I’ve never seen a time in business when teams of people were put into competition with one another on a full-time basis to solve a specific problem when they were not successful. Below is a team problem-solving method that leverages competition and focused effort on a specifically scoped problem that unleashes a level of creativity that inspires the development of high-impact ideas.. Our experience in leading such events indicates that you should anticipate outstanding results from the teams.
THE INVESTMENT - IN YOUR PEOPLE: Form 3 teams of high-potential employees comprised of 5-people per team – identify 1 specific high-impact business challenge that needs to be solved – put the teams in a head-to-head competition to provide solutions to the challenge – allocate 72 straight uninterrupted hours to the teams so they can focus on creating a total of 6 possible solution proposals from which the executive leadership may select to implement. Our experience in leading such events tells us that you should anticipate outstanding results from the teams.
If you are the type of leader that believes this type of investment in your people is possible and after reading steps 1 - 15 below you are confident that you can do it on your own, then have at it. If you are the type of leader that believes this type of investment in your people is possible and you would like help organizing steps 1 - 15 below contact us at Incline Insights, LLC (https://www.inclineinsights.com/contact). We are experienced at helping clients organize, conduct, and realize the benefits of such events. However, if you are the type of leader that believes making this type of investment in your people is not possible, then don’t read the rest of this article, it will only frustrate you.
An overview of how to REALIZE THE ROI YOU MAKE IN YOUR PEOPLE - steps 1 - 15:
Executive Leadership Team – initial responsibilities:
Step 1: Identify and assign an executive leader to the event – a high visibility developmental opportunity for the right person in your organization
Step 2. Prioritize and scope a specific business challenge (sometimes called a problem) that needs to be solved … this should be a challenge that you have every intention of implementing a solution ... this is NOT a feel-good exercise
Step 3. Identify a specific set of criteria the solutions must meet
Step 4: Form 3 teams comprised of 5 high-potential employees per team … these should be people that recognize the opportunity and want to participate … not people that are assigned
Step 5: Present and clarify the specifically scoped challenge and the required solution criteria to the teams
Step 6: Facilitate a kick-off session to allow each team member to communicate the strengths they bring to this challenge and what they want to get out of the event
Competitive Team - responsibilities:
Step 7: Each team develops a best solution and a presentation – this generates 3 solutions
Step 8: Each team presents their best solution proposal and answers questions
Step 9: Each team is then assigned a proposal from another team and is required to dramatically improve their proposal – they then present their improvements – this generates 3 additional solutions for a total of 6 solutions
Executive Leadership Team – post-event responsibilities:
Step 10: Explain next steps to the teams, including accountabilities – then celebrate!
Step 11: Align on the most effective solution – one of those presented, or a combination of those presented
Step 12: Identify and form the implementation team – mostly from among those that participated in the competition
Step 13: Meet with the three competitive teams – announce the winning team – extend an award
Step 14: Announce implementation team members and conduct an After-Action Review – Note: this is usually a full-time project for the implementation team
THE RETURN ON THE INVESTMENT YOU MAKE IN YOUR PEOPLE:
Step: 15: Implement – sustain and leverage the results achieved
BENEFITS: Executive Leadership Team
1. Learn how to lead an event that rapidly surfaces high-impact solutions to prioritized business challenges
2. Gain a deeper understanding of how effectively their high-potentials operate in an autonomous, team-based environment, that requires the achievement of quantifiable objectives
3. Receive 6 solutions leading to 1 that will create positive business-impact
BENEFITS: Competition Team Members
1. Learn a solution development method that is highly-valued by executive leadership
2. Gain the visibility of executive leadership on a high-value project that provides you with the opportunity to demonstrate how effectively you operate in an autonomous, team-based environment, that requires the achievement of quantifiable objectives
3. An opportunity to be on the implementation team of a project that is highly valued by the executive leadership team
Tailored. Focused. Solutions.
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