How To Keep Ideas, Solutions, And Innovation Flowing

Employees often resist sharing their ideas because they often feel unheard or appreciated. Learn what leaders can do to address this.

“How do I get my team to contribute more solutions and ways to improve the business?” It’s a frequent question we hear from leaders – and with good reason. What would it mean for you to have a team that solves more problems and contributes ideas that improve your customer experience?

For most leaders, a regular flow of ideas, solutions, and micro-innovations would change the game. As you navigate the realities of a world that’s been turned upside down by the economic disruption of Covid-19, every good idea brings you closer to success.

What Stops the Flow of Good Ideas?

In our research for Courageous Cultures we discovered that one reason people don’t speak up with these ideas is that they don’t believe their idea will be taken seriously (50%). Fifty-six percent of respondents said they are likely to withhold an idea out of concern that they won’t get credit.

Overcoming these perceptions is vital to maintaining a flow of solutions and innovations.

Now, you might be thinking, “Yes, I need good ideas, but most of the ideas people have are half-baked or miss the big picture. I don’t want to shut people down, but they’re not helping.”

Or perhaps you’re like one of our clients – a large financial institution that did a stellar job asking everyone for suggestions. One of the executives said that half of the ideas they received were concepts they had already implemented.

It turned out, however, that no one circled back to tell the employees that their ideas had been heard and were already implemented.

As a result, they’d accidentally reinforced the perceptions we found in our research: “Leadership doesn’t take my ideas seriously.” That perception discourages people from speaking up in the future.

The secret to overcome team members’ negative perceptions and maintain a flow of useful ideas and solutions is to respond in three steps: gratitude, information, and invitation. We call these three steps “Respond with Regard.”

How to Respond with Regard

A momentum-building response starts with gratitude – whether the idea is immediately useable or not, they took the time to think and speak up.

You get more of what you encourage and celebrate, so if you want more problem-solving and innovation, thank you is a good start. Follow up by adding information that will help them make better decisions. Close with an invitation to keep thinking and speaking up.

Let’s look at how these three steps play out with four different types of ideas you might receive.

1. The idea has already been implemented.

Gratitude: “Thanks so much for thinking about how we can be better.”

Information: “That was such a good idea that we’re actually already doing it. Here’s where you can learn more…”

Invitation: “I’d love to hear your thoughts on how might address…(a significant strategic goal or challenge).”

2. The idea is incomplete.

Gratitude: “I appreciate you taking the time to share this.”

Information: “Last year we tried a similar approach and we ran into challenges with competing customer experience priorities.”

Invitation: “I’d love to hear your thoughts on how might get the outcome you suggested and maintain or improve those customer experience outcomes.”

3. The idea is ready to be implemented.

Gratitude: “Thank you for thinking this through.”

Information: “We’re ready to give this a test run. I’d love for you to be part of that team. Here’s how you can get involved.”

Invitation: “As you’re testing that, I’d love to hear your thoughts on how it might help us solve…(a significant strategic goal or challenge).”

4. The idea will not move forward.

Gratitude: “I appreciate you thinking about how we can improve.”

Information: “This is a great idea to diversify our products. Right now, however, our top priority is improving our customer experience and that’s where we’re spending time and money.”

Invitation: “I would love to hear your thoughts about how we might improve our customer experience in these areas.”

As you respond with gratitude, information, and invitation, your team will know that you value their contributions and they’re much more likely to continue thinking and speaking up.

Karin Hurt and David Dye are the founders of Let’s Grow Leaders, an International Leadership Training Company and the authors of Courageous Cultures: How to Build Teams of Micro-Innovators, Problem Solvers, and Customer Advocates (get a free chapter and more) and Winning Well: A Manager’s Guide to Getting Results Without Losing Your Soul.

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