A critical aspect of innovation in the workplace is the ability to spot a possible issue and then creatively think of some solutions – call this "Stepping Back from The Wagon." I say solutions because of the danger of jumping to the first idea that comes to mind and trying that. Often, the best ideas are the ones that come from group discussion and the addition of a variety of perspectives and experiences.

This translates to teamwork, communications, perspective and the creative focused energies of a small number of people. Welcome to Square Wheels® as a powerful tool for generating the process of considered alternatives!
After all, if the group does not believe that a problem exists and that things are okay thumping and bumping along as they always have, there will be little motivation for change. Generally, one paradox of Square Wheels® states that most workgroups are likely meeting their current goals with current systems and processes and techniques for getting things done – there is sometimes little motivation for change and improvement and the inherent risks associated with doing things differently.

Scott Simmerman believes that allowing people to share their ideas about the things that do not work smoothly and to consider ideas for improvement, be it as part of a work team or as an individual performance initiative, creates a positive impact. While innovative ideas may come from the edges of organizations, implementation of these ideas often requires teamwork and peer support.

After all, "Nobody Ever Washes a Rental Car!" The concept of generating active ownership and sharing issues, problems and opportunities among a group of people involves, engages and enlists them in change and improvement initiatives. Support is what gets things done and peer support is a necessary ingredient for most workgroup successes as is a perceived gap between where things are now and how they could be.

Creating a culture of innovation requires a team effort and innovation generally occurs a little at a time with an occasional major breakthrough. It is the latter that can be instrumental in moving the culture to one that expects and supports improvement.

Unique among creative thinking and communications tools, Scott's Square Wheels® illustrations generate an engaging, interactive process of problem identification, new ideas and managing the change process. In his model, four factors will greatly influence change and innovation:

• Improving the attractiveness of the vision of the future,
• Increasing the current level of discomfort with the way things are now,
• Boosting feelings of success by individuals and groups, and
• Increasing peer support for improvements.

The length of Scott's presentations are flexible to your timeframe and desired outcomes and can vary from a motivating 90-minute presentation of ideas participants can use to a full or multi-day problem solving and implementation program. The latter can involve our team building programs that use the Square Wheels® metaphor, such as Innovate & Implement or The Collaboration Journey.

Pricing will depend on the length of the program, the travel time involved and the amount of customization required.

Scott has presented in over 30 countries with consistently high evaluations, often receiving "best in program" rating. These sessions are also quite memorable. Call him and let's get things moving:

For the FUN of It!