IDEATION

- IT'S A GREAT IDEA

FOR TRANSFORMING
INNOVATION INTO VALUE

NIGEL A.L. BROOKS

THE BUSINESS LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

Article reprint
 IDEATION - IT'S A GREAT IDEA FOR
TRANSFORMING INNOVATION INTO VALUE

Breakthrough ideas cannot be ignored if an enterprise is to be sustainable

over time. The entrepreneurial role includes the process of ideation -
forming and testing ideas in strategic planning, ad-hoc, and research and
development activities. The process includes brainstorming and focus
group sessions.

Entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs use innovative ideas as an enactor of

change to narrow gaps based upon wants and needs. Drivers of change
include competitive, economic, environmental, political, regulatory, social,
and technological trends. Ideas can be sourced from anywhere in an
enterprise, especially from those on the "front line" through employee
suggestion programs.

Opportunities for innovative ideas occur for both existing and new
paradigms - assumptions, concepts, practices, and values regarding a
community. In existing paradigms, ideas result from narrowing product
and/or service gaps in markets; narrowing market gaps for products and/or
services; narrowing gaps in product and/or service lines, functions, and
features; and improving effectiveness and efficiency by reengineering
current processes. New paradigms form from the development of new
technologies, from structural reengineering - different methods of
achieving the same result, and from strategic reengineering - changing the
result.

It is essential for every enterprise to develop plans that address both

development and reengineering initiatives to be sustainable. Strategic
plans address both long-term direction and short-term initiatives. Tactical
action plans address the deployment and execution of strategy in short-
term steps. Operational plans address sales and production activities -
quantifiable targets for markets, products, and constituencies in terms of
growth, share, rates, volumes, quality, and satisfaction. Financial plans
address the translation of strategic, tactical, and operational plans into
financial targets for cash flow, income, and capital utilization.

Ideally, innovative ideas would be generated during planning activities.

However, the innovation process is not linear. When breakthrough ideas
occur, they can actually be disruptive to planning and deployment
processes, and to markets. Ideas require scrutiny before being
implemented, and feedback is also essential from the community.

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New ideas can be examined during the next planning cycle if time permits.
However, a "hi-spot" review project can be initiated at any time on an "ad-
hoc" basis to determine the scope and impact of new ideas on current
plans and associated programs. Ideas that merit further analysis can be
examined in research and development activities.

Ideation is the process of forming and testing ideas in planning, ad-hoc,

and research and development activities. The process begins with some
candidate ideas for discussion, or with a "blank sheet." Either way, the
higher order effects often kick in during discussions that lead to either a
"reshaping" of the candidates, or to the formulation of better ideas that
would not have emerged otherwise.

The ideation process includes brainstorming sessions that are designed to

identify problems and create solutions through spontaneous group
discussion. Brainstorming sessions can be used to discuss ideas by
bringing representatives together from different functions of the enterprise,
and lead to the establishment of cross-functional teams for
implementation. However, brainstorming sessions require strong
facilitation in order to be effective based upon well defined objectives and
goals.

Brainstorming cannot be performed in a vacuum. It requires input from

posts that can be established to observe the behaviors of employee,
customer, supplier, investor, regulator, and competitor constituencies, and
listen to their feedback. Brainstorming also requires the use of critical
thinking - the process of analyzing, evaluating, and applying information
obtained from observations, experience, and communications.

Ideas which offer merit can be subjected to further qualitative and

quantitative research. The qualitative research discipline attempts to
understand human behavior; the quantitative research discipline attempts
to explain behavior using models, methodologies, and tools.

Focus groups are a form of qualitative research, and are intended to obtain
attitudes from samples of prospective or actual constituents based upon a
group discussion with a moderator. In a focus group meeting, participants
are asked to share their reactions, opinions, and recommendations
regarding ideas and concepts. Focus group meetings provide an informal
environment for discussion. However, their success is tied to the skills of
the moderator in keeping the discussion on track, the feedback focused,
and ensuring that certain members of the group do not dominate or
influence others.

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Whereas facilitators help individuals, groups, and teams achieve results,
moderators encourage discussion.

The ideation process is essential to transforming innovative ideas into

value for constituencies, developing new intellectual capital, and building
a better educated team-based workforce. Intellectual capital developed
from ideation must be protected.

Ideation is an "enterpriship" (entrepreneurship, leadership, and

management) competency.

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For more information...

For information about audiobooks, books, earticles, ebooks, and eseminars

offered by The Business Leadership Development Corporation visit
www.etailia.com

For more information about the discipline of enterpriship visit

www.enterpriship.com

To assess your individual competencies in thirty minutes or less, claim

your opportunity for instant access when you go to
www.individualcompetencies.com

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About Nigel A.L Brooks...

Nigel A.L Brooks is a management consultant to entrepreneurs, business

enterprise owners, executives, and managers, and the enterprises they
serve. He specializes in developing the entrepreneurial, leadership, and
managerial competencies that build sustainable advantage from vision to
value. He is an author and a frequent speaker.

He obtained his professional experience as a partner at Andersen

Consulting (now Accenture, Ltd.), as a vice president at Booz Allen
Hamilton, Inc. (now Booz and Company), as a senior vice president at the
American Express Company, as president of Javazona Cafes, Inc., and as
president of The Business Leadership Development Corporation. He has
been a contributing editor for the Bank Administration Institute magazine,
and has served on boards of entrepreneurial networks. He was educated at
the University of Exeter, Devon, United Kingdom.

His clients are in the financial services, food services, high-tech,

manufacturing and distribution, pharmaceuticals, oil and gas, professional
services, retail and wholesale, transportation, and government industries.

He has experience in North and Latin America, Europe and Asia-Pacific.

www.nigelalbrooks.com

About The Business Leadership Development Corporation (BLD)...

The Business Leadership Development Corporation is a professional

services firm that works with entrepreneurs, lifestyle business enterprise
owners, executives, and managers, and the enterprises they serve.

BLD develops entrepreneurial, leadership, and managerial competencies

that achieve performance excellence by building sustainable advantage
from vision to value through:

 Strategic Management Consulting

 Executive Coaching and Mentoring
 Professional Training via The Center For Business Leadership
Development (CBLD)
 Motivational Speaking

www.bldsolutions.com

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