Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. I am blessed with many fond memories: spending time with family, enjoying home cooked meals and watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and football on TV. Thanksgiving is a time to step back from the challenges and stress of normal life and count our blessings.
Even with close to a 10% unemployment rate, some of us who are capable of working and lucky to be employed find reasons to complain about our jobs. We all have struggles or challenges that have the potential to make us stumble or help us learn and grow. Learn and grow is what we want, right? This year, I decided to take a moment and reflect on the positive facets of working for Allegis Group Services that I am truly thankful for. This exercise helped me remember everything the company has done for me, refueled the tank that keeps me working so hard and reinforced my decision to remain a loyal employee year after year. If you can take some time over the next few days to do the same, I hope you find renewed vigor and meaning in your career as well.
My reflection brought me back to the beginning of my recruiting career and reminded me how thankful I am for all the people in my life that have impacted and developed me into the professional I am today. After accepting an offer to join the company in 2005, I was partnered with an experienced mentor who taught me the fundamentals of recruiting. In collaboration with the learning plan my mentor was facilitating, the entire office provided endless guidance and invested precious time teaching me the techniques and strategies to make me a successful recruiter. Along the way I have also worked with many talented managers who taught me the intricacies of building and maintaining relationships, both personally and professionally. In 2007, I transitioned to Allegis Group Services and for the last four years I have built new relationships with coworkers with whom I share a mutually vested interest in our collective professional growth.
Continuing my reflection, I thought about some of the unique opportunities that were bestowed upon me as an employee of Allegis. I have been invited to attend our company’s national meeting on more than one occasion. One year we traveled to Denver, Colorado where employees from across the country gathered for meetings designed to educate and motivate. Our keynote speaker was Erik Weihenmayer, the first blind person to reach the summit of Mount Everest. Most people would never challenge themselves to perform such a feat and he did it without the sense of sight. Talk about motivation, wow! During this same meeting we were shuttled to the home of the NFL’s Denver Broncos where the entire stadium was open for us to eat, drink and play. Playing catch with coworkers on the field at Mile High Stadium is a memory I will have for the rest of my life.
For the past six years I have been steadily employed by Allegis Group with two different operating companies and five different roles. The internal leadership has been consistently excellent, encouraging its employees to reach aggressive goals time and time again. Thanks to Allegis, I have received top notch training and experience; built strong relationships both inside and outside of my company; traveled to new and exciting places; acquired great friends; and maintained the work/life balance necessary to stay happy and healthy. I know that as I proceed on this journey with Allegis, I will continue to gain excellent experience and make memories that will last a lifetime. On behalf of my coworkers across the globe, thank you Allegis Group and Happy Thanksgiving!
It’s that time of year again-- time to clear our Sunday afternoon schedules, throw some ice in the coolers, and head out to watch the big game. Football fans are amped up and ready to roll—and really, what’s not to love about the season? Crisp autumn weather, great times with family and friends, traditions of rivalry, exciting wins and crushing defeats… and, who isn’t at least a little bit amused by the over-the-top Superfans (there’s at least one in every group—if you can’t think of one, you’re probably it. Painted your face lately?).
We love football for all of these reasons, but also because our favored professional athletes can excite, entertain and inspire us. My personal favorite is Baltimore Ravens Linebacker Ray Lewis. Not because he is entering his sixteenth straight season in Baltimore; not because he is the Super Bowl XXXV MVP and a 12 time Pro-Bowler; not his huge hits and game-winning plays, and not even because it’s widely accepted that Ray will always be one of the greatest Defensive players ever to step up to the line—former teammate Todd Heap said it best: “It’s just Ray’s spirit. He brings passion to the field and makes everyone play better. He always has that fire—then backs it up with his play.”
While all of us may not be able to stand our ground against the toughest offenses in the country, earn millions of dollars and become national superstars, we can all play like Ray. In our chosen paths, if we have passion for achieving our goals, we can become elite and inspire those around us to succeed as well.
Whether personal or professional, passion is the key to long term success. Many of us want to excel at our careers, become better parents, overcome financial struggles, improve our health, etc., but how can we accomplish and maintain our goals without this intense driving force behind us? What will fuel the motivation and commitment required to excel? Most anyone can keep their efforts going when things are going their way; but only our passion for life, future goals or the task at hand can keep us getting up and coming back for more each time we are knocked down.
The enemy of motivation is indifference—and if you take a look around, you can usually spot it. Those displaying indifference are often grumpy, put-upon and generally unenthused. If you have passion for a cause, spread it around! Others will take notice and can benefit from your enthusiasm, especially in the work place; and who knows, they may just need a reminder! Think about it—would you rather build your organization by promoting the person with the chronic (and often contagious) “Case of the Mondays”, or the one whose commitment and excitement is undeniable? If you are passionate about achieving long-term success, advancing your career, and living your organization’s core values, let it shine through—you might be surprised at the changes you can affect for yourself and rouse in your co-workers.
It’s his passion for the game of football which makes Ray Lewis the heart and soul of the Baltimore Ravens Defense, and his passion for life which makes him an undeniable leader on the field. So, embrace, cultivate and above all, share yours—you never know where it may take you.
So, you have an important presentation to prep for, a program at your child’s school to attend and you still need to get groceries, do your banking, take the dog to the vet and try to make that Zumba class that you signed up for but rarely actually make it. Scenarios like this can lead to feelings of overwhelming stress and feelings of inadequacy. In the midst of this chaos, do you ever notice other women that seem to be able to juggle it all without missing a beat? There are those people out there that seem to thrive on this non-stop and constantly busy lifestyle but what about those of us that need to decompress? What about needing down time or a time out to catch your breath? A car ride is actually my salvation, alone time when I can sort out my thoughts. No radio, no phone calls – just quiet time that I can think clearly without interruption. Our family is blended, with me and my husband having demanding careers, five kids with all of their activities, and two dogs. We’ve gotten comments over the years that we were like the “Brady Bunch minus one”, but I never saw an episode with them having to deal with visitation schedules.
We all know that stress can cause health problems such as heart disease, obesity, depression and problems with digestive, immune, nervous and cardiovascular systems. Just as important, it can also lead to problems sleeping, eating disorders and anxiety/psychological conditions. Imagine the scare we got when my husband thought he was having a heart attack, but it turned out to be chest pains brought on by anxiety! Managing your stress can be one of the hardest jobs you’ve ever tackled, but the payoffs can change your quality of life. There is a way that you can handle everything life is dishing out! Here are some simple things that you can do in your everyday life to help your overall well-being .
1. Reduce your debt – financial worries can be a drain on your energy and a major stressor. Make a payment plan on your larger debts, possibly choose to pay a certain amount over the monthly payment to begin chipping away at the debt itself. Make a budget that you can stick to regarding spending money for the week. Find ways to have fun that don’t involve spending money. We pay extra on our mortgage each month and have enjoyed cooking out more at home this summer instead of going out.
2. Try online banking – manage your finances online and schedule automatic payments without needing to write out checks, balance your checkbook, lick stamps and visit the post office. This can save several hours of your time and give you increased visibility and control over your bank accounts.3. Disconnect – turn off your cell phone when you don’t want to be interrupted. Screen calls and use your voicemail feature to your advantage. Arrange a place in your home where you can “park” your electronics when you arrive home in the evenings. Ours is located on the dresser in the bedroom and the iPhones stay there and charge during our “at home” hours.4. Delegate chores – at home and at the office. Don’t try to do it all, ask for help! The kids can help mowing the lawn, doing the dishes and feeding the dogs, but you might want to draw the line at your husband doing the laundry….5. Let go of the myth of perfection – not everything you do has to be perfect. Trying to achieve this with every task is a mental and physical drain. Put forth your best effort but know it is ok to leave some things undone occasionally. Most days I can finish making the bed, but I have no excuse for that overgrown bush in my front yard.6. Learn to say “no” – there are simply times when you have too much going on to stay productive.Gradually get out of commitments that are not beneficial to you and leave yourself some room for down time and fun!7. Move, move, move – Be active each day, either by walking, hiking, playing a sport, running, doing yoga or going to a gym. Just make sure it’s something that you have fun doing. I enjoy pilates at my local gym.8. Find an activity that “calms” you – this can an activity that gets you moving such as exercise, housework or gardening. It also could be something lower key such as meditation, taking a nap or a bath, or reading. Any activity you like as long as it makes you feel centered and calm.9. Declutter – this sounds like work but can actually lead to a more peaceful environment. Get rid of things that are taking of space and not needed anymore; clean out a room or closet and take a load of donated items to a charity. You don’t have to accomplish this all at once and it can also be a “calming” activity for some.10. Be on time – or be early! Running late can cause major feelings of stress. Try to build in some buffer time when you know things might take longer than normal, such as mornings getting your kids ready for school and yourself ready for work. Leave extra time to get ready, for the commute or necessary errands.Sometimes there are larger obstacles and you need to enlist some outside help. Consider some of these options, but be prepared to pay for the convenience:
Working parents with children certainly do not corner the market when it comes to busy days and busy schedules. We all have commitments that fill our days – careers, volunteer activities, gym, book club, school activities, commuting, family obligations, etc. Tackling those situations that can cause stress with positive thoughts and constructive solutions can be a benefit to your well-being and the overall mental health of your family as well.
Part of providing a successful Managed Services Provider (MSP) offering is the ability to organically apply your services to clients in a way that strengthens partnerships and demonstrates overall value. One way is through integration of new and existing Independent Consultants.
Although most MSP programs primarily manage contingent labor, Independent Consultants are just as important as they deliver specialized services to the client and are utilized in mission critical and high profile initiatives. That being said, unless properly classified employing an Independent Consultant can open a client up to substantial risk. By definition, Independent Consultants are not W-2 employees and do not have payroll taxes withheld automatically. Taxation authorities have criteria to which they must adhere in order to be qualified to work independently. Failure to comply with these standards could result in reclassification by the IRS and could include substantial penalties and back-tax payments.
To avoid these issues many MSP programs will bring in an IC Engagement Specialty Vendor. This will allow the MSP to partner with the client to help identify and capture these workers while mitigating risk of misclassification. Another benefit of identifying potential IC’s is capturing rouge spend which for many IC engagements is substantial as they are
long term projects with high bill rates for deliverables. From experience I can say that identifying one IC typically leads to other possible engagements and can ultimately lead to expansion opportunities.
Engaging an IC should not be boiler plate. Each engagement is different based on the size, scope and preexisting relationships. A “one size fits all” approach is not the best way to apply your IC program as sometimes you really need to use “kid gloves” when engaging IC’s. I have found that front loading your approach with as much information leads to a smoother engagement. Assuming an IC is both comfortable and knowledgeable about the engagement process is simply poor planning. Clearly defining who, what, when, where, why and how from the beginning makes everything much easier. Issues like service fees or varying payment terms should come up after the engagement process. There should be no questions if you handle each engagement in this way.
Focusing on the word “Independent” will really help to define this process from a high level. IC’s operate the way they do primarily due to the overall freedom it provides. Putting structure around that freedom needs to be handled carefully and with as much respect and tact as possible.
Ultimately incorporating Independent Consultants into a MSP program will strengthen service offerings and overall value while capturing additional spend and mitigating risk to your client.
The author of this post, Tom Stover, is currently a Program Coordinator with Allegis Group Services supporting the WellPoint Healthcare program. Click here to learn more about Tom.
Having been in the recruiting industry for over 13 years, with over five of those years with Allegis Group Services, I have learned that most employees stay with a company where they feel valued and appreciated. Whether it is taking the time to listen, showing empathy, or offering perks, it makes an impact on employee morale and loyalty. While “caring” may not be the silver bullet in talent retention, it definitely has a high rank in my cosmos.
As most of us in the staffing industry know, there are many other retention factors out there such as compensation, work-life balance, and growth potential. Instead of conducting my own study on this topic, I analyzed the 2011 list of 100 Best Companies to Work For from the February 7th, 2011 issue of CNN Money. I initially focused on the 10 All Stars who have been on the list since it launched in 1998. These companies have a commonality that reinforces my “If you care, they will stay!” motto. Below are 5 out of those 10…
As I was going through the list of companies, I also found some fun perks and stats that caught my attention:
Click here to find out more about how they pick the 100 Best!
While my company did not make this list, it is certainly in a league of its own. Employees follow a “Whatever, Wherever, Whenever” mentality and are consistently recognized for their efforts. We all support each other through the good and challenging times and we all play a part in ensuring everyone, at every level, feels appreciated and valued.
About the author: Nia Nikolopoulos is currently a Director of Implementation with Allegis Group Services (AGS). Click here to learn more about Nia,
Human resources has changed over the last ten years. No longer solely concerned with administrating benefits and enforcing policies, it has evolved into a strategic role focused on cultivating and utilizing talent in an organization. Largely possible by innovations in software technology this trend towards acquiring, growing, and managing talent—or strategic HR—is improving the bottom line for companies of all sizes. The question many business leaders are asking is, “What exactly is strategic HR and how can it help my organization?”
Traditionally, HR was a staff oversight function, recording an endless amount of employee data and policy changes. HR professionals were the only ones able to access this important information. Now, HR processes such as hiring and talent management are far more collaborative, and valuable data is shared across the organization. Strategic HR takes this type of information and leverages it to info key business decisions.
In broadening the scope beyond their traditional functions, HR professionals are taking on new roles as organizational advocates, talent coaches and workforce consultants. This hybrid of HR functionality oversees three core strategic HR functions:
A key driver in the development of strategic HR has been the adoption of web-based HR software. HR software solutions focused on best practices in newly emerging functions (talent management, learning management, workforce management) involve both managers and employees in important processes like hiring and performance reviews. By automating core HR functions, managers have more time to focus on improving performance and efficiency. Furthermore, organizations are better able to take a strategic perspective on big-picture practices such as hiring better people, setting performance goals and improving talent effectiveness.
Organizations that are serious about transitioning into strategic HR should be prepared for some growing pains. Safeguard yourself and your organization, and take time to put in your due diligence now. If you do your homework, research best practices and compare software to find what best fits your unique organization, you can ease this transition. Establishing an effective, strategic HR framework that can grow with your organization over time is no small task, but it's undoubtedly worthwhile.
About the Author: Kyle Lagunas is the HR Analyst for Software Advice, a company that specializes in human resources software comparisons.
For as long as I can remember, I’ve been an avid moviegoer interested in a wide variety of film genres. Furthermore, I’ve seen numerous movies over the years that delivered important, valuable lessons about what it takes to reach and exceed your goals in life (personally and professionally). I’ve been thinking about these lessons and the individuals from whom they originate on the silver screen. It just so happens that the fictional characters I’m referring to happen to be unethical, dishonest and corrupt individuals. To further complicate things, they all exhibit important and inspiring (yes, that’s right) characteristics necessary for success in any marketplace.
Charged with the vital task of selecting the inaugural inductees to the Fictional Entrepreneur Hall of Fame, I carefully scrutinized and evaluated all nominated parties. In the end, a trio of upper echelon candidates with lasting forces that elicit both respect and disgust were elected for membership. For better or for worse, I present the 2011 inaugural class of the Fictional Entrepreneur Hall of Fame (in no particular order):
Martin Scorsese’s Casino, anchored by Robert De Niro as Sam "Ace" Rothstein, follows a sports bettor from the Midwest who moves to Las Vegas to manage the fictional Tangiers casino. His rise to power is executed almost flawlessly, thanks to his expertise as a gambling handicapper and odds-maker.
If you’ve seen Casino then you know this 3-hour epic is filled with dialogue portraying Sam Rothstein as a money-hungry shark with unwavering attention to detail. There’s one scene inside the Tangiers where Ace and a business associate are eating blueberry muffins that were made by the casino’s kitchen staff. After a few bites and comparison of the two muffins, he realizes there are significantly fewer blueberries in his than that of his casino floor manager. Cut to the next scene where Ace demands an explanation for the inconsistency in blueberry distribution resulting in a less than favorable treat. Furious and beside himself, he tells the chef, “From now on, I want you to put an equal amount of blueberries in each muffin….I don’t care how long it takes. Put an equal amount in each muffin.”
Success is rooted in your approach from the smallest detail to the largest issue of a product/service. No matter the issue, it’s crucial to handle situations with an equal passion, sense of ownership and accountability. Successful individuals, whether in business, sports, or arts, need to be committed to constant and never-ending improvement. If you want to be more successful, you need to ask yourself, “How can I make this better? How can I do it more efficiently?”
In today’s world, a certain amount of continuous improvement is necessary just to keep up with the rapid pace of change. New technologies are announced nearly every week. Improving is therefore necessary simply to survive. But to thrive, as successful people do (whether they’re fictional or not), a more dedicated approach to improvement is required.
Obvious choice. Gordon Gekko’s (Michael Douglas) passion and will to succeed resonate with me years after first watching the influential central figure of Oliver Stone’s 1987 drama Wall Street. Gekko's meticulously gelled-back hair, bevy of beautiful women, expensive cars and high-end suits made a lasting impression on Wall Street and has become a symbol in pop culture for uninhibited greed.
I personally don’t agree with cutting legal corners or engaging in dark deeds (i.e. insider trading) like Gekko but I do respect the man’s unshakable passion for success and opportunistic approach to business.
Gekko’s image is not helped by what many see as an immoral attitude towards power. It’s easy to have unfavorable feelings toward someone who brazenly says, “Greed, for lack of a better word, is good.” There’s no doubt that this character was corrupt, fraudulent and deceitful however he’s also a man with huge intellect and an even larger desire to beat his competition in the marketplace. If you want to reach the heights of success, dedicate yourself to persistent hard work. Competition is everywhere. In business, it’s the survival of the fittest. If you can gain a competitive advantage and outperform your competition, your chance of being successful should increase. Bottom line: Play to win, but never sacrifice your integrity for the sake of a few bucks.
Boiler Room is a film about a college dropout who, in an effort to please his overbearing father, gets a job as a stock broker and quickly is on the fast track to success. Unfortunately for him, things take a turn for the worse when he learns his job isn’t what he originally thought it would be.
Some of the more memorable scenes occur when Jim Young (Ben Affleck), a senior broker and head of Human Resources at J.T. Marlin, welcomes and periodically addresses new recruits in an executive conference room. At one point he says, “There's an important phrase that we use here, and think it's time that you all learned it. ‘Act as if.’ You understand what that means? Act as if you are the [expletive] President of this firm. ‘Act as if.’ Okay? ‘Act as if.’”
Portraying someone who “acts as if” creates an inner experience, a mind-set if you will, that can take you to the actual materialization of that experience. Be who you want to be and do the actions that go along with being that person. Successful people like Jim Young, “[he] drives a Ferrari 355 Cabriolet…what’s up,” ask for what they want and say what they don’t want. They think anything is possible, take risks, and celebrate their successes. These things don’t cost money, just intention. Once you know what that looks like, start being it – now.
The author of this post, Jordan Vandeputte, along with his other accomplishments, was a contributing member of the AGS GM Program Office that had been selected as a 2010 GM Supplier of the Year – an award recognizing the significant contributions of GM's suppliers as part of the company's global product and performance achievements. Click here to find out more about Jordan.
In today’s economy and competitive marketplace, it is important now more than ever to excel at developing strong relationships and partnerships with your customers. Of course, we all know the best way to do this is by providing superior customer service. So, what does it take to deliver SUPERIOR customer service? It’s more than just being an effective listener, being responsive and answering the phone every time. It’s even way more than being positive, professional and pleasant to work with or having strong attention to detail. While all of these traits are very important and key aspects of providing good customer service, we need to challenge ourselves to be more than that… to go above and beyond.
1. Be Accountable: Know your organization and your product or the service you provide. You must also know your customer and what makes them tick. What is their culture, their history? What are their concerns? How does the service you provide meet their needs? Being accountable also means that you must deliver on everything that you say you are going to do and in the timeframe you say you are going to do it in. If you miss a deadline or make a mistake, own up to it and figure out a way to resolve the issue. Failure to be accountable causes your customer to lose faith in you and the services being provided.
2. Be Innovative: I like to think my relationship with clients as a boat floating on the water: We just set sail, everything seems to be going great and we are sailing along without a care in the world…Everyone is happy. All of the sudden, we spring a leak! Our gut reaction is to quickly plug the hole and stop the leak, right? Well, wouldn’t you know it, five more leaks spring up! Why is that? Maybe we were too hasty in our attempts to stop the first leak that we didn’t realize the potential problems it would cause later on. Isn’t it better to take the time to get to the root cause of the problem rather than just continuing to “plug holes?” Challenge yourself to think outside of the box and propose brand new solutions or process enhancements. You never know….you may just be the one to revolutionize your business and the way your company operates! And guess what? You made your customer happy in the process!
3. Over-Communicate: Providing your customer with as much information you can is definitely better than nothing at all. However, there are limits, and sometimes too much information can be a bad thing. Be careful with communicating with your customer, you don’t want to end up sounding like Charlie Brown’s teacher! (“Wah, wah, wah, wah.”) My point is that you should put yourself in the customer’s shoes and anticipate the questions that you might receive. If you know what questions/objections you might encounter up front, then you can address them before your customer has a chance to bring anything up. Your customer will walk away feeling confident that you’re the right person for the job and that they are in good hands.
4. Don’t be afraid to say “NO”: The customer is always right…. Right? Not always. I recently read a blog entitled “Saying ‘No’ To Customers Can Save Your Company” where the author stated that “many businesses fail because their leaders lose focus while trying to incorporate all (or many) of their customers’ suggestions.” We do this because saying yes makes the customer happy. Additional he writes that “making customers temporarily happy while destroying your company is, in Crowdspring’s opinion, an unacceptable cost. No company has unlimited resources and when you say yes to customers – you’re committing – and often, over-committing – those resources.” There comes a time when the customer’s expectations of your product, service or turnaround time becomes unreasonable. The balance here is knowing how to let the customer down easy. Be prepared to share the reasons why you are turning their suggestion down. After all, we are the subject matter experts and the customer hired us for a reason, right? It is important to focus on providing an alternative solution to satisfy their needs.
Going beyond what traditionally constitutes quality customer service is what will set you apart from your competitors. In addition to having a very satisfied customer, you will have earned their respect, demonstrated an innovative and reliable customer service experience, and you will have just re-branded yourself, and your company!
The author of this post, Melissa Belardi, has been with Allegis Group Services and part of the Cummins program since March of 2010. She has nearly 7 years of recruiting and staffing experience within various industries including Light Industrial, Automotive, Admin/Clerical, Pharmaceutical Sales, and Clinical Research.
Click here to find out more about Melissa.
Allegis Group Services’ culture of service extends itself, beyond what we bring to the table for our customers, and into how we work with each other. The company culture is characterized by
The W3 (Whatever, Wherever, Whenever ) Award, among the most prestigious internal distinctions, is offered to team members who most embody the culture. Nominees are elected by their team members, determined by the executive team and recognized as people to epitomize and follow within the company.
The W3 Award is described as:“W3 is a classic part of our culture and the reason for our company’s continued success. W3 is a spirit; it’s a state of mind that guides us down the path to accomplishment. W3 is doing whatever it takes, wherever it is needed, whenever it is necessary to get the job done.”
Here is what the past years winners have to say:
Nia Nikolopoulos – 2011 Winner
Anne Fortino – 2010 Winner
“Being nominated by my peers for, and ultimately being given, an award that acknowledges the W3 mentality was the utmost validation that the hard work and commitment is not only recognized and appreciated but that it truly made an impact. I treasure the moment I was given the opportunity to share my story at the AGS National Meeting, thank those who have helped me along the way, and stop to enjoy what was a culmination of my time at AGS up to that point.”
Tom Jewett – 2009 Winner
“The W3 Award, in many ways, is a representation of the Allegis spirit in servicing all that you encounter. This can include your customers, colleagues, leadership, and partners. It’s a representation of going above and beyond to ensure success for the organization and its resources. The W3 spirit is often times recognized as a difference maker for our company and has assisted in our organizational growth and success.
For these reasons, to be recognized by our leadership at the National Meeting was certainly a career highlight. Upon receiving the W3 Award, I felt an immediate sense of overwhelming pride and gratitude to my mentors and former leaders in that I was being recognized for qualities they instilled in me. To be awarded was incredibly humbling in that there are many fellow colleagues that greatly demonstrate W3 every day.
W3 is an important component of the AGS culture and is often times what further motivates me on a daily basis. To work with other talented professionals within our organization that are passionately producing great results is inspiring. Often times, when I’ve listened to employees speak with pride in working for AGS, the acknowledgement of W3 traits is often shared. To know that our leadership team values and recognizes these efforts only puts further validation of the importance of W3.”
Jessi Guenther – 2008 Winner
“The inaugural W3 award in 2008 was touted the ‘best kept secret at AGS’. I clearly remember where I was sitting, at the very first AGS meeting in Baltimore, when Chris Hartman called my name. It was a shock and a thrill to be recognized by the leadership team and that trust and acknowledgement continues to propel me today. 14 years with Allegis Group, 7 of them at AGS, I’m so humbled by the selflessness of the people around me; the regular acts of ‘above and beyond’ that are so prevalent in our “halls”. W3 is a state of mind that continues to evolve as we mature. The people of AGS who are doing and want to do extraordinary things understand that and will be recognized for it.”
Think you would be a fit with our culture?
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Are you encouraging the creative thinking needed to transform your organization to the next level?
Double entendre’s aside, everyone is trying to find the path to innovation these days. A wise man recently imparted to my group some colorful and explicit words surrounding a company’s need to “innovate or die”. He went on to explain how he thought that we would be a failure as a company if next year we remained static with what we are doing today. This is a pretty bold, but true statement, even for a business group thought to be the leading innovator of a $6.4 billion organization. Revenue follows innovation. And if weren’t for innovation, where might we be today? Tomorrow? In this day and age it's easy for most to stick with the status quo or go with the ‘if it aint broke don’t fix it” mantra…but failure to come up with something new could be the end.
The rise and fall of Polaroid
Polaroid dominated the photo industry in the 80’s. They had expertise in optics, manufacturing and mass market distribution. The company followed a ‘razors and blades’ business model. Essentially they sold their cameras at a low margin, sometimes even at a loss, but made their money through selling high volumes of exclusive film, very much like Gillette does with its razors. Then came the digital imaging revolution, which saw strong resistance from Polaroid’s senior executive management. Ultimately they were late to adopt the new technology and missed the proverbial boat. This led them down the troubled path of near extinction, not to mention a host of bankruptcies.
Where’s the film?
Polaroid’s executives could not understand or adapt to the business concept of a camera with no film. This was a complete change in the way they did business. Why couldn’t management endorse the revolution? Tradition had built powerful mental models that prevented them from recognizing change and the future of the industry. These mental models are powerful and can stifle creativity and block innovative thinking.
Breaking mental models and setting the groundwork for innovation
How do you break out and come up with creative solutions? Think about a time when you came up with something creative. How did the idea develop? What was the environment like? Now, think about a time that you were frustrated while brainstorming. What prevented you from focusing in on the solution?
Let’s take a lesson from some of the most innovative organizations in business. Leading firms like Apple, Ideo, Intuit and Pixar all have comparable front line methods for creating a healthy environment for innovative thinking. Below are some tips to stir the creative juices.
Some of the best ideas can come from the field or the very bottom of your organization. In 2008 two of Intuit’s newest employees came up with an initiative which led to 32 newly in-house generated ideas
Environment
Your surroundings are an essential part of the process. Try your best to eliminate distractions that might arise from an uncomfortable or sterile environment. Participants are encouraged to design their own workspace with unique décor and ambiance. Companies like Ideo went so far as to keep failed projects around. They firmly believe that it takes failed ideas to lead to ones that are a success. Their directive is to ask for forgiveness rather than permission when acting upon their ideas. All practices that help create a context conducive to creativity.
New beginnings
Polaroid may have been knocked down (multiple times), but shows resilience once again. They are proving that there is always room for innovation within an age old product or saturated industry. They have recently teamed with the eccentric superstar, Lady Gaga, to lead the launch of the new Polaroid Grey Label line. She is introducing a new wireless printer, picture-taking sunglasses, and a host of other products that work with their new Zink (zero ink) technology. As one of the top revenue generating female artists in the US today, Polaroid is banking that Gaga will continue to turn everything she touches into gold. I think her achievements are directly related to her ability to innovate and reinvent. Do you think her success can be attributed to pure talent? Or does she follow a process and create an environment that is conducive to breaking those engrained mental models? It’s time to unleash your team’s potential by opening the door to creativity.
Participate in our poll
Does your company have a process or create an environment that promotes innovation? Leave the answer in the comments section and we will post the results.