Page 82 - The Five Forces of Everything

Better Brainstorming

Gore, the company behind Gore-Tex, files more patents
that just about any other company globally. Could this be
connected to its rule that anyone can call a meeting, but
no one has to come? This initiative weeds out time-wasters
and ego-driven managers and encourages more productive
(and shorter) meetings.

Creating Conditions
Many companies are creating informal spaces where
conversations can flourish. Did you know that eighteenth
HOW TO century coffee houses were once a huge source of new ideas –

kick starting enterprises from insurance to magazines?

HAVE AN IDEA Gentle Push

Ideas often need a little incentive. Sometimes time pressure is
all that’s needed to focus minds and generate a winning thought.
The same can be said for conditions encouraging wit, energy and
quick-fire improvisation (see following page).

BUSINESS IS A BATTLE OF IDEAS, WHERE THE MOST Magpie Mind

SUCCESSFUL IDEAS MAKE THE HIGHEST RETURN. Projects that tap into different fields can benefit greatly.
SO, BEFORE FORMAL INNOVATION PROCESSES So, pick up things that work in one domain and explore how they
might be applied closer to home.
KICK IN, HOW DO YOU INCREASE THE CHANCE OF
HAVING A GOOD IDEA IN THE FIRST PLACE? Side Show
Google has invented the 20% rule, encouraging its staff to spend 20%
of their time on projects that might – or might not – lead anywhere.
Failure is encouraged, not least because it often informs what
might subsequently work.

Great ideas are not always eureka moments. Often, it’s more of a
slow burn, a hunch or something that just feels right even though
it isn’t fully formed. Company cultures that acknowledge this will
ultimately prove more effective.
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FIVE FORCES OF EVERYTHING