Reviewing the innovation strategy challenges business executives identified when downloading Brainzooming eBooks, they frequently mention gaining “buy-in” for significant change initiatives. That’s no surprise. There are so many ways to botch involving employees (and community members, if that’s your audience) in developing and successfully implementing an innovation strategy.
Here are five keys we’ve found for successfully engaging employees in innovation strategy. Consider it “The Brainzooming Buy-In Manifesto,” written in the voice of your employee or community member.
The Brainzooming Buy-In Manifesto – 5 Keys to Engaging Employees in Innovation Strategy
Ask me to participate
Ask about my aspirations and hope for our organization. Help to me to productively contribute to identifying what we need to do and what it might mean for us. Let me share ideas for how we might be able to accomplish the changes we need to make.
Listen to my ideas
Let me share what I’ve been thinking about or maybe just imagined. Listen as I struggle to put words or images to big ideas that aren’t fully formed. Listen to the ideas you hoped to hear, and keep listening when I share challenging perspectives and ideas that aren’t nearly as comfortable to accept.
Incorporate my ideas in our collective direction
If I’ve shared ideas, I expect to be able to recognize how they shaped what we’re going to do. We may not do everything that I suggested, but I want to be able to see how my participation influenced or shaped the overall view of what we’re going to try to accomplish, and how we’ll make it happen.
Let me know what’s going on
I’ve shared my ideas. I don’t want them to simply go into a big black box and then have to comb through a document or internal announcement later to see what happened after I was involved. Even if I need to return to what I do every day, don’t forget I was part of the team in its earlier stages. We have a legitimate expectation to keep hearing about what’s happening even if my participation is reduced.
Talk in real words
When sharing ideas and information, use familiar language we use within our organization. Don’t hide questionable ideas or intentions in vague or jargon-filled language that obscures meaning and understanding.
That’s the Brainzooming Buy-In Manifesto
If you want engagement and ongoing participation for developing and implementing an innovation strategy, start with these five keys. – Mike Brown
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