conclude 2023…and together comprehend this large number of TRIPLE III TIME messages (520 to be exact)…I want to encourage everyone to: Pay Attention To The “Little Things” by way of a unique TIMELESS TWELVE. Specifically, I want you to think about when “Little Things” become BIG! Here are the TIMELESS TWELVE examples:
- When you realize that someone or a group has replicated a special idea/activity that you created.
- When an old picture has new meaning…just when it was almost thrown away.
- When you realize having people tell their career story is needed from all age groups…to all age groups.
- When a void is felt when you did not return a call…and the person is no longer around.
- When you realize pure creativity and innovation ispossible for everyone…anytime.
- When you reach back to a colleague from 30 years ago…ask for help…and they just ask when and where.
- When playing with crayons or simple building blocks with a child becomes cool…again.
- When an individual fondly remembers and reports the special help you gave them many years ago.
- When you experience teamwork as a favorite organizational past-time.
- When you get to spend extra quality time with an aging parent…who understands their limitations.
- When everyone views “retirement” as just an alternate/NEW way for a person to contribute.
- When people proudly and regularly seek your counsel, advice and suggestions as a friend, co-worker and/or professional.
I hope everyone gives each of these TIMELESS TWELVE… Pay Attention To The “Little Things” examples some individual focus. So much to gain!
We will start 2024 next week.
TRIPLE III Time: Keeping the Extra “D” (Drama) Out of Quality Discussion!
Yes, I realize this is the Friday before Christmas and I should be sharing thoughts that are cheerful and smiley! Right?? But sincerely the historic purposes of every TRIPLE III TIME message has been to offer progressive ideas and approaches to life and workplace challenges.
Hence, with this long-term priority in mind, I believe even more today…we need to address: Keeping the Extra “D” (Drama) Out of Quality Discussion!
We have all heard the statements: “Wow this workplace is full of drama! Or I don’t even try to bring up tough issues…because he or she goes dramatic! Or I was just trying to explain the opposite viewpoint…and drama took over!” But has anyone in your network circle lately or ever devoted special time to sit down and positively create a meaningful but firm TOP 10 approaches on how to assist in Keeping the Extra “D” (Drama) Out of Quality Discussion!? Well, here’s my Christmas time attempt:
- Be prepared to LISTEN much more…and talk less.
- Respect that NO ONE is more right or more wrong during the discussion.
- Apply extra FOCUS on where the drama-driving information is coming from.
- Fairly assess how much of the real issue…REALLY matters.
- Place an OVER-REACTION filter on the discussion to prevent out-of-proportion blow-ups.
- Don’t be surprised by INCORRECT timeframes for resolution of the issue.
- Attempt to retain SIMPLICITY by handling issues one at a time.
- Avoid bringing up the past…it is always OLD NEWS.
- Remember how others deal with an issue is RARELYthe right solution for your challenge.
- 10. Show appreciation by allowing someone to STEP OUT of the drama…and take a positive breath.
In some ways this almost feels like the “short list” for Keeping the Extra “D” (Drama) Out of Quality Discussion! However, my hope is that it is a unique TRIPLE III TIME gift to everyone as a way of staying happy and content during these often-stressful holiday times.
TRIPLE III TIME: Allowing For Failure
As a leader at any level or in any situation…have you ever been asked…or asked yourself…does your plan for future action include: Allowing For Failure? Do you think and believe those that work with you would feel “safe” telling you that they messed-up on a project assignment? Would you react with a progressive, quality leadership perspective? Have you found one special chapter in any leadership instruction manual that describes how to best handle and make appropriate personnel reactions when Allowing For Failure in the workplace?
Well…as I researched the issue of Allowing For Failure as a high value leadership trait, I first found an article that reported Allowing For Failure was one of the TOP 10 EMPLOYEE EXPECTATIONS of those entering a new job position. Additionally I found several articles that seemed to suggest that having even “small” corrective plans-of-action for the potential failure of new project activities was not just a recommendation…but almost a modern day requirement!
As you can imagine, my style, history and experiences made writing this Allowing For Failure TRIPLE III TIME message a strong challenge…but change is necessary and natural…right? So here is an important short quotation taken from the Ulliance group that puts this issue in perfect perspective:
“Every mistake has the power to teach you something important, so look for the lesson in every situation. People develop new understandings of themselves, the world they live in, how to relate to other people, the kind of future they might have and a better understanding of how to live life.”
I guess looking back (and forward)…my method for Allowing For Failure was knowing that my innovation mind-set never really expected everything to go great. Rather I just watched to see if everyone was trying their best…and they were!
LEARNING MOMENTS: VERY Special MOMENTS TOP 10
This December 2023 Podcast completes our 7th season of Inspiring Innovations LEARNING MOMENTS. Each month I have had the GREAT opportunity to share my thoughts, ideas, and recommendations on positively and progressively living through a variety of workplace and just regular life situations.
Well this last podcast contains a VERY Special MOMENTS TOP 10 list of reflections! It introduces a new “influencer” to my LEARNING MOMENTS that I know you will appreciate.
Enjoy the listen!
TRIPLE III TIME: Be the GROWTH Example
“Bravery is not something we’re born with, but something we grow into and learn as we progress through life. However it is much harder to be brave if we believe that the person we are now is the same person we will always be. A GROWTH mind-set is the thing that allows us to be brave in the face of adversity. It’s our brains way of encouraging us to love a challenge-here’s a chance to learn!” (GREAT TED TALKS-Leadership by Harriet Minter)
This thoughtful paragraph written by Ms. Minter says an awful lot…in just a few sentences. Do you see/read what I mean?
In the first sentence Harriet tried to make the point that one must be patient and not to expect to be immediately “all-knowing” no matter your age. GROWTH comes to us as we move through our daily lives…so maybe we need to slow down and become a little more aware of all the diverse learning activities going on around us and maximize their progressive potential!
Next, she recommended that we not be afraid of GROWTH through adversity. Rather Ms. Minter indicates that approaching adversity through bravery is just natures way of challenging us and opening up new opportunities for us to learn.
(Now go back and read her quote again. What is YOUR take-away from these words?)
My biggest TRIPLE III TIME take-away from this great TED TALKS excerpt…is that it is forever critical to Be The GROWTH Example! Too often people shy away from life’s challenges and very much lose the personal and professional GROWTH elements contained in every one. Her paragraph also gives us a different “OPPORTUNITY OF A LIFETIME” scenario…and suggests that if you don’t approach life’s challenges with bravery…you may never get that OPPORTUNITY again.
TRIPLE III TIME: Calculated-Risk “Pull Ups” (Not Going Rogue in the Workplace)
I guess I should feel lucky that lately INNOVATION has become a more standard topic both in my community college classes and as part of my consultant/advisor projects! Also, it is always a treat to be able to share INNOVATION concepts/ideas/initiative thoughts with everyone using this TRIPLE III TIME format…but often I feel like I may be repeating myself in some creativity areas. Regardless now that I have gotten that concern “off my chest”…it is time to discuss the importance of utilizing Calculated-Risk “Pull-Ups” when beginning an INNOVATION option!
Ok…one more thing, before I get too far into this week’s message, I need to first explain the INNOVATION value of the TRIPLE III TIME subtitle: (Not Going Rogue In the Workplace). Good-to-GREAT innovations typically result from taking Calculated-Risk “Pull-Ups” (i.e. select improvements/advancements) based on an organization’scurrent way of doing business. This means up and coming innovators thereby need to first allow themselves some extra “pull-ups” (think-tank) time before moving forward on their creativity plan-of-action.
Bottomline: To undertake quality, meaningful INNOVATION and not go inventively rogue in the workplace…consider the following initial example “Pull-Ups” actions:
If this TRIPLE III TIME message seems to indicate that I have learned from my historic “out-of-control”… “let’s just do it”, “innovation-for-innovations-sake” mind-set…you may be right. However, also included in my career-long mind-set is: If I/we don’t discover “there is always a better way”…who will??
TRIPLE III TIME: Quality COMMUNICATION Management (QCM)
People in all areas of their lives often are concerned about how well they communicate. Whether it is with family members, co-workers, students, friends or colleagues in their career field… Quality COMMUNICATION Management (QCM) is a critical, priority concern.
Today more than ever before, I believe the greatest challenge in the area of high quality communication is the diversity of communication options. Think about it. Tweets, emails, phone calls, letters, texts, podcasts, FaceTime, in-person meetings and other social media-isms…make the objective of delivering a complete and informative message understandably difficult.
So what’s the III self-help answer: Complete a Quality COMMUNICATION Management (QCM)assessment/evaluation! What do I mean?
My “official” QCM Assessment/Evaluation calls for a periodic “Test of 3” in specific communication areas. For example:
- Take 3 email examples and determine if they are complete messages or just “blips” of what you want to say.
- Take 3 cell phone messages and determine if the discussion assumes the call receiver knows everything you expect they do.
- Take 3 formal letters you have written/sent and assess them for purpose, content, receiver expectations and timeliness.
- Take 3 meeting agendas that you have utilized in recent in-person meetings and evaluate them for main topic(s), use of personnel time and outcomes.
- Take 3 virtual training session recordings and measure your learning points, questions asked and knowledge obtained.
Conducting multi-media Quality COMMUNICATION Management (QCM) assessments/evaluations is very…VERY IMPORTANT in today’s world. Use the five questions in this TRIPLE III TIME message as starter points…then create your own measuring sticks. And go ahead be critical…it will only make you better!
TRIPLE III TIME: “The INNOVATION Window Is Wide Open!”
Today: “The INNOVATION Window Is Wide Open!”
First, let me say that my hope is that everyone reads and hears the title of this week’s TRIPLE III TIME message even louder than ever before.
As a career-long innovator…especially in the public sector, I believe that at no time in my professional life have I observed the collective need, desire, willingness and potential for INNOVATION acceptance. It could be the ever-growing expansion of the internet and social media. It could be the impacts of Covid and the desire to just “break-out!” It could be the realization that all generations need to grow together to gain the maximum, new-era advantages. Or it could simply be that people are less resistant to hearing new ideas…big or small…and wish to embrace the sensation of positively moving forward.
Artificial Intelligence isn’t artificial…we built it. Multiple versions of promoting and offering “Shark Tank” opportunities is not just a fad…it’s professional development! Younger people learning more…faster is not a phenomenon…it is just basic progressive evolution.
Bottomline: If you are not part of an INNOVATION movement, I encourage you to join somehow…some way. If you have an INNOVATION idea…share it. It may not be accepted as you see it…but even if a part creates an improvement movement…it’s a WIN! Finally, if you are an innovator by birth or by experience…be an INNOVATION LEADER right now!
YOU are absolutely needed…and “The INNOVATION Window Is Wide Open!”
LEARNING MOMENTS Podcast: Creating Your BRAND!
What do Tom Brady… RAM Pick-ups… and Gerber Baby Foods have in common? A GREAT BRAND!
This month’s Inspiring Innovations LEARNING MOMENTS podcast follows the tradition of coming to you from my favorite deer hunting blind. But don’t think for a minute that the Creating Your Brand podcast message doesn’t contain some great professional development thoughts and recommendations (despite opening day distractions)!
Seriously, this Creating Your Brand podcast highlights the importance of establishing a meaningful, strong professional status inside and outside your workplace. Consider the questions raised in the discussion and take on this very special challenge.
Enjoy the listen.
Inspiring Innovations, Inc. 