There are those that say a business is only as good as the ideas that power it. When the ideas dry up the business fails to thrive. Although the reality may not be quite that harsh in the short-term it is definitely true in the long term. If you do not continue to produce ideas as a business that keep you current eventually your business will become obsolete simply through the march of time. Imagine the first producer of the gas lamp. They most certainly would have been a producer of cutting edge technology at the end of the nineteenth century, but if they did not change their product and adapt their ideas, they would be entirely irrelevant today.
For any business to survive in the long term they must constantly re-invent themselves. Producing new ideas, renewing contact with customers and the general public, and staying abreast of the times are not just hopeful goals but outright requirements. In many ways, a business's employees are their brain trust and the smart company takes advantage of this by having regular brainstorming sessions with breakout groups of employees. A really great way to do this is to hold 'supper' sessions just after work hours. Supply pizza and drinks, set up a conference room with white boards and plenty of markers and your brain trust goes to work.
For this type of brainstorming sessions it is best to prepare a few jump-off questions or statements to focus the discussions. Balance the 'talent' in the room between the dreamers and the doers. Your dreamers will be able to rattle off dozens of great ideas and your doers will be able to identify which of the ideas are most likely to work and help to establish implementation plans. This sort of group-think effort can be applied to everything from how to save money on copy paper to what the next great product should be. The only limit is time and your workers can be your best resource. Who would better know how to implement fresh change than those that will be doing the job on a daily basis. Why bring someone in and pay for ideas when they are blooming daily and perhaps remaining unpicked right in the midst of your company
Keeping your business relevant should be one of your number one priorities and employee brainstorming sessions is one very good way to accomplish that. Working in combination with training and business philosophy brainstorming provides a way to balance quality and cost and to help increase company profits. In the end run you want all of your employees to participate in the processes that make your business a success.
Tony Jacowski is a quality analyst for The MBA Journal. Aveta Solutions - Six Sigma Online ( http://www.sixsigmaonline.org ) offers online six sigma training and certification classes for lean six sigma, black belts, green belts, and yellow belts.
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