Seeking Initiative and Innovation? Reward Failure!

Written by Jim McCormick


Continued from page 1

Five percent said they had no risk hesitancy. The balance ofrepparttar 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,repparttar 104701 balance ofrepparttar 104702 responses fell into a variety of categories but again focused on time and resource constraints.

Insights

The message ofrepparttar 104703 respondents is clear.

The survey data shows thatrepparttar 104704 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 ofrepparttar 104705 outcome ofrepparttar 104706 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 communicaterepparttar 104707 risk profile you are asking your people to adopt and why it is important torepparttar 104708 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 gleaningrepparttar 104709 lessons from unsuccessful risks. Communicaterepparttar 104710 lessons.

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

“A Culture of Screw-Ups”

Increasingrepparttar 104711 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 definesrepparttar 104712 organization. But it can be gradually changed by implementingrepparttar 104713 steps above, being consistent in emphasizingrepparttar 104714 importance torepparttar 104715 organization of taking thoughtful risks and rewarding initiative and innovation.

If you are questioningrepparttar 104716 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 inrepparttar 104717 1990s. He saysrepparttar 104718 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 ofrepparttar 104719 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 andrepparttar 104720 above information aboutrepparttar 104721 author is included in its entirety.

Jim McCormick is an MBA, former corporate Chief Operating Officer, three time skydiving World Record holder and was a member of an international expedition that skydived to the North Pole. More information is available at http://www.TakeRisks.com and 970.577.8700.


Opportunity Will Knock, If It Can Find the Door

Written by Glenn Beach


Continued from page 1

Next isrepparttar orientation of your desk withinrepparttar 104700 office space, and placement of objects inrepparttar 104701 room and onrepparttar 104702 desk. When you enter your office, stop and facerepparttar 104703 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, inrepparttar 104704 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 ofrepparttar 104705 door, and don't orient it so your back is torepparttar 104706 door. Either facerepparttar 104707 door directly or so you can seerepparttar 104708 door without turning.

2) Place things in each section ofrepparttar 104709 room that enhancerepparttar 104710 meaning of that area of your life. For example,repparttar 104711 obvious choice forrepparttar 104712 knowledge area is books relating to your work. A not so obvious addition would be an empty vessel, symbolizing openness to new knowledge. Inrepparttar 104713 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 inrepparttar 104714 helpful people area.

Family would be photos, or maybe religious objects if your foundation is your faith;repparttar 104715 health area stays open and uncluttered; and something you've created is placed inrepparttar 104716 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) Dorepparttar 104717 same withrepparttar 104718 arrangement of objects on your desk. Userepparttar 104719 same areas, but keep it simple. Balance outrepparttar 104720 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.

Glenn Beach is at home in Nova Scotia creating abundance in his home office with: http://www.work-at-home-business-opportunity-canada.com


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