If there were a formula for doing so, it would involve these four elements.

1. Skills to innovate - We can enhance the effectiveness of our ideas, and the ways we collaborate by learning new skills for generating and developing ideas. Skills force people to 'think about their thinking' which makes some uncomfortable. Skills create a common language and way of working. Test your own knowledge. Read the article on brainstorming. Would change anything at your next meeting?
2. Style of problem solving - The way people work together reflects their style (see Square Pegs in Round Holes). People must nurture their style of problem solving and learn to work on teams with people who don't think like them.
3. Opportunity to create - Leaders must create opportunities for people to create solutions to challenges. It starts with this‚ where is innovative thinking needed to make our group more successful next year? Leaders must provide direction. See article on decision making in this newsletter.
4. Motive to create - The public sector faces interesting times. One cohort is verging on retirement while another is very new. What motivates each differs. To support innovative thinking, leadership build trust above all else.

At the recent Canadian Society for Training and Development conference, a speaker mentioned the importance of introducing training to staff prior to the event. This got me thinking. Can I help the decision makers find the right words to explain this program? Two solutions came to mind:

Have you been in these situations?

• You reflect on your work and wonder, "Why did I miss something so obvious?"

• You review a staff decision and wonder, "Why didn't they think of this?"

Sometimes people ask why I focus on new ideas. My answer is simple: every decision starts with an idea. Every problem needs an idea. Every challenge, whether it's a new bedtime story for a six year old or a Department wanting a new health policy, starts with an idea.

Everyone thinks they can brainstorm. I was in a meeting recently and realized how few people actually know the technique. It's time to discover the insight that led to brainstorming.

It's about 1938. Alex Osborn watched staff meetings designed to make decisions on new advertising ideas. He saw that most ended in average ideas, not great ones. He started formal group sessions which were called 'brain storm' sessions. Brainstorming means, "Using the brain to storm a creative problem... and do so in commando fashion, with each stormer audaciously attacking the same objective!"

In 1953 he put his ideas into a book, 'Applied Imagination'. He spent 287 of 306 pages providing advice to help individuals harness their imagination more effectively. On page 288 he opened Chapter 25 with: "The reminder of this book will deal with ways in which we can step up our creativity if and when we collaborate with a partner or co-operate with a group." Most people ignore the first 287 pages of this book. Osborn said that you would not brainstorm with people not trained to do so.

Can you manage people who don't think like you?

By Ed Bernacki
(The full version of this article was published in Employment Today magazine in New Zealand)

Numerous articles are written to demonstrate how to eliminate the incompatible employee - those annoying staff that don't fit in. Perhaps the real problem is that we can't manage people who don't think like us. The result is you eliminate the diversity needed to tackle today's challenges.

Canadian Government Executive
Look for an article on innovation by Ed Bernacki in an upcoming issue of Canadian Government Executive.

Last Minute Innovation before budget close!
Ed Bernacki and the Idea Factory are in Canada for the month of March. Some dates are available for last minute sessions. Also, bulk purchases of innovation books and 2005 Yearly Idea Navigator Guides are available as well. Order on line!

The Idea Factory Abroad
Ed Bernacki was the only Canadian speaker at the recent National Speaker's Association conference in Cancun. He kicked off the product innovation group with a session on finding insights that lead to new ideas.

This led to an invitation to speak at the first ever international conference for professional speakers in Singapore April 2005.

Ed has also been asked to deliver this workshop on finding insights for new product ideas to the National Speakers Association conference in Atlanta in July. Over 2000 professional speakers will attend. He is one of just two Canadian speakers at this major yearly industry event.

Suggestion Box Programs Need Ideas
Ed Bernacki is also speaking at the US Employee Involvement Association conferences this 2005. To learn more of this association, you can read a recent newsletter that featured his writing.

Want to foster innovation?
A staff survey on innovation raised this comment: I'd love to see a challenge board that identifies areas where we need to improve as a Region, as an Office, as a Directorate, and some requested solutions (for specific problems we may not be aware of). And this should be part of our regular staff meetings and annual business planning.

The idea is simple and brilliant. This person wants to direct their ideas. Help them.