TRIPLE III TIME: What’s Your “Value Package”?
Whether you are (or work for) a private company or public organization…every so often I believe it is not just important but absolutely critical to ask: What’s Your “Value Package”? Does everyone understand what this question refers to?
Well before I get into the factors that I consider true company/organization Value Package components…it is important for me to report that this TRIPLE III TIME topic was generated via a local grant application! How excellent I thought it was for a grantor to ask every applicant to identify and describe what makes them special…RIGHT? Yes, often applicants do well to include cool, confident…special attributes about themselves…but this was the first time I officially saw it in writing as a requirement of the grant application!!
OK…enough background…now let’s focus on TRIPLE III TIME What’s Your “Value Package”? factors. So here is my initial list but be advised that these factors are not in any particular order.
- Simplicity: With the huge rise in everyday information-sharing…keeping things simple has high value.
- Convenience: Making it a priority to make doing business with you easy and convenient will draw in great customers.
- Reputation: Having a REAL high quality reputation is only generated if you do great work.
- Timeliness: Being recognized as a business that delivers products/services on-time is a solid value attribute.
- Reliability: If you make a promise…keep it in the world of business.
- Accessibility: In today’s 24/7 communication world, remaining readily accessible to customers can be a priceless value.
- Innovation: Retaining a practice of offering creative/innovative solutions to business/organization challenges has unlimited value to many.
As you can see every factor that I have listed in this draft “Value Package”…would very much contribute to labeling your group as SPECIAL!
So please take some TRIPLE III TIME and solidly respond to the What’s Your “Value Package”? question.
TRIPLE III TIME: “Crowd-Driven-IDEATION”
Did or do you work in an organization that always looks to a single employee as the “regular idea person”? You know what I am referring to. The situation that traditionally expects a certain person to be the standard source for new ideas/concepts/innovations?!
Is this a good practice? Does this occurrence mean that only “chosen” people are able to come up with cool new ideas…and everyone else gets a “pass” on thinking innovatively?? Does this practice also mean that if only one or two people in an organization think about the value of creativity in the workplace…and they leave…that the group would be instantly falling behind the times??
Well, no matter how you respond to the initial TRIPLE III TIME message questions…today I believe we need to more frequently embrace a “Crowd-Driven-IDEATION” methodology! Specifically, this means that the more people one involves in the building and facilitation of a new product or service idea…the greater potential it may have for quicker/more complete success.
OK…this process sounds easy but for today, I want to initiate a thought process of factors to consider if one adopts a “Crowd-Driven-IDEATION” path.
- Would you feel comfortable asking others to co-ideate?
- Could you deal with a reduced level of control over the idea?
- Would you be willing to allow co-ownership of the idea results/profit/loss?
- Would “Crowd-Driven” mean greater involvement of technology in the entire idea-building process…and would that be ok?
- Would “Crowd-Driven-IDEATION” offer the potential for more fiscal support for the idea?
- Could “Crowd-Driven-IDEATION” cause total cancelation of the initiative?
- Would a shared idea-building option improve/make selling the new concept more flexible?
- Is “Crowd-Driven-IDEATION” a better tool for maximizing an idea?
- Does “Crowd-Driven-IDEATION” creatively expand the geographic application/support of the idea?
- And finally a critical consultant question I have asked many times: How can an idea be considered good or great…unless shared with others?
These unique TOP 10 “Crowd-Driven-IDEATION” consideration questions are all important when partnering on real innovation and creativity concepts. Give each one adequate thought…then GET GOING!
TRIPLE III TIME: Special “Best Of!” Assignment
In many situations during my consultant discussions, individuals or groups are best helped when I can offer them an experience, visual and/or a specific person as a “Best Of!” example of the professional development issue I am trying to push. Too often we get lost in the details of the basic progressive point we are trying to explain…and then walk away questioning if we really helped someone “get” the message principles/priorities?!
Well this week the TRIPLE III TIME message is asking everyone to complete a Special “Best Of!” Assignment and determine who or what have been your GREATESTprofessional development messengers. Think about it.
- Who and why does a certain person(s) serve as YOUR professional development “Best Of!”?
- What and why does a specific visual(s) help you think/move forward?
- How and why does a past experience(s) give you motivation for doing more than the minimum?
- When and why have you been inspired to share a special learning moment that felt “once in a lifetime” like?
And as you think about each question…maybe make a list of “Best Of!” reasons.
The goal of the Special “Best Of!” Assignment is to remind you of the critical points that today (and maybe even more tomorrow) make you better in the workplace and in regular life. Your “Best Of!” lists should contain personal lessons and professional development factors that in many ways are timeless.
Make sure you enjoy this Assignment!
TRIPLE III TIME: “Til You Can’t”
I know I have written it before how I never really know where inspiration for certain TRIPLE III TIME messages come from. Sometimes an idea just “sneaks” up on me and the writing almost happens effortlessly. But his week’s message has been quietly building with me over the last year…and was then ignited when I heard the song: “Til You Can’t” sung by Cody Johnson. Here are the lyrics:
“You can tell your old man
You’ll do some largemouth fishing another time
You just got too much on your plate to bait and cast a line
You can always put a rain check in his hand
‘Til you can’t
You can keep putting off forever with that girl who’s heart you hold
Swearing that you’ll ask some day further down the road
You can always put a diamond on her hand
‘Til you can’t
If you got a chance, take it, take it while you got a chance
If you got a dream, chase it, ‘cause a dream won’t chase you back
If you’re gonna love somebody
Hold ‘em as long and as strong and as close as you can
‘Til you can’t
There’s a box of greasy parts sitting in the trunk of that ‘65
Still waiting on you and your granddad to bring it back to life
You can always get around to fixing up that Pontiac
‘Til you can’t
If you got a chance, take it, take it while you got a chance
If you got a dream, chase it, ‘cause a dream won’t chase you back
If you’re gonna love somebody
Hold ‘em as long and as strong and as close as you can
‘Til you can’t
So take that phone call from your momma and just talk away
‘Cause you’ll never know how bad you wanna ‘til you can’t someday
Don’t wait on tomorrow ‘cause tomorrow may not show
Say your sorries, your I-love-yous, ‘cause man you never know
If you got a chance, take it, take it while you got a chance
If you got a dream, chase it, ‘cause a dream won’tchase you back
If you’re gonna love somebody
Hold ‘em as long and as strong and as close as you can
‘Til you can’t”
Bottomline: The words contained in the song ARE this week’s TRIPLE III TIME message. Whether the “Til You Can’t” motivation is driven by special friendships, co-workers past, child birth, graduations, weddings, job changes, retirements and/or unfortunately a death…reread this blog and:
“If you got a chance, take it, take it while you got a chance
If you got a dream, chase it, ‘cause a dream won’tchase you back
If you’re gonna love somebody
Hold ‘em as long and as strong and as close as you can
‘Til you can’t”
LEARNING MOMENTS Podcast: QUALITY NEGOTIATION
At no time in my career did anyone set me down nor did I participate in a special workshop/training on facilitating QUALITY NEGOTIATION. Do you pick up tips and strategies as you go through your workdays and participate in multiple topic negotiation sessions… yes! But have you ever taken the time to sort out what factors really assist to arrive at a workable solution and enable you to achieve QUALITY NEGOTIATION outcomes??
This month’s Inspiring Innovations LEARNING MOMENTS podcast is all about suggesting a common sense TOP 10 list of QUALITY NEGOTIATION concepts. As you listen think about your negotiation experiences with clients/customers/co-workers… and consider if one or all of the TOP 10 could have helped!
Enjoy the listen.
TRIPLE III TIME: Don’t Minimize Mental Health First Aid
“We’re all used to looking after our physical health, but we need to be just as vigilant when it comes to our mental health. Emotional first aid builds our empathy muscle and supports those around us.”
(Harriet Minter & Guy Winch: Prioritize Mental Health-Great TED Talks)
I have to start out this TRIPLE III TIME message with an admission that I did not really give the necessary amount of attention to the mental health needs of people I worked/networked with until recent years. Maybe I was lucky and dealt with it appropriately in my early career…. but I did not recognize it’s significant impact in the workplace until it became a more open discussion item.
Probably the biggest eye-opening moments regarding mental health concerns have come during my college teaching times. I can not even guess the number of “Position Paper” assignments I received that in some way discussed the growing need for mental health help among our young adults.
The Papers were written in a more sincere fashion and often with real life examples of the challenging effects of mental health-based illnesses. The result for me was to first become more knowledgeable about the topic… but then as a consultant attain the capacity to discuss mental health impacts with all organizational levels.
I am not an expert but TIME-ATTENTION-CONNECTIONS are my three TRIPLE III TIME words of support so you: Don’t Minimize Mental Health First Aid.
- First as a oversight leader offer appropriate TIME in your workplaces to recognize and treat mental health issues.
- Then be a facilitation leader by creating the most appropriate health care ATTENTION for suffering individual(s).
- Finally, be a multi-purposed leader and obtain all of the professional mental health service CONNECTIONS which may be able to offer assistance.
Success for everyone’s future will require Mental health First Aid prioritization. Do it well and the return-on-investments will be genuine!
TRIPLE III TIME: Constructive Criticism
This week’s TRIPLE III TIME message beings by asking everyone to take a serious look in the mirror and assess your style of delivering Constructive Criticism! Think about it?! We have all been in THE situation that requires you to offer a personal statement of honesty regarding an action taken by a co-worker, friend, manager, colleague and/or even a family member. So how did you do?
Well before we go much further into our discussion… let’s see what GOOGLE says about the definition(s) of this challenging topic!
“Constructive Criticism is a form of feedback that focuses on delivering critique and negative feedback constructively and positively to improve performance or behavior. Constructive criticism is actionable, clear, and beneficial to the recipient.”
Or
“Constructive Criticism is a comment or comments saying in a helpful way what is wrong with something and how it could be improved.”
As you continue engaging with your image in the mirror… think if you try to always deliver your Constructive Criticism in a positive tone. Do your words of advice come across as critical and non-progressive? Or does your feedback generate the wish for additional assessment discussion that is issue specific… with improvements that are understandable and corrective action suggestions that are workable?
Bottomline: I believe the responsibility for providing Constructive Criticism today has become more challenging than in the past. Choosing the right words… controlling the tone of your message delivery… and offering the most appropriate alternative actions to be taken… is and always will be going forward… a HUGE professional responsibility.
So think more deeply about the words you use to create every Constructive Criticism message. Also remember that raising your voice may cause someone to listen less… so a soft, direct tone may be best. And finally only suggest an initial limited number of action improvements. Too many can be as damaging as too few.
If you are questioning if this message makes positive sense… put yourself on the Constructive CriticismRECEIVER side of the table.
Public Sector Entrepreneurship Part III
It has been quite some time since I have authored an American Society for Public Administration (ASPA) article on one of my favorite topic areas: Public Sector Entrepreneurship! Part III of this continuous series again is intended to offer a few innovative options for incorporating entrepreneurship thought/practices into the public sector worlds-of-work.
Public Sector Entrepreneurship: PART III – PA TIMES Online | PA TIMES Online
TRIPLE III TIME: Maximize Engagement
After a long sabbatical from the opportunity to “present” at a major professional conference, recently I traveled to another state to share and pitch a new progressive workforce concept. Was I nervous…YES! But at the same time very excited and prepared to facilitate a workshop on a topic that I felt had the potential to transform the historic “job-prep” scenario…into an organized, modernized, all-jobs impactor action!
Well as a small group formed in my presentation room, I quickly realized that I had attendees from at least ten (10) different states. And when I announced that I would NOT be using a power-point, did NOT have a series of hand-outs and I primarily wanted to Maximize Engagement with everyone…I received a fun, enthusiastic round of applause!!
This week’s TRIPLE III TIME topic: Maximize Engagement isn’t really about my workforce development idea nor my workshop experiences, rather this message is all about the high need and value of professional, personal engagement with everyone you interact with…every time you can.
By working to Maximize Engagement not only do you heighten people’s understanding of your thoughts and important points…but equally you obtain relevant feedback that may improve the concept you are working on. Additionally, because we all need to regularly “exercise” our listening skills, the potential to hear more diverse discussion regarding progress challenges and/or discoveries connected to an innovation you may be proposing…are always more welcomed when Maximize Engagement is the priority.
With today’s increased technological shifts away from in-person meetings, the capacity to Maximize Engagement among colleagues and co-workers has become somewhat diluted. As a result, it is totally a PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY to reapply this professional development opportunity in every situation you can.
LEARNING MOMENTS Podcast: Entrepreneurship & Innovation – Challenge Chart
As you can tell by this month’s Inspiring Innovations, LEARNING MOMENTS topic… Entrepreneurship and Innovation continue to dominate my current professional responsibilities.
So to support this special momentum…. I have taken a “visual tool“ from my past and prioritized its design and purpose for a quality LEARNING MOMENTS podcast. “What Do I Want… Zone of Professional Discomfort…. and Impactors” all represent timeless considerations and are contained in my own unique Challenge Chart for discussion when pursuing Entrepreneurship and Innovation possibilities!
As a special warning, the podcast goes around 10 minutes so be ready for an extended discussion-ist message.
Enjoy the listen.
Inspiring Innovations, Inc. 