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.
TRIPLE III TIME: Planning For A PLAN!
Planning is a critical task in every profession. Whether the assignment is teaching, sales, farming, home building…whatever, the responsibility for preparing and having a good PLAN of action for your initiative is just plain important.
So, as I began considering factors to discuss in this week’s TRIPLE III TIME message, I realized that many Planning for a PLAN actions have changed over my career years… and that maybe a special TOP 10 in this professional development area might be the best way to go! But remember these TOP 10 considerations come to you from a consultant’s mindset:
- Who wants the PLAN…who cares if it’s just Ok or Great?
- Will people care if it’s your idea…or should it be theirs?
- Remember a lot of PLAN narrative is “old news”…bullet points are a solid option.
- Consider “immediate gratification” components…they initiate interest.
- No one “goes-it-alone” in completing a project…so include partnerships in your PLAN.
- Offer information on past successful PLAN achievements if appropriate (they are like references in a resume).
- Use creative, visioning terms in your PLAN (create pictures with your words).
- Determine if the PLAN needs to be about “parts” of your organization…or more about the whole to be successful.
- Both TIME and MONEY are critical PLAN factors…give them appropriate attention.
- Finally, discussion about being FLEXIBLE and SPECIAL have a place in PLANS…they always matter.
Effectively and efficiently Planning for a PLAN is a professional development skill-set that may be used daily. Maybe re-read this TOP 10 with that thought in mind!
TRIPLE III TIME: Considering Untold CAREER STORIES
One of the most impactful and favorable tools I use in my classroom teaching moments and thought-provoking consultant opportunities is the sharing of personal CAREER STORIES. For a ton of solid reasons, listening and discussing the life-building experiences contained in every persons CAREER STORY is the greatest form of true, actual instructional content.
Hesitancy and modesty are often “limiters” of quality details that those invited to contribute their CAREER STORIES use during their presentation times. However, with the right prompting from me…the extra special details most often do come out!
So as I was looking at my notes regarding this week’s TRIPLE III TIME messaging Considering Untold CAREER STORIES…I could not help but think about what my Dad would say if he was pushed onto the guest presenter stage??
Well maybe he would:
- Tell everyone he only had an 8th grade education but wasn’t afraid to try new farming methods or crops…and make more money.
- Explain why it was important to try different brands of machinery (Massey Ferguson/International/David Brown/New Holland/John Deere) and not pick just one because that’s what everyone else was doing.
- Encourage everyone to help others because that is what farmers in our neighborhood did when someone wasn’t doing so good.
- Report that he liked innovation before it was called innovation. Because he allowed his kids to raise chickens, pigs, ducks, rabbits and even different kinds of calves…just to learn about being special.
- Maybe conclude about the importance of having hobbies that you love. Like playing accordion in a polka band for people that really appreciated the music.
Yes I believe he would have needed some prompting…but it would be worth the push! And I hope that this message encourages you to consider your own CAREER STORY and what unique experiences you might recall and share.
TRIPLE III TIME: The Devaluation of Governmental Learning
This quarter’s American Society for Public Administration article is truly a reflection of our times. Given the situation: The Devaluation of Governmental Learning, there are plenty of reasons and examples of why we are going “down” in this area.
The article offers a simplistic description of this phenomenon but more importantly some equally simplistic developmental corrections. Of course, these corrections would require U.S. citizen participation and dedication… but the necessary governmental learning that would occur would be PRICELESS.
Read the article here: The Devaluation of Governmental Learning
TRIPLE III TIME: “Owning-Up”
Very recently I found myself totally lost in the world of technology! To be honest, the computer action I was trying to accomplish was far from “high-tech” stuff…rather it would be considered by most as a very elementary computer function! But given my attitude toward becoming more computer-literate…I had to begin “Owning-Up” to co-workers about my “technology disabilities” and seek out a colleague who could help me quickly resolve my issues.
So when I contacted SB…I was greeted in the most professional yet co-worker caring fashion. In a special kind of way she made “Owning-Up” feel like a very standard, yet important continuous improvement and staff development activity. SB talked me through the necessary steps…did NOT do anything for me…but made me push and type every button to get me computer-wise… where I needed to be.
The reason this experience is part of this week’s TRIPLE III TIME message, is to encourage everyone to try “Owning-Up” to knowledge and skill weaknesses… and not avoid or dismiss them as unimportant. Addressing any and all of these types of unknowings can not only improve your workplace effectiveness…but also serve as an avenue to make better friendships.
Additionally, SB served as the best problem-solver I could’ve asked for. How would my reactions be different if she had ridiculed my techno-weakness, expressed disgust at my lack of computer skills or shared my dilemma with others in a demeaning way. Think about your experiences on either side of this personnel issue (or others) and consider how was it handled. Were you SB-like…or the opposite?
“Owning-Up” and seeking quality help in an uncertain workplace learning area is the STRONG way to go. And when you are asked for “Owning-Up” help…be the professional and caring person that co-workers are hoping for.
LEARNING MOMENTS Podcast: Reversed NETWORKING
Appropriate NETWORKING in and around your employment sector has always been an important action for hiring and promotion purposes. Who you meet, where you go, and what type of relationship-building you accomplish has traditionally been the standards related to effective NETWORKING.
Well this month’s Inspiring Innovations LEARNING MOMENTS podcast offers a different view of what type of progressive NETWORKING might be more impactful today. Hear what a special guest contributes to this topic… it’s a fun, youthful perspective!
Enjoy the listen.
TRIPLE III TIME: “Remember When?”
Throughout the years that I have been writing these TRIPLE III TIME messages, I have reported that I never really am sure where motivation for a specific message may come from. However, this week my inspiration came about totally unexpectedly.
Since my wife’s recent retirement from the world of education, she has started going through boxes of “stuff” that has been untouched for years. The goal is to make us more organized. And as you can see she came across a very special picture that brought back a ton of memories…which made this III message timely.
JHL and I have been friends, co-workers and colleagues for well over forty (40) years. There are a million stories I/we could share…but for this moment I believe a special TOP 10 of partnership would be best.
Let’s say it like this…Mr. JHL for me:
- Always offered a reliable, safe and confident listening ear yesterday, today and tomorrow.
- Provided a real meaning to the “I’ve got your back” statement.
- Made our service philosophy “For The Cause”… a daily reason to show up for work.
- Supported the building of an agency image which believed “There Is Always A Better Way” to help people.
- Served as the ideal “co-star” when showing off our innovations.
- Helped make personnel management always progressive.
- Facilitated an agency priority of partnerships…which proved to be the best way to do business.
- Conquered re-starting his job… to be even better than his first start.
- Never said “I don’t think we can” or “I don’t think I can help with that” regarding any brand new business or personal project I dreamed up..
- And lastly, he didn’t know that when he referred to himself as the “2nd Banana”…that I took that assessment to mean our Agency was better with two LEADERS!
Sometimes we all need to “Remember When” to make sure we appreciate friends, opportunities and future possibilities.
Thanks Chief!
Inspiring Innovations, Inc. 