Category: Actionable Insights

Great ideas are the fuel that moves organizations forward. A new idea can streamline processes, solve problems or take your business in a new direction. While inspiration sometimes seems to come from nowhere, there are intentional steps you can take to encourage the development of great ideas.

Understanding Where Good Ideas Come From

Thinking that is both creative and productive involves two neural pathways. The associative pathway runs in the background of your mind. This network is responsible for making connections between disparate ideas. While this part of your brain can generate creative thoughts, these ideas may only amount to daydreaming if they have no practical application.

The normative network works in the foreground of your daily life, helping you make decisions and address problems. This pathway evaluates and adapts ideas so that they can work in the real world. When these networks work together, you can produce great ideas business leaders can put to use.

A Creative Mindset

“Creativity is just connecting things.” – Steve Jobs

People often do not give themselves credit for creativity. They imagine that truly creative ideas must lead to earth-shattering discoveries or great works of art. The reality is that innovative ideas are more about making connections or using current resources in new ways. There are several methods to foster a creative mindset.

Diversify Your Booklist

The bulk of your reading may focus on a single subject if you are trying to be an expert in a field. However, to make new connections, you must get input from a variety of sources. Reading books and listening to podcasts that take you to new places will build your resources for new ways of thinking.

Expand Your Social Circle

You are probably the most comfortable with people who share your worldview. Talking to individuals in different fields or from various backgrounds will challenge you to look at things in a new way.

Study Several Solutions to the Same Problem

Knowing the ways that other people solve challenges will improve your creativity skills. Looking at a problem from several angles enhances your ability to craft a creative solution.

Make Time for Creativity

Cultivating creative ideas is an intentional act. You may want to clear your schedule for some daily brainstorming. It can be helpful to do this early in the day when you are well-rested. An afternoon session during a brisk walk is another way to produce great ideas.

Personal Practices for Great Ideas

Meditation

A calm mind has space for new thoughts. Regular mediation practices teach you how to let go of unhelpful thought patterns and pay attention to great ideas.

Capture Ideas as They Arise

Inspired thoughts can come unexpectedly. The associative neural pathway may make a connection in the middle of the night or while you are doing mindless chores. Because your mind fills up with other tasks and decisions, you will likely forget your great ideas if you do not record them. Carry a notebook or use your favorite notetaking app on your phone to capture ideas before they slip away.

Encouraging Creativity at Work

“I begin with an idea, and then it becomes something else.” – Pablo Picasso

Cooperative Brainstorming

There is a tendency to associate great ideas with individuals like inventors and artists. In the workplace, creativity is often a group activity. The enthusiasm derived from a new insight is contagious. When people gather together, one great idea can inspire several possible applications.

Reduce Stress

When human beings are under stress, they tend to rely on standard solutions. Harried employees looking to meet close deadlines are unlikely to come up with anything new. Instead, they will take the easiest path to meet the goal. Reducing stress in the workplace allows people to relax, dream and develop.

Make Time for Creative Activities

To give priority to innovative thinking, you can build time for creativity into the daily schedule. This period might take the form of a group brainstorming challenge, or it might be 30 minutes set aside for personal projects or reading.

Break Routines

A workplace that is too comfortable can also block creative efforts. The subtle adjustments necessary to handle a schedule change can be enough to put the brain into problem-solving mode. Rearranging the layout of the workplace will also create small challenges.

Great ideas do not just belong to a few exceptional individuals. Anyone can improve their creative efforts by setting aside time and space for innovative thinking. Are you looking for help inspiring the creativity of your team? Get in touch with me. I would be thrilled to work with you.

One day, you were lying down on your yoga mat relaxing, in Shavasana when a brilliant work idea popped into your head. The next workday, you share your idea with your supervisor, and she is unimpressed. Pablo Picasso famously said, “Action is the foundational key to all success.” Here’s how to convince people to take action.

1. Make It Worth People’s Time to Listen to Your Idea

If you can’t get people to listen to you, then they won’t be able to consider your idea. People are busy. Many individuals struggle to find time to read, exercise, or eat properly. This means that they won’t listen to you if it seems like you’re wasting their time. When sharing your idea, be sure to explain quickly what your idea is and why it’s a good one. Connect your idea to their personal lives, workplace, or an organization that’s important to them.

To be an effective seller, you must be credible and passionate about your idea. People should be able to relate to you and see how your idea is beneficial. According to “The Influential Mind,” you’ll be more likely to influence the behavior of others when you do it based on common ground instead of trying to be right.

When you’re attempting to convince someone of something, it’s probably your instinct to change their beliefs or actions by sharing information that shows you are right and they are wrong. This usually fails because people will form a counterargument or walk away. Persuade others of your idea by using common ground.

People are social creatures. Many folks prefer to think that they have their own thoughts and ideas and that they aren’t impacted by what others say or do, but most really are influenced by others.

2. Show People That You Are Trustworthy

Once you show others that you care about your idea, they will start to see you as someone who is trustworthy. When you’re sharing your idea, those who are listening to you will wonder if they should trust what you’re saying. It’s important for people to feel comfortable in your presence.

Assess the mood of the people you are presenting to if the atmosphere in the room seems quiet or down, then they’ll be more open to ideas that appear safe. When people are feeling happy and excited, they’ll be more responsive to risky ideas.

Your listeners will search for internal and external encouragements to decide if you’re trustworthy. They will consider your reputation and the evidence that you’re presenting. Those you are presenting to will have questions, and you’ll want to do your best to answer them without their asking. The more trust and credibility that you have with your audience, the better your chances are of their considering your idea.

3. Outline the Actions and Simplify the Process

Once you’ve motivated your listeners to take action, explain how you intend to make your idea happen. At this stage, your audience is ready to consider your vision, but they will likely be unsure about how to implement it. Don’t leave without explaining the action steps.

The ability to persuade others requires more than just selling your idea. It’s about inspiring behavior changes or motivating people to act. Avoid inspiring people into taking steps without outlining how you intend for them to get there. When you explain the actions, you’ll decrease their fear and doubt. Simplify the action process to decrease any perceived risks. For instance, if you’re talking with someone who you believe would take your idea to his or her supervisor, then be prepared with a prewritten email that explains your idea clearly. That way, your thought is easy to share.

Gain support ahead of time. Before making your presentation, it would be helpful to talk to one or two people about your idea to get them on board with implementing it. Ask for feedback on your plan, even if you’re comfortable with everything about it. When you ask others for input, they’ll feel included and more supportive of what you’re trying to do.

4. Persuade People to Believe in You

Brainfluence is the art of using neuroscience and your knowledge of behavior patterns to persuade people to believe in you. While not every amazing idea that you have will come to fruition, how to convince someone of your way of thinking is invaluable.

Turn those ideas into action. Contact us at the Leonard Productivity Intelligence Institute to learn more about how to persuade others today.

Steps to Making Ideas Actionable

Joan Baez said, “Action is the antidote to despair.” Making ideas actionable seems easy enough, but everyday life has a tendency of getting in the way. This is why it’s essential to follow a set of steps. When you make a plan, one that you work on regularly, you’ll be able to turn your ideas into something concrete.

Turning Ideas Into Action Takes Determination

Your brain is fantastic. It has all kinds of ideas. Some of your ideas are bound to be silly, while others are simply marvelous. You might even consider them transformational. Sometimes, when you allow yourself to sink into creative thinking, the ability to sit with your thoughts is all you can handle.

If you are having trouble turning your ideas into action, stop, and assess. Are you spending your time on something else? Use that time to develop a few of your improvement plans instead—schedule planning time. Even if you dedicate an hour a day toward putting an idea into action, you may gain the clarity you need to get started.

Avoid trying out a bunch of different ideas without thinking them through. Establish a clear direction from start to finish. That way, you’ll be able to move from one step to another and eventually see your idea come to fruition.

The Details Behind Putting Ideas Into Action

Putting an idea into action takes time. Visualize yourself performing your idea. Please go through it step by step so that you’ll know every action that you need to take to turn your idea into a reality.

Plan to build some prototype even if your idea isn’t something physical. Then, have someone you trust to view it. Tweak your prototype to include their recommendations and create your final product.

In Jon Spence’s book “Awesomely Simple,” he offers sage advice for those ready to take action on their ideas to improve their business. He recommends six main strategies, which include focusing on:

• Vision
• People
• Performance culture
• Communication
• Urgency
• Customer focus

Turning Ideas Into Reality Is Helped by Neuroscience

There’s a reason why the phrase “getting lost in thought” is a common one. It’s easy to stay in the thought process and never get around to turning ideas into reality. Avoid this by drawing inspiration from people who have had to overcome immense challenges; people like Cathy Hutchinson. She is famous for being “the woman who drank the coffee.”

Why is she famous for performing such a simple action? Cathy suffered from a stroke in 1996, one that paralyzed her and prevented her from speaking. Hutchinson decided to take part in a clinical trial arranged by BrainGate2 in 2012. During the trial, Cathy used a “brain-machine interface” to convert something that she was thinking into action.

To take a drink of her coffee, Cathy imagined that her right arm was moving. The brain machine-turned her thought into action, making her famous. You can follow her lead using the same technique of thinking your way into action.

Take Action on Your Ideas in the Workplace

If you’re ready to take action on your ideas in the workplace, then start by tuning into your passions and natural interests. Be sure to work on building strong relationships with your employees and clients.

Consider what your industry or company could do better and tweak your workplace ideas for improvement purposes. Prepare your company to grow, and don’t let yourself become mired down in endless planning. Perpetual planning will prevent you from taking action. Pick an end day, and move forward on your idea to meet your deadline.

Being afraid to fail holds people back. Remember, you’re likely to make mistakes. Accept them and move past them as they occur. Trust that your aspiration is more significant than your fear of trying something new and challenging. Turning ideas into action is how you’ll grow your business and make it something special.

Get Started

Dale Carnegie said, “Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy.”

If you know what you want to do but need a push getting started, then I am here to help you. The Leonard Productivity Intelligence Institute helps business professionals develop ways to work smarter instead of harder. I’ll help you tap into your brilliant ideas and inspire you to take steps into making them a reality. To learn more, contact me at the Leonard Productivity Intelligence Institute today.

“Dad?” James asked his father.

“Yes?” his father responded, turning his gaze from the tv to his son.

“I’d like a bike,” James stated, looking hopeful.

“Oh? And how do you plan on getting this bike?” his father questioned with an amused look on his face.

James pouted, replying, “You won’t get it for me?”

His father chuckled, saying, “It would be much more rewarding for you to get the bike yourself. Don’t you think?”

“No,” James grimaced.

His father laughed and said, “James, trust me. It’ll be more satisfying to get the bike on your own than with my help. Why don’t you come up with some actionable ideas?”

“What are actionable ideas?” James asked.

“They are simply ideas that can be put into action. You want a bike, right? What are some actionable ideas you can create that will help you reach your goal?”

James’ brows furrowed in concentration. “I could…” he started after a while, “… I could do stuff around the house for money. I could save up my allowance. I could make a lemonade stand.”

“Those all sound great,” his father smiled. “Why don’t you write down your ideas and then develop to practical steps for each one?”

“Okay,” James smiled back. He scampered off excitedly.

“Nothing will work unless you do.” –Maya Angelou

What is an actionable idea? According to InnovationManagement.se, an actionable idea consists of three characteristics: sponsorship, observability, and measurability. In this article, we will explore ways to make ideas actionable.

According to Entrepreneur.com, there are four steps in order to make actionable ideas: Don’t fear failure, refine your idea, develop a plan, and don’t give up. Oprah Winfrey once said, “What other people label or might try to call failure, I have learned is just God’s way of pointing you in a new direction.” Failure is a part of life. When you learn to embrace that, everything changes. You’ll be able to confidently move forward and make your ideas a reality.

Refining your idea is a critical part of creating actionable ideas. I suggest asking yourself these following questions as you think about your idea:

1. What are my objectives?
2. What are my core values when it comes to this idea?
3. Why do I want this idea to come to fruition?
4. What do I hope to accomplish?

Developing a plan, according to Entrepreneur.com, consists of three elements: Action steps, backburner items, and references. According to the article on Entrepreneur.com, author Scott Belsky says, “Action steps are tasks that can be articulated and are verbs. These are the steps that you’ll want to put into action, assign to a timeline, and do.” Backburner items are “ideas that randomly come into your head.” References are “notes, articles, and supporting documents.” These are all important in developing a plan.

The last step, according to the article on Entrepreneur.com, is don’t give up. So many people quit before their ideas are realized. Vincent Van Gogh once said, “If you hear a voice within you say ‘you cannot paint,’ then by all means paint and that voice will be silenced.” Silence the voices in your head by persevering towards your goal. Life is hard, but not impossible. Keep going.

What is one thing you can do today to make your ideas actionable? Write it down and take action!