IDEAS INTO OUTCOMES

Individuals and business teams often abound with good ideas, but sometimes struggle to actually do anything with them.

Life just tends to get in the way!

You know the situation – team or strategy meeting, whiteboards and flip charts, great ideas surfacing, energetic and robust conversation, big thoughts, perhaps some high level plans and then….  Pfssssst

‘Business’ just gets in the way, time evaporates, and the great ideas start to fade on the white board (or get in the way of the next meeting and are rubbed off even though its says ‘please keep’), or are lost in the back of a few diaries to never see sunlight again (at least not until their one year anniversary when they surface again). 

Added to that, there can be disappointment and even resentment by those that collaborated initially as a consequence of the promise perceived of the unfulfilled.

It’s frustrating, and it’s true.

Why does it happen, why do we let good ideas fade away, and what can you do to turn your great ideas into (even better) action:- 

1. Lack of (initial) ideation– Could the initial idea be better? Always starting with ‘what is the problem we are trying to solve (through this idea)?’ helps in the discovery and or validation of the idea,

2. Lack of accountability and commitment– no one owns it – unless someone is given and accepts clear responsibility for taking the idea forward (even if just for the initial stages), then the risk is everyone assumes it is someone else’s responsibility,

3. Lack of an initial action plan with milestones– there is 100% intent, but because there is no high level action plan with milestones or timing drafted, then timing and interest start to fade,

4. Effort versus benefit not understood– what seems to be a great idea can quickly fail because the benefits of implementing the idea don’t offset the ‘expense’,

5. Lack of executive commitment– whilst there is consensus that it is a good idea, commitment needs to be obtained from leadership to take it forward,

6. No meat on the bone– high-level plans are great but can be like using an atlas to find your way in a rugged national park. There needs to be meat on the bone to take the idea forward. What are the steps under the high level plan?

7. No view of the likely road blocks- who else is impacted? what resources are required, and how will they be obtained? funding? accountability for each step, and so on.

Sometimes the day to day of doing business means there isn't the capacity to move it forward, or the business is unsure or unable to map out the detail to take it from idea to action.

Importantly, where there is more than just intent, where there is commitment and focus, development and effective execution of ideas help businesses stay ahead of their competitors, engage their teams, operate more efficiently, improve customer experience and lead to an increase in profitability. 

If you would like mot know how Litmus 360 can help you improve the sales performance of your organisation, please call or send an email with your contact details to info@litmus360.com.au

#managingchange #businessimprovement #leadership