The Wisdom Of The Crowd

by Bill Collier

We’ve always done it this way.

I bet you’ve heard that one a few times. Regardless of whether you’ve heard your own employees say it, we all occasionally come into contact with businesses that:

• Are using outdated business practices.

• Never make any attempt to find out what their own industry’s leaders are doing.

• Never make any attempt to find out how other industries are solving problems and how those approaches could be applied to their own industry.

• Never challenge the status quo.

Many “new ideas” are nothing more than recycled, renamed and revamped versions of longtime, tried-and-true approaches. There are so many good ideas out there that it’s foolish – heck, even arrogant – to not tap into them ... no matter who you are or what you’ve accomplished. If you discover an idea that’s better than the way you’re now doing it, why not use it?

By the way, I’m not advocating copyright infringement, plagiarism or industrial espionage. I’m talking about adopting improved business practices – better ways of delivering customer service, motivating employees, increasing production and going to market.

And it’s a virtuous cycle: You become aware of an idea that someone else is using, and you adopt it. Over time you tweak and modify the idea. Eventually it becomes your own unique approach. Eventually someone else likes your idea enough to borrow it … and the cycle continues.

Here’s one way to jump-start a “Challenge the Status Quo Culture” at your company:

1. The owner/president sets the example. If you’re going to ask your people to seek out and implement good ideas, you need to be leading the charge.

2. Get everyone on board. This stuff isn’t just the CEO’s job. Make sure that everyone in your organization is on the constant lookout for ways to improve your business. Earn buy-in by explaining the benefits of learning, improving and changing versus the dangers of stagnation. Create excitement by using contests and rewards for ideas contributed.

3. Be willing to allow your people to spend some time and money on this effort. It may be appropriate to visit other companies, attend conferences, buy books … you get the idea. Consider adding an expense-budget line item for “business improvement.”

4. Look for best practices everywhere – including in-house. If your company is big enough to have several departments or locations, ideas and approaches used in one branch might be equally useful in others.

5. Keep it going. Periodically confirm that the new ideas are still being used and not being abandoned after adoption.
There’s a big, ever-changing world of business out there, and terrific ideas are all around. Get out of the office and take a fresh look. Tap into the wisdom of the crowd. You never know where your next big idea will come from.

Bill Collier is the St. Louis-area coach for The Great Game of Business. He helps businesses increase accountability and results with open-book management. He is the author of “How to Succeed as a Small Business Owner … and Still Have a Life.” Bill can be reached at 314-221-8558 or billcollier@greatgame.com. His blog is http://ggobstl.wordpress.com.