Five percent said they had no risk hesitancy. The balance of responses fell into many categories but focused on time and resource constraints.

Risk Catalysts

When asked what would make them more comfortable taking thoughtful, well-considered work-related risks, fully eight in ten said either assurances that less-than-ideal outcomes would not negatively effect their regard or career (49%) or clear direction and support from leadership to take risks (31%).

Eight percent reported that they were already comfortable taking risks. As with risk hesitancy, balance of responses fell into a variety of categories but again focused on time and resource constraints.

Insights

The message of respondents is clear.

The survey data shows that respondents were calling out for permission to take risks and a clear understanding that unsuccessful risks would not hamper their opportunities, regard or advancement.

The clear conclusion is that people who take thoughtful, well-considered risks have to be lauded, regardless of outcome of risk.

If you want to increase initiative and innovation, you have to encourage and embrace failure. A culture that punishes less-than-ideal risk-related outcomes will stifle both initiative and innovation.

Action Steps

Increasing initiative and innovation requires five simple steps.

1. Clearly communicate risk profile you are asking your people to adopt and why it is important to organization’s success.

2. Never allow an unsuccessful risk to hamper a team member’s opportunities and advancement.

3. Establish a high-profile award program that rewards BOTH risks that pay-off and well-considered risks that do not. Awards need to be announced simultaneously and rewarded identically.

4. Establish a formal non-critical process for gleaning lessons from unsuccessful risks. Communicate lessons.

5. Provide your people with situation-specific risk assessment tools to help them make better risk-related decisions.

“A Culture of Screw-Ups”

Increasing level of effective risk-taking, initiative and innovation in an organization is not a short-term process. Risk inclination and risk tolerance are core elements of an organization’s culture. It is part of what defines organization. But it can be gradually changed by implementing steps above, being consistent in emphasizing importance to organization of taking thoughtful risks and rewarding initiative and innovation.

If you are questioning value of a culture that encourages risk-taking as a path to success, consider this statement by Scott Bedbury as reported in Newsweek. Bedbury was head of advertising at Nike for seven years in 1990s. He says key to Nike’s success is its willingness to embrace “a culture of screw-ups. It really does learn from its mistakes.” An insightful comment about Nike – one of most successful and innovative companies of our time.

© 2004 Jim McCormick

Right to publish or post this article at no cost is granted provided copyright is attributed to Jim McCormick and above information about author is included in its entirety.

Next is orientation of your desk within office space, and placement of objects in room and on desk. When you enter your office, stop and face interior. Divide your office into 9 equal-sized areas. Each area represents an area of your life, and also relates to a color and an element. The front three, from left to right, are skills/knowledge/wisdom; career/life path; and helpful people ravel. The middle three are family/foundation; health; and creativity/children. The back three are abundance/prosperity; reputation/fame; and relationships/love/marriage.

The idea is to locate your desk, if possible, in area "where you work". Are you an artist or an teacher? A travel agent or a marriage counselor? A banker or a work at home entrepreneur? A few rules of thumb:

1) Never put your desk directly in front of door, and don't orient it so your back is to door. Either face door directly or so you can see door without turning.

2) Place things in each section of room that enhance meaning of that area of your life. For example, obvious choice for knowledge area is books relating to your work. A not so obvious addition would be an empty vessel, symbolizing openness to new knowledge. In career area might be milestones of your career such as diplomas or awards, or business cards and brochures, etc. Your phone, rolodex, and photo of your mentor might be in helpful people area.

Family would be photos, or maybe religious objects if your foundation is your faith; health area stays open and uncluttered; and something you've created is placed in creativity area.

Water is a universal symbol of abundance, so an aquarium, fountain, or even a picture of a waterfall would be appropriate. The reputation area would contain whatever you would like to be known for. The relationship area would contain momentos of loved ones, or symbols of love. You can put pairs of objects in this area: two roses, two photos or photos of pairs of friends.

3) Do same with arrangement of objects on your desk. Use same areas, but keep it simple. Balance out presence of electronic equipment with a plant or bouquet.

You can also enhance a particular area with color. There are colors that soothe (blue/greens), stimulate (reds), invite collaboration and social gatherings (oranges and browns), enhance mental activity (yellows), suggest oppulence and abundance(purples, maroons, reds). There is an element and color associated with each area also, but that is way too much to get into here.

Bottom line, though, is that your office has to feel good to YOU. Follow feng shui and your instincts and you'll create a more productive, abundant space.