Page 77 - Free the Idea Monkey

GET GREAT IDEAS FLOWING WITH A JOB SWAP
I went to high school with hundreds of kids in each grade, which

made physical education a circus. But a technique that my gym
teachers used is a great model for how to infuse energy into your
team while generating powerful, new ideas at the same time.

Here’s what they did. The teachers could not
possibly create a game a hundred kids could
play, so they divided the gym into quadrants
and set up four games that were all coached
by a different instructor. At the
beginning of class, each coach would
describe his game, the challenge and
the rules. Then each kid was assigned
to a game. In one corner, kids would
be playing kickball, and in another
volleyball — you get the idea.

After 15 minutes or so, a whistle would blow and the head coach
would yell, “Rotate!” which would be the signal for each group to
go to the next game. We all got to play four different games, which
kept the class interesting, taught us new skills and it allowed kids to
show off their different talents.

This same, simple technique will work wonders inside your com-
pany. Formalizing ways for different departments and work teams to
“rotate” to focus on different challenges will create renewed energy
and result in big, new ideas.

Coming up with as many ideas as possible
is good, but not all ideas are created equal.

How do you go about screening them? Here
is the best initial, best sorting device we know.

Ask, does the idea:
1. identify a significant need

or insight?
2. naturally lead to the creation

of a product, service or business
model that meets that need?
3. have clear communication that
connects No. 1 to No. 2?

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