I am sure that if I offered a quiz on organizational professional development training, everyone would be able to contribute at least one example. Probably included in the list would be:

• Customer Service
• Communication
• Sales & Marketing
• Team Building
• Computer 101/202 (and on and on!)
• Performance
• Promotion & The Media

However, I can say without any hesitation…I have never seen, heard about or participated in anything that was labeled:

Organizational SHARING?

But as you can guess and in support of my Inspiring Innovation company title…I believe it is time to consider a new staff training opportunity

Let me try to explain my basic ideas for training in the area of Organizational SHARING.

The goal of an Organizational SHARING workshop/class would be to identify and discuss the unique principles that would be involved in progressively SHARING: Staff, Funding, Services, Products, Facilities and Performance Outcomes.  Included in the discussions would be the challenges of facilitating effective Organizational SHARING that are felt both inside and outside of businesses, agencies, schools and governments.  Partnering and collaboration are key sharing words in most strategic plans and mission statements.  But remember, think real hard…do we just assume everyone knows the principles and processes and possibilities that come via Organizational SHARING?

Bottomlines: First I believe Organizational SHARING is often quietly blended in some areas of staff training…but today it needs to be SPECIAL! Second, SHARING is difficult and requires open discussion to be employed as an Organizational priority.  Finally, I will SHARE an Inspiring Innovations Concept Paper on Organizational SHARING training in a upcoming TRIPLE III TIME message…so stay tuned!

I was one of the luckiest organization leaders ever!  Why?  Well there is a variety and long list of very positive reasons…. but the greatest was everyone’s acceptance that CHANGE was necessary and planned as part of operational action everyday…EVERYDAY!  As a result, we were able to take full advantage of The “Dance” of Change and use it as a continuous improvement launching pad for unique, innovative public service opportunities.

OK…before I go on let me explain what I mean by: The “Dance” of Change.

The “Dance” of Change is when you don’t just take change by the hand and let it lead you.  No, YOU take the lead and become the change example-setter and idea generator.  You assume the pro-active “Dance” position and help build the new product/service…rather than wait and react to what others design.  Also, during The “Dance” of Change…today more than ever before…you take creative steps and make new age technology work for you…rather than let technology be the master of any change actions.

Progressively managing The “Dance” of Change also requires you to be the organization that sweeps customers off their feet with fresh opportunities and an always new perspective.  As a result, your group becomes the go-to service dancing partner and the one that can be counted on for quality.  Finally, The “Dance” of Change can only be great if everyone that is part of your cause is out on the “bring-it-on” dance floor!  Change…positive change…successful change…can NOT be achieved single-handedly or dancing alone.

Remember, you don’t have to be a great dancer when you grab a partner during The (everyday) “Dance” of Change. Just be a leader.

Continuous Improvement has been the center-piece for much of my Inspiring Innovations advisory work over the last few months.  It is always interesting to discuss data, performance, customer service, and communication…but I often get a blank look when I ask: “Do you have regular conversations about QUALITY?”  Or more specifically how do you/we go about really measuring the QUALITY of someone’s efforts and what do you use as your measuring stick(s)?

Well as you can see QUALITY is a unique performance piece to measure in many work-based situations.  And I am sure there are volumes of research information that you could consult and possibly find helpful guidance on this topic.  But today how about if we keep this TRIPLE III TIME message simple and focus on the importance of just having A Conversation About QUALITY and maybe to help get thoughts started…consider these TOP 10 ideas as conversation drivers!

1. Recognize that QUALITY calculations are mainly offered from a personal perspective.
2. Recognize that QUALITY allows for a wide variety of input considerations. (i.e. timing, money, personnel, etc.)
3. Recognize that YOUR QUALITY priority will be different than your co-worker.
4. Recognize that age affects one’s vision of QUALITY factors.
5. Recognize that trust is an impactor of QUALITY discussions.
6. Recognize the “outside influences” that regularly shape your QUALITY views (i.e. newspapers, historians, high-level officials, social media, etc.)
7. Recognize that people use professional “hiding-places” to escape strong QUALITY conversations.
8. Recognize and encourage the understanding that QUALITY has diversity in meaning and measurements.
9. Recognize that change is a required standard in QUALITY applications.
10. Finally, recognize that A Conversation About QUALITY is continuous improvement at its finest!

Please never shy-away from A Conversation About QUALITY. QUALITY defines who you are as a professional.

OK I will admit it…sometimes I fall into a professional “rut”.  What do I mean by a professional rut?  Well it is those times where fresh, cool ideas just don’t seem to come out easily and your mind surprisingly seems to be an empty cavern of blah!  And to make matters worse, it also seems like the harder you try to come up with “next-step” positives and possibilities…the louder the echo is in the space between your ears.

Well in an effort to help in “Combating RUT-BLOCKAGE!”  as you strive to be GREAT personally and professionally, here is a TOP 10 list of helpful thoughts.

Let me know which one(s) work the best!

Did you ever have a difficult time asking someone’s permission to list them as a reference on an official document and/or to write a great letter of recommendation about you? At those moments did you ever think about “changing chairs” with them and honestly considering what would you say or write about yourself?  What would be the professional traits, qualities, experiences and achievements that YOU could express that would put YOU in a SPECIAL category?

For this week’s TRIPLE III TIME message, I think it would be an excellent professional development exercise to: (1) make a high-quality list of reference points about YOU…that someone would share if asked, and (2) draft a letter of recommendation about YOU that would identify your personal and professional strengths (i.e. show that you are SPECIAL!)

Think about it! And don’t underestimate or ignore the responsibility pressure you may be placing on a colleague…that YOU now are feeling as the Recommendations & References official!

Well as you seriously take on this unique professional development exercise here are a few suggestions:

• Be honest and don’t exaggerate
• Draw from your life and work experiences to talk about:
  • Leadership, communication, trust and teamwork
  • Remember innovation actions and calculated risk taking
  • Use examples of continuous improvement, life-long learning and mentoring
  • Consider compromise and consensus building opportunities

BOTTOMLINE: Sometimes Professional Development and Professional Discomfort may have common goals…because it is tough to decide WHAT WOULD YOU SAY ABOUT YOU!

This week I began teaching my latest class in American Government & Politics.  And although the first session is mostly focused on sharing information about who we are as professionals, students and what specifically we hope to gain from this course…there is also an “establishing of ground rules component.”  By ground rules I mean that:

• There will be NO HIDING places from questions/answers/discussions
• Everyone’s OPINION does matter
• We can CHANGE course topic discussion anytime
• DISAGREEMENT is an expected standard
• Quality LISTENING will be measured
• Everyone must TAKE A POSITION on something…and defend it
• Learning PRIORITIES will be set for every class
• Students must explain why they INVESTED in this course…and specifically what they hope to LEARN

The goal of the ground rules is to foster Creative Participation. The opportunity to exchange viewpoints, address a non-traditional topic, argue professionally and truly realize and understand that new ideas/innovations come from these forms of discussion.

Are you challenged via a Creative Participation opportunity?

One of the greatest challenges we all face on a personal and professional level is calculating how to most appropriately Apply Patience to an issue/situation.

What do I mean?

I have always operated on a “full-steam” approach in life and in the world of work.  As a result, it has been difficult to Apply Patience and enable family members and co-workers to catch up to where I thought I was.  The lesson learned has always been that you can be a problem by being too far ahead as much as being too far behind!

So how about if we use this week’s TRIPLE III TIME message to offer a TOP 10 list of considerations on how to best Apply Patience.

1. Don’t ever think/believe everyone operates at the same pace you do.
2. Applying a little extra patience may help in avoiding a mistake…that you didn’t see coming.
3. Applying patience by trading places with those you are working with will help to get a better TOTAL picture of the issue.
4. Continually re-reminding yourself (with a little extra patience) of the goal/action you are seeking is vital!
5. However, don’t let the availability of applying quality patience result in priority distractions.
6. Apply patience but also retain firm attention to responsible timeframes.
7. Refer back to when a leader you respect/admire applied patience to a situation and achieved good results.
8. Use additional patience to solicit additional input from those personally or professionally impacted.
9. Remember that you/your group sets the “Finish Line” for your efforts…so fast or slow…it is in your hands.
10. Finally, don’t stare at the clock or calendar when applying patience…you will be defeating its professional development purpose!

Quality patience is a solid leadership trait.  Hopefully this TOP 10 helps build your skills.

Sometimes in an effort to convince people to come out of their “innovation-shell”, I find myself acting in the form of a “coach” and trying to motivate-to-the-max.  Well I can not report that I am always successful…so when I came across this article by Janet Sernack entitled: “How Can We Prepare People For A Future We Cannot Predict?” …and it had a special section on coaching innovation, I just had to share it.

Coaching innovation leaders & teams

It is more important than ever, to teach people to unlearn, through structured coaching processes, their habitual ways of being, thinking & doing. To create the safe space for people to learn how to embrace creative & collaborative ways of enhancing their bravery, boldness, determination & courage in uncertain times by;

• Imagining new possibilities boldly and optimistically, whilst simultaneously understanding they are quite likely to emerge sooner than expected.

• Pursuing amusement & wonder, whilst simultaneously trusting that smart risk taking allows people to learn fast from mistakes & failure.

• Unlearning knowing and doing what they have always done, whilst simultaneously adopting a beginner’s mind to allow new learnings to occur.

• Being curious about the future & blend new ways of planning, including strategic foresight, scenario planning into conventional business planning.

Remember rushing innovation action can result in a disaster.  So be sure to take quality time and professionally absorb each of Janet’s points.  They are all HIGH VALUE.

No matter who you are and what you do…there always seems to be a form of “Mystique” that surrounds the best way to provide recognition for a job well done.  You know what I mean.  Whether it is a parent praising their son or daughter for good grades on a report card…or telling a co-worker they really helped complete a tough project…offering quality recognition sometimes is elusive.

Personally, I was not the greatest at delivering positive, timely recognition.  At home and at work my style seemed to be that I just thought my professional/personal conduct would appropriately say: “Hey, way to go!” Or maybe I somehow assumed (which meant they could read my mind) that I appreciated the job well done.  In retrospect…I know I left many people wondering.

I believe it is human development critical to dispel The Mystique of Recognition.  So lets start first by trying to be stronger and clearer in our words delivering recognition.  Because remember recognition can be used not only to praise…but also to encourage.  Therefore, recognition could be positive for both a job well done…based on a good beginning…but also needs more intense action for a great completion.

It is also important to not use the same or similar words when offering recognition.  Recognition means special…SPECIAL ATTENTION…so choose your “way-to-go” words with this in mind.  And finally try to differentiate between what is standardly expected…and what is truly special or recognition deserving! Because if everything gets high recognition…it all becomes just the same.

PS… Just writing this has helped me better understand The Mystique of Recognition! How about you?