In some types of training seminars, participants will be placed in “hot seat” by facilitator or trainer. In this situation participant is asked very specific questions to help both them and facilitator better understand their situation. Then trainer will propose some very specific ideas that participant can apply.

On first glance this may seem like a boring event for other participants as one person’s situation is explored, prodded and probed. The reality is that if trainer does a good job of setting up process, each participant can learn much by answering same questions for themselves, reflecting on their answers and using process of creative emulation to apply lessons to their own business and situation.

These are three very different situations, all of which use process of creative emulation as a way to create new ideas and spawn new approaches.

How to Do It

The process is pretty straightforward:

1.Learn all you can about a successful business or business model. This includes reading, interviewing and researching it as much as you can.

2.Think about strengths of that business or process and see how it might strengthen your situation.

3.Look for ways to emulate, modify or adapt those success approaches into your situation.

Where do you find these model businesses? First of all it is important to realize that any business has some unique strength, even if they don’t recognize it, and even if they may not be super successful overall. With this realization, anyone can become a case study for you!

•Read local business section or Wall Street Journal more carefully.

•Read business magazines in industries different than you own.

•Attend a conference as a guest of a friend – in an industry completely different from your own.

•Learn more about people you meet at your next networking event. Don’t stop with exchanging names and business cards. Take real interest in their approaches and successes.

These approaches can get you started.

Brainstorming, benchmarking and problem solving are great tools in your tool bag, but remember you have other options. One of those options is creative emulation. You can apply it in many ways in your business or other professional pursuits.

This is an extremely important lesson for us as leaders. Being willing to do grunt work, dirty work (call it whatever you want - on farm there was some VERY dirty work) builds commitment and shows that all of work in organization is important.

As a leader, please don't push this off saying you want to delegate and make people responsible for their own work. Delegation and ownership is important to be sure. If you always delegate unpleasant stuff, but always want to help with more glamorous tasks, your comments of delegation will fall on deaf ears.

Help. Show up for clean up. Be a part of team. These actions will make you a better leader.