Tag Change

Leading an Innovative Team

Steve Keating Leave a comment

Creativity and innovation are crucial for driving growth and staying competitive in today’s rapidly evolving world. Most people would say that’s true especially for companies that manufacture products. But it’s true for all organizations; for profit companies, nonprofit organizations and government entities. 

Change is everywhere and it’s picking up stream. AI is rapidly changing everything. Everything! An organization’s ability to apply AI in the near future will determine their ability to survive. The ability to adapt and apply the benefits of AI will require unparalleled creativity and innovation. That will add to the pressure on leadership teams everywhere. 

So here are a ten strategies to encourage and support creativity and innovation within your team. 

  • Create a work environment that values and encourages creativity. Ensure team members feel safe to express their ideas without fear of judgment or criticism. Encourage open communication, collaboration, and a culture of experimentation.
  • Clearly define the team’s goals and objectives while allowing room for creative problem-solving and innovation. Provide a sense of direction and purpose to guide your team’s efforts towards innovative solutions. Remember, even if something is not done “your way” doesn’t mean it wasn’t done the best way. 
  • Embrace diversity within your team, including diversity of backgrounds, experiences, and skill sets. Diverse perspectives bring fresh ideas and approaches to the table. That fosters creativity and innovation. Encourage open discussions, active listening, and the sharing of different viewpoints. If everyone is thinking the same then it’s very likely that most of them aren’t thinking. 
  • Promote a culture of continuous learning and professional development. Provide opportunities for team members to acquire new skills, attend workshops or conferences, and explore new areas of knowledge. Encourage individuals to share their learnings with the team.
  • Provide autonomy and ownership to team members in their work. Trust their judgment and empower them to make decisions and take calculated risks. Encourage initiative and give individuals the freedom to explore their ideas.
  • Set aside dedicated time for creative thinking and innovation. Allow team members to work on passion projects or explore new ideas outside their usual responsibilities. Consider implementing brainstorming sessions, hackathons, or innovation workshops to stimulate creativity. Creativity takes time, as a leader it’s up to you to provide that time. 
  • Acknowledge and reward innovative ideas and solutions within the team. Recognize and celebrate team members who contribute innovative ideas or demonstrate creative problem-solving. This can be done through public recognition, rewards, or even small incentives. Even small ideas can turn into big successes. 
  • Ensure that your team has the necessary resources, tools, and support to pursue their creative ideas. This may include providing access to research materials, funding for experiments or prototypes, or allocating that dedicated time for innovation projects.
  • Encourage a mindset that views failure as an opportunity for growth and learning. Create a culture where team members feel comfortable taking risks and learning from their mistakes. Encourage reflection and sharing of lessons learned from both successful and unsuccessful endeavors.

Remember, leading creative and innovative teams is an ongoing process. You should continually assess and adapt your strategies based on the dynamics of your team. Keep in mind the changing business landscape as well. By creating an environment that nurtures and supports creativity, you can unlock the full innovative potential of your team and use AI to it’s full potential too.

Turn, Turn, Turn

Steve Keating 1 Comment

There was a great song preformed by The Byrds. I think it was from the 1960’s or maybe the 70’s. It’s one of those songs that when you get the tune into your head it’s hard to get it out. If you pay attention to the lyrics they are hard to get out of your head too. That’s because the lyrics describe the seasons of our lives better than any song I’ve heard. 

The name of the song is Turn Turn Turn. Here are the lyrics:

To everything (turn, turn, turn)

There is a season (turn, turn, turn)

And a time to every purpose, under heaven

A time to be born, a time to die

A time to plant, a time to reap

A time to kill, a time to heal

A time to laugh, a time to weep

To everything (turn, turn, turn)

There is a season (turn, turn, turn)

And a time to every purpose, under heaven

A time to build up, a time to break down

A time to dance, a time to mourn

A time to cast away stones, a time to gather stones together

To everything (turn, turn, turn)

There is a season (turn, turn, turn)

And a time to every purpose, under heaven

A time of love, a time of hate

A time of war, a time of peace

A time you may embrace, a time to refrain from embracing

To everything (turn, turn, turn)

There is a season (turn, turn, turn)

And a time to every purpose, under heaven

A time to gain, a time to lose

A time to rend, a time to sew

A time for love, a time for hate

A time for peace, I swear it’s not too late….

Our lives really are divided into seasons. I think many people know that, the challenges start when we don’t live that way. 

Much of the stress in our lives is caused by trying to extend a season for longer than it was intended. Relationships begin and end. Some last a very long time and some are gone before we know it. That’s life. 

Relationships are like glass. Sometimes it’s better to leave them broken than risk cutting yourself trying to put them back together. 

Careers are upended, often with little or no notice. I know an individual who lost his job early in the pandemic. He hasn’t worked since. He says he just can’t let go of what he had. He can’t begin anew because he is weighted down by a season that has passed. It’s time to turn, turn, turn but he insists on remaining in the past. 

As strange as it may sound the “advice” found in the lyrics of Turn Turn Turn is pretty sound. (Pardon the pun) Everything in life has a beginning and an end, when we remember that it makes the transition from one season to another a little easier. 

Let go what needs letting go of and realize that most everything will eventually need to be let go. When you do, you’ll live a happier and more productive life. 

Leading Through Change

Steve Keating 2 Comments

This may come as a surprise to some people but change is hard for most of us. It’s also hard to explain exactly why but for those of us who struggle with change we prefer “things” to stay as they are. At least things that affect us personally. 

I for one am not completely against all change, I know lots of people who I wish would change. Change how they talk, what they think, how they look…I mean who doesn’t think the world would be a better place if everyone was exactly like me…or maybe you. 🙂

Since that’s unlikely to ever happen it would benefit all of us if we were a bit more open to change and the differences that come with it. 

Leaders drive change…or at least they should. But many leaders don’t realize how difficult change can be for their people. The leader knows it is a good idea (primarily because it’s their idea) but their people’s initial reaction is frequently one of loss. 

Leaders need to understand that the majority of people feel a sense of loss whenever change happens in their lives. Even if something better is around the corner it’s human nature to focus on the familiar thing we won’t have anymore. People who can’t let go of the familiar, even to receive something better, limit their potential for growth. 

Leaders would do well to keep that in mind and be sure they aren’t just ordering change. They need to be selling change. Especially the benefit of the change. If you’re in a leadership position and you don’t think it’s your responsibility to sell change then you may be in a leadership position but you’re not leading.

If you’re in a leadership position and you can’t think of a benefit to the change then you shouldn’t be changing. And the reason for the change should never be “because I said so.” 

Winston Churchill said, “There is nothing wrong with change, if it is in the right direction.” Changes made by an organization’s leadership team should be in the direction of the organization’s vision and mission. When it is then the change becomes much easier to sell. If it isn’t then please reread the previous paragraph. 

Authentic Leadership requires a leader to be aware of their team’s struggles with change and communicate the need for change with compassion and empathy. Anything less and the leader will potentially create followers who work to make sure the change isn’t in the right direction. 

On a another subject…I’m trying something new on Twitter. It’s called “Super Followers.” For $5 a month, that’s 17 cents a day, people can follow a part of my Twitter stream that is for subscribers only. It features short videos of me discussing leadership topics, sales tips and ideas for better overall relationships. I’m assuming there will be far fewer Subscribers than the million or so people who regularly follow me on Twitter. That will give me the opportunity to answer questions more throughly than I can on regular Twitter. Most of the answers will come in the evening cause we all have day jobs, right? Think of it as ”mentoring on demand!”

My goal with Subscribers is to build a better connection, one where I can perhaps help more and have a greater impact. I’m hoping it gives me a chance to mentor to a wider audience. It’s still new, we’ll see how it works. It’s a $5 dollar investment that may be the extra “push” you need to get to where you want to be. I’d be honored to be able to help get you there.

You can find more information by clicking the Subscribe button on my Twitter profile page IN THE TWITTER APP. http://twitter.com/leadtoday Give it a try if you’re so inclined, and if you are, be sure to let me know how I’m doing and how I can be of even more help.

Nothing Works Until You Do

Steve Keating 1 Comment

I remember back in the days I was selling Dale Carnegie Training. It can be argued that the Dale Carnegie Organization provides the best training in the world. It is most often argued by those people and companies who sell a competing training program. It is seldom argued by people who have completed a Dale Carnegie Course. 

What can’t be argued is that Dale Carnegie is the oldest training company doing business today. They also have by far the most “graduates” around the world. Despite many companies trying, Carnegie classes have never been successfully duplicated by another company. 

Yet when I was working with Dale Carnegie I refused to guarantee that successful completion of a course would result in the desired outcome. That’s because even though I knew the training would work I had no idea if the participant would. 

Many people who participated in a Dale Carnegie course viewed it as a kind of “magic bullet.” They assumed merely completing the course would be sufficient to experience positive growth and change. 

I remember working with one person from a large window manufacturing company. He was fairly desperate to improve his public speaking skills and was considering the Dale Carnegie Course to help him in that area. He had a lot of questions about the course. Particularly about the requirement that participants give a short presentation during each session. He asked if we had a course that could help him learn to overcome his fear of public speaking without having to actually speak in front of a group. 

I sensed he really wanted to get over that fear but he wasn’t ready to put in the effort required to do it. He wanted the course to do it for him. I declined to sell him the course.

I still see lots of people like that guy. They are willing to invest money or time in training programs but not the effort required to make the training work. They want something to change in their lives without being willing to change anything about themselves.

To those people I would say stop wasting your time and money on training programs. The best trainers and the best content will not work unless you’re personally willing to also work. If you lack the commitment to improve yourself you’re simply not going to improve. You are the only person who can make a long-lasting change to your life or career circumstances. 

You can’t buy confidence. You can’t buy the ability to sell more, you can only buy a course to help you develop those skills on your own. 

There is not a professional or personal development program in the world that will work if you’re not willing to work yourself. Not one. If you find someone trying to sell you a program who says their program “does the work for you” then you should know they are taking advantage of your laziness and lack of commitment to self-improvement. 

If you want to get better at anything then FIRST commit to put in the effort. If you’re unwilling to do that then keep your tuition in your pocket, it’ll do you just as much good there.

On a another subject…I’m trying something new on Twitter. It’s called “Super Followers.” For $5 a month, that’s 17 cents a day, people can follow a part of my Twitter stream that is for subscribers only. It features short videos of me discussing leadership topics, sales tips and ideas for better overall relationships. I’m assuming there will be far fewer Super Followers than the million or so people who regularly follow me on Twitter. That will give me the opportunity to answer questions more throughly than I can on regular Twitter. Most of the answers will come in the evening cause we all have day jobs, right? Think of it as ”mentoring on demand!”

My goal with SuperFollowers is to build a better connection, one where I can perhaps help more and have a greater impact. I’m hoping it gives me a chance to mentor to a wider audience. It’s still new, we’ll see how it works. It’s a $5 dollar investment that may be the extra “push” you need to get to where you want to be. I’d be honored to be able to help get you there. 

You can find more information by clicking the Super Follow button on my Twitter profile page IN THE TWITTER APP. http://twitter.com/leadtoday Give it a try if you’re so inclined, and if you are, be sure to let me know how I’m doing and how I can be of even more help.

Sticking With What Works

Steve Keating 3 Comments

Ya know, there are “things” that just work. But some people insist on trying to make them work better. Why can’t they leave well enough alone?

I vaguely remember, at least I think I remember, seeing an old washing machine in the house where I grew up. Attached to the top of it were a couple of rollers. I don’t remember ever seeing it work but apparently when the washing machine was done you put the clothes through the rollers and it would squeeze all the water out of the clothes. I think those were around for a while so they must have worked at least okay.

Yet somebody decided they didn’t work well enough. So they made the washing machine “better” by adding a cycle where the tub spins around real fast and that somehow forces the water out of the clothes. As I have no experience with the old machines with the rollers I can’t say from experience if the new way is better or not. 

Now most of you are thinking at this point the it’s obvious that the new way of washing clothes is much better than the old way. But here’s my question for you.

If we were back in the day of the old fashioned washing machines how many of you would have taken the initiative to make it better? How many of you would have complained about it every time you washed clothes? How many of you would have said, “somebody ought to do something about this?”

How many of you have ever stopped long enough to realize you’re somebody?

The most successful people don’t ask why. They ask why not. They don’t say “somebody” ought to do it. They say, “I’m going to do it.” The most successful people act on their thoughts. 

Here’s an idea, the next time you see a problem don’t complain about it. Don’t hope “somebody” does something. Make the decision to do something about it yourself. Even if you see something that appears to be working well look a little deeper and ask yourself if it could work better. 

Then do something that most people won’t do…TAKE ACTION. 

Sticking with what works makes sense right up until somebody makes something that works better. Why not be that somebody today?

On a completely different subject…I’m trying something new out over on Twitter. It’s called “Super Followers.” For $5 a month people can follow a part of my Twitter steam that is for subscribers only. It features primarily short videos of me talking about the kind of things I tweet and blog about. But the best part is I’m assuming there will be far fewer Super Followers than regular followers. That will give me the opportunity to answer questions more throughly than I can on regular Twitter. Most of the answers will come in the evening cause we all have day jobs, right? Think of it as ”mentoring on demand!”

You can find more information by clicking the Super Follow button on my Twitter profile page. http://twitter.com/leadtoday (You may need to refresh the page to see the Super Follow Button) Give it a try if you’re so inclined, I can’t promise it will last for a long time but I can promise the content will be helpful as long as it does. 

Take Charge of Your Life

Steve Keating 3 Comments

Almost everyone I talk to says they would like “things” to improve in 2022. When asked to be more specific many of the people say, “you know, just things in general.”

Well, generally speaking “things” don’t improve until somebody improves them. I guess that’s where the “somebody ought to do something” phrase comes from.

People want improvement and they want somebody else to give it to them.

That would be nice if it worked that way and I suppose every once in a while it does. But waiting for “somebody” to do “something” to make your life “better” is kinda like waiting to win the lottery when you haven’t even purchased a ticket.

If you want to be sure of improvement this year then you need to realize that if it’s going to happen then YOU need to take responsibility for making it happen. Don’t wait on anything or anyone. Don’t hope for something good to happen, make something good happen.

Make a plan for self-improvement and then implement the plan. It can be professional improvement or improvement in your personal life. Maybe both. Be aware that some improvement will require that you start doing something that you may not particularly like doing. Other improvement will require that you perhaps stop doing something you like.

Oftentimes what we stop doing has more positive impact on our lives than what we start doing.

There are many things in your life that you don’t control but if you really want a better life then you must control the things you can…and they are many too. The most successful people accept responsibility for their lives.

They accept responsibility for what they do and what they didn’t do that they should have.

Change will happen in the New Year, the question is, will change happen to you or because of you? Will you be in control of your life in 2022 or allow “somebody” else to determine your life’s trajectory?

It’s a simple choice but it’s a choice that only you can make.

If This, Then That, If That, Then This

Steve Keating 4 Comments

The problem with making a plan is that the plan often fails. Some unforeseen “thing” happens and the whole plan falls apart.

That’s why I never make a plan. Instead, I make plans. My plans take on the look of a flow chart. It is full of one contingency after another. If this happens then I’ll do that. If that happens then I’ll do this…and on it goes. It is like having plans within your plans.

I review those plans on a regular basis and rewrite them as necessary at the beginning of each New Year. There is no better stress reducer than preparation and that has never been truer than in this particular year.

My “if this, then that” plans could never have foreseen what is happening in the world right now. But the combinations of my “if this, then that” plans do in fact account for nearly every single change and related consequences we’ve seen so far. And for me, as for many of you, some of those have been whoppers.

The whole “if this, then that” strategy comes from a single principle from a life changing book by Dale Carnegie. The title of that book is “How to Stop Worrying and Start Living.” It is far from Mr. Carnegie’s most famous work. But people who have also read his legendary “How to Win Friends and Influence People” would give the edge to what Carnegie folks call “The Worry Book.”

The principle says to “Consider the worst that can happen. Accept the worst. Try to improve upon the worst.” I don’t suppose Mr. Carnegie realized it at the time but that translates pretty well into “if that happens I’ll do this, if this happens I’ll do that.

Knowing what you’ll do in difficult circumstances offers you great peace of mind when those circumstances arrive. Making big decisions before they need to be made allows you to make much better decisions.

I guess I’m supposed to be stressed out by all that’s going on around me but I’ve reviewed every single “if this, then that” in my plans. I can’t find a single one that says “be stressed” so there is no stress to be found.

There is no stress because my wife and I are implementing plans we made 25 years ago. Frankly we are a little farther into the “if this, then that” scenarios than we would like to be but that’s fine because we are in complete control of our futures. No one else gets to decide them for us.

You can have that same authority over your life IF you make plans that contemplate every possible outcome. This type of planning takes a pretty serious investment of time but the return on that investment is peace of mind and that my friends is priceless.

I may not get to decide all of my circumstances but I have complete control over how I respond to them. You too can have complete control over the circumstances of your life if you’re willing to make the effort before you need to.

As for me, I’ll just follow my plans because I know exactly where they lead.