Plot Your Coordinates To Success

Everyone can innovate. Your ideas are critical to your organization’s success, so don't hold back, diminish, or censor them. A large organization is like a slow moving barge— when you tell a large boat to turn right, it may take some time for it to turn. The same is true for a large corporation. It may take some time for your idea to take hold, but don't give up!  Here are some suggestions to helping you get started:

Get to work. I’m sure you’ve heard that “ideas are a dime a dozen” or “talk is cheap.” Dreaming and talking will only take you so far, no matter how much you do of either. Actions bring dreams to life. Thomas Edison said, “Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration.” Once your epiphany comes, it will be time to put it into motion. Ask yourself: What’s the absolute next best action I need to be taking right now?

Generate ideas quickly and informally. Don’t wait for the big ideation meetings and formal strategy sessions to generate new ideas. There is much to be said for informally generating ideas on the back of a napkin. Start recording your ideas, carrying a journal, or using an app on your phone to help capture your ideas as they float by.

Meet new people, generate new ideas. Make sure you schedule at least one meeting with someone inside your company you do not formally work with on a weekly basis. I would also encourage you to schedule frequent one-on-ones with those outside your company. Take note of the themes that emerge during your discussions.

Follow the Yeses. Always bring your ideas to the table, no matter how off the wall they might seem. Your ideas are valuable and act as a spark for someone else. Your ideas could be the necessary catalysts required to launch a discussion, finalize a decision, or close a deal. You will hear many noes. You will also hear one or two yeses. A “no” may also mean that the timing is not right, or you will have to wait until the organization is reorganized to accommodate your idea. A “yes” is a landmark pointing you toward your success. Use these yeses to plot your coordinates.

--Laura Newberry-Yokley, Holistic Leadership Coach