TRIPLE III TIME: USA Legislative Priority Registry
TRIPLE III TIME: USA Legislative Priority Registry
I have never really said it before, but I do not/will not ever take for granted my quarterly opportunity to write an article for the American Society for Public Administration PA Times publication. With this opportunity, I share innovative concepts that I believe will help the field of public sector administration and all who work in this field.
This quarter I discuss the creation of a USA Legislative Priority Registry. Yes, I know the title sounds a little awkward, but I believe the principles of this initiative are ideal for our national public sector future.
PA Times: USA Legislative Priority Registry
TRIPLE III TIME: Controlled Diversity
Achieving and maintaining some form of continuous growth is an everyday challenge to entities operating in both the private and public sectors. No matter if you manufacture auto headlights or operate a local pre-school, keeping your current workforce, supporting a solid payroll and having a progressive eye on the future is a situation that all of us need to continually revisit and plan around.
Controlled Diversity is a common sense organizational growth strategy that is appropriate for all to consider. What is Controlled Diversity? Controlled Diversity is a limited plan of action for growth and development that YOU control! Standardly, it requires everyone in your workplace to consider what new products/services are “connectable” to your current assets and employee base for ease of expansion. Also, embracing a Controlled Diversity mentality pushes everyone to continually look at upgrades/modifications to your established products/services that could easily/economically expand your customer bases.
I don’t believe Controlled Diversity is a totally new growth concept…rather it is the INCLUSION element recommended in this TRIPLE III TIME message that makes it more comprehensive, relevant and timely today. By following a future plan of growth that purposely includes everyone may give rise to positive results like:
- Activation of internal trends to stay involved in seeking new markets.
- Diversion of attention away from being labeled as a one product/one service company.
- Inspiration for EVERYONE to take responsibility for EVERYONES collective employment and financial future.
Think about applying Controlled Diversity to your organization…is now a good time?
TRIPLE III TIME: Check Out the Competition
One of the main discussion points with every attempt at spearheading an innovative initiative is to Check Out The Competition! You know “the drill”. Is someone or another company already doing what you are thinking of trying? Is your proposed new product or service already out there and is it successful? Is there a design or option that is very similar to your innovation and therefore would it be best to just replicate their initiative/product/service?
Well let me be clear that when you are considering an alternative innovative strategy…it is very important to Check Out The Competition. However, for this TRIPLE III TIME message, I want you to also consider INNOVATION TRANSFERABILITY. What do I mean? Let’s say if you work in a public service area…don’t be afraid to transfer your service design to one utilized by the fast-food industry (i.e. Meal-Deal model). Or if a unique customer service approach is successful in a community development situation…why not try it in an auto repair setting. Or if a creative social media advertisement design works well for selling the latest salsa recipe…why not try using it to market customized job training in your area?
During my career of pushing public sector innovation every chance I got, applying INNOVATION TRANSFERABILITY has been a solid tool everyday…every time. When you Check Out The Competition and observe a new successful approach to public or private sector product/service delivery…always…ALWAYS consider the potential of INNOVATION TRANSFERABILITY! Great ideas are often not recognized for their easy application in new areas and non-traditional ways. Only when you appropriately Check Out The Competition and apply INNOVATION TRANSFERABILITY…do you see the new opportunities.
LEARNING MOMENTS Podcast: “YOU Really Need to Stay Up With the Times”
As you can tell from this month’s Inspiring Innovations, LEARNING MOMENTS Podcast title… I have a very personal position on this topic. Today so much has changed with our use of technology and it’s application to our worlds-of-work.
No one wants to be told, “YOU Really Need to Stay Up With the Times”… but doing a “self-techno-assessment” of your status is an important action. So enjoy my discussion on this high value issue as it applies to both your personal and professional life.
TRIPLE III TIME: ONLINE PARTICIPATION (What If I Don’t?)
Today within this special TRIPLE III TIME message I want to share with everyone the feelings one has when they are asked a unique professional help question that they would NEVER have seen coming! The question: “Dr. Pichla will you help us with a workshop/training session on how to increase ONLINE PARTICIPATION in our organizations activities? Can you picture THE LOOK!? Me…who avoids online anything and lives to be face-to-face for professional positive energy and performance quality!
Well maybe they asked me specifically for the reasons I just wrote (and maybe it would help me too).
No matter the business or service sector you are working in, the need to be involved in online meetings, education, training, sales, performance measurements or planning must include EVERYONE. I think it is also important to point out that regardless of the impacts the COVID pandemic has made regarding this issue, use of advanced technology for all the daily activities identified above…and in a much bigger way…is/was just around the corner.
Given this unavoidable ONLINE PARTICIPATION phenomenon and in response to the NEVER question, I would build my workshop/training session around answering several very direct “onlining” questions:
- Does participating in an online meeting mean you can pay less attention or ask less questions?
- Does conducting an online training mean as long as you get through your slides…all is good?
- Who is responsible for participation quality in an online world?
- How do you eliminate ONLINE PARTICIPATION “hiding places”?
- Does participation…real participation take on an expectation of leadership?
- Should lack of quality personal ONLINE PARTICIPATION have economic impacts?
- How would it feel to NOT be included in an ONLINE PARTICIPATION business growth session?
- Try to describe “all-in” when you think about ONLINE PARTICIPATION?
- How do you get labeled “the best in the business” in the ONLINE PARTICIPATION category?
- Is it appropriate to pick and choose your attention level regarding ONLINE PARTICIPATION?
We would have fun and together learn a lot?
Bottomline: I would remind them that the best answer to QUALITY/GREAT ONLINE PARTICIPATION for anything is found when you look in the mirror.
TRIPLE III TIME: Do YOU Practice What YOU Preach?
As an everyday leader inside and outside your world of work, setting and being the best professional example you can be is critical. Yes, I know we have talked about example setting in other TRIPLE III TIME messages…but have we ever discussed the importance of looking back to measure our example setting actions? In other words have we ever asked ourselves directly: “Do YOU Practice What YOU Preach?”
You know what I mean! Example “Do YOU Practice What YOU Preach?” issues are easy to identify. Think about:
- Do you avoid doing personal stuff at/during work hours?
- Do you practice your own version of allowances for “comp-time” or follow Agency policy?
- Do you share company/organization information equally among co-workers?
- Do you advance company gossip or never “go there”?
- Do you engage in professional development training/workshops as you prescribe for others?
- Do you invite communication advice and/or ideas from all?
- Do you maintain your work/office space?
- Do you step-up to help others or with special projects?
- Do you allow yourself “dream-time” to be continually creative?
- Do you show up late…leave early or set a positive attendance practice?
These ten (10) examples of “Do YOU Practice What YOU Preach?” are just a short list of the leadership “preachings” that have appeared in TRIPLE III TIME messages over the years. And although I do not support offering repeat messages, I do support regularly assessing personal professional progress (i.e. measuring do I practice what I preach!).
TRIPLE III TIME: RECRUITMENT 2022
There are so many critical personnel issues facing those responsible for manpower in businesses and organizations in today’s world of work. Candidate RECRUITMENT is often part of every consulting session I take part in no matter the private or public sector employer raising the issue. Understandably the majority of my ideas and recommendations are customized for every group. However, I have to report that no matter the entity…no matter the size of the company and no matter the service or product they supply, the initial question I raise regarding RECRUITMENT of workers is: “How old is your stuff?”
Specifically, how old are your job postings, the job descriptions, the media your use to get the word out, the recruitment methods used by your competition and finally is the position you are recruiting for really the specific area your organization needs help in? Too often companies or agencies practice RECRUITMENT BY CONVENIENCE! Instead of doing appropriate employee skill need research…those responsible follow traditional RECRUITMENT and hiring practices (i.e. the most convenience option). The end result is that the person hired may be great…but the job expectations may be much different than what was advertised and discussed thereby creating early two-way confusion and the potential loss of a good person.
Today more than ever before every organization should avoid RECRUITMENT BY CONVENIENCE. Everything…YES EVERYTHING has evolved, modernized, gone high tech and become more job task specialized. Therefore, I recommend that before even launching a personnel RECRUITMENT campaign, conduct an employee skill need analysis with the future in mind. It will be more than worth your time.
TRIPLE III TIME: “Try One More Thing!”
One phrase I never like to hear during my consulting opportunities is: “Well I have tried and done everything to improve/fix/advance in this area …so I don’t know what else is left?” I know you have all heard it and I would guess that you too have uttered these words some time in your life/work history! But as you can guess my corrective action approach is and has always been to go through an often-extensive list of alternative possibilities…and not surprisingly there are maybe one or two actions that were untested.
Given these experiences I thought it may be helpful to use a TOP 10 list of lets “Try One More Thing!” fun concepts for this week’s TRIPLE III TIME message.
- Go Back To Go Forward: Got back in time and find the origins of the challenge issue. History may help you see the future.
2. Phone A Friend: Colleagues…a new set of eyes will always add insight to the issue.
3. Draft An Idea Paper: Sometimes just writing down details about a challenge and seeing past ideas in writing…sprouts a new one.
4. GOOGLE IT: In today’s high-tech world…sometimes the problems can be just a click away.
5. Break IT Into Smaller Pieces: Addressing pieces of an issue often assists in identifying brand new opportunities.
6. Assemble A Game-It Group: Break the “I’ve tried everything” mind block and assemble a small group and address the issue in an idea-generation game fashion.
7. Attempt A “Visioning” Exercise: In a creative way try drawing a picture/diagram of a possible solution.
8. News Reporter Interview Technique: If a reporter from the New York Times was interviewing you about solutions…would your “innovative-spirit” fire up?
9. Go To An Inspirational Spot: Location-Location-Location…may be an asset in finding a new option.
10. What Would_________Do?: Think of a LEADER you admire most…and ask yourself What Would _________Do?
Bottomline: So in the future before you shout “I’ve tried everything!”…check out this TOP 10 and “Try One More Thing!”
LEARNING MOMENTS Podcast: “Priceless Qualities”
When you hear or read the terms: Priceless Qualities, what do you think about? Maybe you consider some specific examples and who may have them? But then what? Well this months Inspiring Innovations LEARNING MOMENTS podcast takes you through a fun thought process involving each of these questions. The discussion highlights the ongoing importance of identifying those individuals you hold in high regard and the Priceless Qualities they retain.
I know you will enjoy this interactive message.
TRIPLE III TIME: Evaluating The “FUTURE YOU!”
It is not surprising that no one regardless of their area of responsibility enjoys the task of personnel evaluation. Most times the forms utilized are formal, ranking someone as a 1-2-3-4-5 is difficult, the conversations that circle around the process are typically uncomfortable and the relationships people have on a day-to-day basis standardly become challenged based on how good or bad the evaluation results are.
Next think about the priorities contained in the evaluation format. Primarily the focus of any evaluation is on what you have accomplished…old news right? And then for corrective action the discussion is how to improve the bad old news…right again? Given the speed and complexity of change occurring in our business and public service worlds of work…is this design really the best use of one-on-one professional development time??
I believe we need to apply innovation strategies to the function of evaluation. How about if we start by embracing the concept of: Evaluating The “FUTURE YOU!”? Remember employees are a company’s/organization’s greatest asset. So, if you are strategizing for continuous improvement…wouldn’t an Evaluating The “FUTURE YOU!” format be most appropriate/necessary?
![IMG_7574[4073]](https://inspiringinnovationsinc.blog/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/img_75744073-e1610709977881.jpg)
This format could consider each employee as a small business. As a result the evaluation would require the employee to create their own skill, product, sales, performance, and creativity plans going forward. The discussion would concentrate on what additional value they would bring to themselves and in so doing improve the company/organization. Placing the main focus on the person and their development plan may feel odd at first…but consider the issue of computer upgrading. Computers need to be tended to and upgraded periodically to be needed and more useful to the agency. Maybe by using an Evaluating The “FUTURE YOU!” component for personnel reviews, you may find a new, unique full-growth organizational strategy for upgrading and adding value to your workers!
Inspiring Innovations, Inc. 