Turn Your Team’s Creativity Into Action To Reduce Conflict In The Workplace

By Joyce Weiss

Have you ever had a great idea for your company and got everyone excited about doing it, but then no one took action and the great idea died? Such is a common occurrence in organizations across the country. In fact, in most companies generating great ideas isn’t the problem – it’s turning those ideas into action that stalls a company’s growth.  This will also reduce conflict in the workplace.

In order to help your team take action on new ideas, use the following idea moving process to get from idea to final delivery.

1. Generate at least 50 ideas for your current dilemma.
How do you know if an idea is truly great unless you challenge it with new ideas? That’s why you need to generate a lot of ideas to get the idea process started. Have people write one idea per “sticky note.” During this phase, temporarily ignore rules and budgets. Anything goes. Don’t self-edit and don’t think anything is “stupid.” Encourage wild ideas from everyone; be playful. And since this is a group effort, feel free to expand on other people’s ideas. Remember, it’s not a competition.

2. Move the most exciting ideas forward.
Take all your sticky notes and group similar ideas together. Decide on a category heading for each group. Then, rather than decide on a single idea to pursue, begin by deciding on an idea-group that is most attractive given the current situation. Use past experience and current need to help with the decision process.

3. Remove hurdles and identify holes.Analyze the selected group and come up with reasons why the ideas may not work using the following questions to refine the idea to implementation:

• What are the consequences if we do these ideas as presented?
• What potential challenges could arise in the workplace?
• How will these ideas work within the available resources of time, money, and people?

If you don’t like your answers, refine the ideas – don’t kill them.

4. Create a specific step-by-step action plan.

Create a plan to ensure that the idea can be implemented successfully. Consider such things as:

• Training and resources: Does the timeline and task schedule require training or resources not currently at hand? If so, how do you get them?
• Budget: Do you have the financial resources to see the idea through to completion? If not, what creative things can you do to offset costs (trade out of products or services, use contract labor, etc.)?
• Timelines: What is the chronological order for doing each step?
• Celebration points: At what point will you celebrate milestones, and what celebration activities will be most appropriate?

Action is the Key to Results
When people have a thought-out plan for carrying out an idea, they are better equipped and better able to turn that idea into reality. So use this idea process for every dilemma, whether large or small. You’ll get the most creative solution for your current challenge, as well as the ability to turn that idea into action.  This will reduce conflict in the workplace to move your team to the next level.

Joyce Weiss, M.A., CSP is a conflict resolution consultant and accountability coach who provides bold solutions to boost the bottom line® for individuals and teams. She is the author of Take The Ride of Your Life.  Full Speed Ahead, and Communicate with Impact On Demand Course. Contact Joyce at 800.713.1926 or Joyce@JoyceWeiss.com. Resolve conflict and interpersonal issues by  looking at video blogs and podcasts at http://JoyceWeiss.com. Joyce invites you to visit Joyce’s Bold Solutions Newsletter to receive the Bold Solutions Ezine to improve your working condition.