BQF Innovation BlogBQF Innovation BlogWe review business innovation issues. We discuss creativity, leaderhsip and innovation as part of a special interest group for the British Quality Foundation. Articles
Improve your Persuasive Power with the Three Greeks
2012-02-10 15:11:00 We often find ourselves in a position where we need to influence other people. We might want to change their mind, to sell them on an idea or to secure their agreement to a proposal. A fruitful way to approach these situations is to use the three Greeks, ancient concepts that are proven to work. ...
Three Innovations that shaped the Great War
2012-01-30 12:48:00 The recent successes of the dramas War Horse and Birdsong have revived interest in World War I and probably reinforced some stereotypes. The Great War of 1914 to 1918 was an extremely bloody conflict with more than 9 million combatants killed. It was characterised by static lines of defence and attacks which were repulsed with ... More About: Innovations
Innovation starts with a Point of Pain
2012-01-19 14:53:00 Necessity is the mother of invention. And pain can be the father of innovation. Whenever you or your customer has a problem, an inconvenience, a difficulty or a pain there is an opportunity for innovation. A new product or service is called for to alleviate the pain. Nick D’Aloisio is a 16 year old London ... More About: Pain , Innovation , Point
Lateral Thinking in Action ? the Car Parts Incubator Story
2012-01-09 12:58:00 Every year over one million babies die within 24 hours of birth. Most could be saved with the use of incubators, which are widely available in the developed world but not in under-developed countries. Much of the medical equipment that is donated to hospitals in these countries falls into disuse because of the lack of ... More About: Story , Action , Parts
Find out What People Really Think
2011-12-30 10:45:00 Here is an innovative idea for managers. Find out what your employees really think. Happiily is a site that lets employees speak honestly and anonymously. It means that they can give managers an early warning when there are problems. At the moment this Canadian start-up is offering its services free. It is an opportunity to ... More About: People , Innovation
Issue a Declaration of Innovation
2011-12-16 18:59:00 Many CEOs and leaders talk about the importance of innovation in their organisations. But often their words are bland and vague ? just a form of management-speak. If you want people to really believe then why not explain exactly what you mean with a Declaration of Innovation . The Declaration of Innovation is a statement of ...
How to use the Disney Method
2011-12-05 11:37:00 The Disney Method is a parallel thinking technique which has some similarities with the Six Hats. It is particularly useful as a group analysis tool for an issue and it leads to idea generation and idea review. The team adopts four different thinking modes as outsiders, dreamers, realisers and critics. Initially the group thinks as ...
Finding a new way to sell ? Innovation in Retail
2011-11-18 12:27:00 When consumer spending falls, as it has recently, retail becomes a desperately competitive business. The natural reaction is to compete on price with sales, customer discount coupons and special offers. However, there is always scope for innovation and as we walk down the high street we can see imaginative retail approaches to the business of ... More About: Retail , Innovation , Sell
Finding a new way to sell ? Innovation in Retail
2011-11-18 12:27:00 When consumer spending falls, as it has recently, retail becomes a desperately competitive business. The natural reaction is to compete on price with sales, customer discount coupons and special offers. However, there is always scope for innovation and as we walk down the high street we can see imaginative retail approaches to the business of ... More About: Retail , Innovation , Sell
Ask Childish Questions
2011-10-23 13:42:00 Edwin Land (1909 – 1991) was an American inventor who had studied Chemistry. On holiday he took a photograph of his three year old daughter. She asked why she could not see the result straight away and she kept asking why. Land pondered this question and an idea formed in his mind. He went on ... More About: Questions
Ask Childish Questions
2011-10-23 13:42:00 Edwin Land (1909 – 1991) was an American inventor who had studied Chemistry. On holiday he took a photograph of his three year old daughter. She asked why she could not see the result straight away and she kept asking why. Land pondered this question and an idea formed in his mind. He went on ... More About: Questions
Nine Tips to help you get Approval from your Boss for your Innovative Idea
2011-10-09 21:21:00 A common complaint that I hear when I run innovation workshops is this, ‘I have plenty of really creative ideas but my boss just isn’t interested in trying anything new. What can I do?’ Let’s leave aside the possibility that this view is itself distorted and take it at face value. It is a tricky ... More About: Tips , Idea , Boss
Nine Tips to help you get Approval from your Boss for your Innovative Idea
2011-10-09 21:21:00 A common complaint that I hear when I run innovation workshops is this, ‘I have plenty of really creative ideas but my boss just isn’t interested in trying anything new. What can I do?’ Let’s leave aside the possibility that this view is itself distorted and take it at face value. It is a tricky ... More About: Tips , Idea , Boss
Crowdsourcing ? In Search of Beautiful Minds
2011-10-04 12:17:00 Companies that want innovative and imaginative new ideas are increasingly working with outside scientists or even students says Carly Chynoweth in this article from the Sunday Times. Builder?s Breakfast crisps, Olay Regenerist skin cream and Red Lake gold mine in Canada have one thing in common: they are all based on ideas developed by outsiders. ... More About: Search , Beautiful , Minds
Crowdsourcing ? In Search of Beautiful Minds
2011-10-04 12:17:00 Companies that want innovative and imaginative new ideas are increasingly working with outside scientists or even students says Carly Chynoweth in this article from the Sunday Times. Builder?s Breakfast crisps, Olay Regenerist skin cream and Red Lake gold mine in Canada have one thing in common: they are all based on ideas developed by outsiders. ... More About: Search , Beautiful , Minds
Kotter?s 8 Point Plan for Leading Major Change
2011-09-27 11:25:00 I recently read Leading Change by John Kotter. It has become something of a classic among management books. He starts by listing eight reasons why major organisational change initiatives fail. He then goes on to give his eight point plan for leading change. The process he recommends is: Establish a Sense of Urgency Create a ... More About: Point
Kotter?s 8 Point Plan for Leading Major Change
2011-09-27 11:25:00 I recently read Leading Change by John Kotter. It has become something of a classic among management books. He starts by listing eight reasons why major organisational change initiatives fail. He then goes on to give his eight point plan for leading change. The process he recommends is: Establish a Sense of Urgency Create a ... More About: Point
Problem Analysis Techniques
2011-08-30 12:29:00 I have posted a short video tutorial on two problem analysis methods – Why, Why and Six Serving Men. I use these methods on my innovation workshops as tools to understand and unpack complex issues. If you are facing a tough challenge then try using one or both of these methods to analyse the issue ... More About: Analysis , Problem
Problem Analysis Techniques
2011-08-30 12:29:00 I have posted a short video tutorial on two problem analysis methods – Why, Why and Six Serving Men. I use these methods on my innovation workshops as tools to understand and unpack complex issues. If you are facing a tough challenge then try using one or both of these methods to analyse the issue ... More About: Analysis , Problem
Taming the Meetings Monster
2011-08-19 09:01:00 Do you spend too much time in meetings? If so you are in good company. One of the most common complaints of office workers is that their productivity is hampered by too many meetings and too many unproductive meetings. Here are some ways to tackle this problem. 1. Fewer attendees. The meeting should be restricted ... More About: Monster , Meetings
Taming the Meetings Monster
2011-08-19 09:01:00 Do you spend too much time in meetings? If so you are in good company. One of the most common complaints of office workers is that their productivity is hampered by too many meetings and too many unproductive meetings. Here are some ways to tackle this problem. 1. Fewer attendees. The meeting should be restricted ... More About: Monster , Meetings
Transfer the Job ? Get the Customer to do more
2011-08-09 11:17:00 Online check-in for flights is a great innovation. Instead of standing in line at the check-in desk I can select my seat and print my boarding card at the computer on my desk (or on my smart phone). For me, the passenger, online check-in offers time saving, control and convenience. For the airline it means ... More About: Customer , Transfer
Transfer the Job ? Get the Customer to do more
2011-08-09 11:17:00 Online check-in for flights is a great innovation. Instead of standing in line at the check-in desk I can select my seat and print my boarding card at the computer on my desk (or on my smart phone). For me, the passenger, online check-in offers time saving, control and convenience. For the airline it means ... More About: Customer , Transfer
Every Business Problem is an Opportunity for Innovation
2011-07-09 12:56:00 Very often a business problem turns into an opportunity for innovation. A good example concerns Japan Railways East, one of the world’s largest rail carriers. During the 1980s they constructed a new high-speed railway line running north of Tokyo. This involved drilling a long tunnel under a huge mountain, Mount Tanigawa. Once the tunnel ... More About: Business , Opportunity , Innovation , Problem
Every Business Problem is an Opportunity for Innovation
2011-07-09 12:56:00 Very often a business problem turns into an opportunity for innovation. A good example concerns Japan Railways East, one of the world’s largest rail carriers. During the 1980s they constructed a new high-speed railway line running north of Tokyo. This involved drilling a long tunnel under a huge mountain, Mount Tanigawa. Once the tunnel was ... More About: Business , Opportunity , Innovation , Problem
10 Questions to Ask Yourself before you start Your Own Business
2011-06-27 12:04:00 Paul Sloane If you are a brilliant innovator or a budding entrepreneur then you are probably thinking right now about starting your own business and making a great success of your wonderful idea. If you are then please read my list of 10 Questions to ask Yourself. As a taster here are the first ... More About: Business , Start
10 Questions to Ask Yourself before you start Your Own Business
2011-06-27 12:04:00 If you are a brilliant innovator or a budding entrepreneur then you are probably thinking right now about starting your own business and making a great success of your wonderful idea. If you are then please read my list of 10 Questions to ask Yourself. As a taster here are the first three: 1. Am ... More About: Business , Start
How to innovate with Services ? the Easyjet Approach
2011-06-11 14:14:00 How can you innovate with your services? A good approach is subtraction and addition. To see an example we can look at the low cost airlines like Easyjet, Ryanair or Southwestern. First they looked at the traditional elements of an airline’s service model and subtracted all the inessentials. Easyjet subtracted: Printed tickets Travel Agents Allocated seating ... More About: Services
The Easiest Way to Crush Creativity
2011-01-13 23:16:00 The easiest way to crush creativity is to find fault with new ideas which colleagues and subordinates bring forward. The more clever and more experienced you are, the easier it is to shoot holes in any proposal You can show your superior intelligence and highly honed management analysis skills by pointing out all the flaws in ... More About: Creativity
How to run a Corporate Advisory Board
More articles from this author:2011-01-04 11:51:00 I have facilitated Corporate Advisory Board (CAB) meetings for several clients. A CAB is a council of very senior representatives from a small number of key clients. The board meeting is a confidential sounding board where future plans and directions can be discussed. The CAB can be a powerful source of feedback, dialogue and ideas. ... More About: Innovation 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 |
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