But No One Else Is Doing It!

By: Marilyn Mackenzie
Submitted: 2007-01-17 15:31:50
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No one else is doing it? Great! In business, sometimes we have to do things differently than everyone else in order to succeed or excel.

A friend of mine, many years ago, worked in an office where there were dozens of typists typing on manual typewriters. One day, they were all informed that they would have to learn to type on electric typewriters – NOW – because every manual was about to be replaced by an electric typewriter. No one else was doing that, and those typewriters were probably an expensive investment. Eventually, though, the office needed fewer typists, which saved them money. And the typists all learned to type even faster on electric typewriters than they had on manual ones. Other companies were not doing this, but this company decided to be one of the first.

In a company where I worked – again quite a few years ago – there was a graphics department where important work was designed and printed. There was also a typing pool where the overflow from department secretaries was sent. And then someone got the bright idea to install some word processing machines in still another room, where projects that were more complex than typing form letters, but didn’t have to look like professionally bound books could be created. Soon, those word processors took over many of the jobs that the graphic design department had been doing. And the company saved money, even though they were doing something new and different.

One company I know of was among the first to give every executive a computer of his/her own. They were expected to send routine memos themselves, rather than dictating them to a secretary or asking said secretary to write them. What a unique idea that was at the time. But now in most companies, people of all levels have computers on their desks for that very thing.

Still another company urged every employee to think of ways to improve the company in every way – customer service, production, productivity, public relations, whatever. They installed suggestion boxes on each floor and actually read each and every suggestion with open minds. They often called employees to the executive offices to discuss the suggestions they submitted. And if an idea was implemented and actually saved the company money, the person who submitted the suggestion was given recognition in the company newsletter and given a bonus for helping save the company money.

A few years ago, a major retailer decided to empower every employee to make decisions about refunds and adjustments, rather than always having to call a manager to help. Employees were given information that had been held back from them before – about overhead costs and the real costs of theft and shoplifting, among them. The changes in employee attitudes was immediately noticeable, even if the general public didn’t know the reason. Employees walked through the stores showing confidence in themselves and pride in their stores.

Having employees who are brave enough to suggest innovative ideas is something every company should desire and cultivate. Employers should want employees who care about their jobs and their companies. And yet, every day companies are experiencing declining profits because they refuse to listen to employees who actually perform the work. Companies refuse to be among the first to try new ideas, preferring, instead to keep doing what has always been done before.

New ideas can fail. But nothing that was tried and failed was truly a failure, if lessons were learned from the mistakes.

Sometimes the only difference in two otherwise identical companies is the way they treat their employees and the way and whether they institute change and take risks. And yet one will thrive and one will fail.

Does your company foster creativity? Or does it go about business every day mocking change?

Article source: Expert Articles