Getting Others Involved

Good leaders know that they are not the only ones in the room with good ideas. In fact, those closest to the problem often have the best solutions. But getting others to share those ideas can be tricky. How can you entice those you work with to not only express their creativity but also act on it?

Two hands reaching out to each other.

Participatory Action

Getting your stakeholders engaged is key to the success of your product or service. Before launching something new or implementing changes, reach out to your end-users. Build feedback channels into your consumers' interactions with your organization. Surveys are a go-to medium for soliciting feedback, but they can also be impersonal, and over surveying your audience can make them apathetic. Another way to gather ideas is to invite your key stakeholders to discuss the changes you hope to make. By talking to them directly, you not only get to hear what matters most to them, but you also signal that you care personally about the impact that your organization's actions will have on them. In the end, consumers will feel bought into the process and will reflect more favorably on your organization.

Examples of participatory action:

• Focus groups

• Individual interviews with highly engaged stakeholders

• Attending community events

Communal Decision-making

Your team is full of new and innovative ideas for how to accomplish your goals, but they often need a push to share those thoughts. This may stem from differences in workplace expectations, negative past experiences with management, or simply not having the time or space to speak up. Getting your team's input helps them feel more ownership over the ideation process, making them more likely to stay engaged throughout the implementation and assessment stages.

Provide opportunities to engage your team by:

• Asking them about what is going well and what could be going better during one-on-one meetings

• Leading your team through a tiered brainstorming activity

• Conducting a pitch competition

Have you tried any of these approaches? What ideas or feedback did you get? I can't wait to hear it!