|
 |
Yin and Yang to
Cross-Pollination1 |
-
YANG - active, aggressive side
- learning about new processes, methods, and technologies
-
YIN - passive, accepting side
- making time or creating a place for new ideas
|
|
How To Make
Cross-Pollination an Integral Part of Your Workplace
Seven Planting Tips1 |
-
Browse, constantly search for new
ideas and inspiration: make constant browsing of journals, books,
newspapers, Internet and other sources your habit and an integral
part of your corporate.
-
Play a Film Director: break the
world down into scenes and become expert at watching people,
especially enthusiasts, perform even the smallest tasks. Taking on
the perspective of a film director and watching events outside your
normal sphere can heighten your
observation skills.
-
Hold an Open House periodically to
spread the best disciplines of your company far and wide. Keep it
casual. Encourage comments and ideas. Combine it with some food to
get people talking.
-
Inspire Advocates: mental
diversity is very important - you need individuals who celebrate
different viewpoints. They will make you more conscious of critical
constituencies and considerations in every new project.
-
Hire Outsiders: fresh blood
invigorates a company and introduces new ideas. Hire a
diverse group of individuals
and people just
slightly off center, and you'll be pleasantly surprised.
-
Change Hats: when you start a new
project, work up compelling characters to represent some possible
users of your new products or services. Sketch them, give them
names, families and background stories.
-
Build
Cross-Functional Expertise: benefit from
little drills and processes you pick up from other businesses; don't
focus too much on your competition - spend as much time learn from
noncompetitive industries as well. Simple solutions to many problems
are often just nearby - waiting for you to find them.
|
|
25 Lessons from Jack Welch
Getting Good Ideas from Everywhere |
-
Share what you know with others to get what they know.
-
Encourage an exchange of ideas at virtually every level of your
organization.
-
Encourage a free flow of ideas not only among your businesses but
also between your company and other businesses as well.
|
|
Why Cross-Pollinate?
Winning innovative solutions are inspired and
developed in the process of cross-pollination of ideas, rather than narrowly
focused search.
Case in Point:
General Electric (GE)
General Electric (GE)
Work-Out "Town Meetings"
gave the corporation access to an unlimited resource of imagination and
energy of its talented employees. "Nobody wears a tie at our quarterly
two-days meetings," says
Jack Welch."
We take a coffee breaks for almost an hour sometimes so people can swap
ideas. We bring in an outside speaker to every meeting - the heads of
Wal-Mart, Pepsi-Cola, and Compaq. We have dinner together and drinks after
eating. We run this place like a family grocery store."2...More
|
