David Goldsmith - Innovating Everywhere: Paid to Think

What you should know about your Paid to THINK Single

Here are a couple of tips you should know now about the Paid to THINK Single. The Paid to THINK Single is being offered to decision makers as an educational tool, designed from a long history of people seeking to use portions of content in their quests to do their jobs better. Over the years, countless leaders have received and utilized single chapters from Paid to THINK effectively to solve certain challenges and create opportunities, and now they are available to you, too.

Although each Paid to THINK Single stands on its own as a proven educational resource, be aware that within the content of certain Paid to THINK Single books, you may come across references to other Paid to THINK Singles or to the full edition of Paid to THINK. In these instances, you may want a full edition of Paid to THINK on hand to clarify terminology and concepts not fully described in this particular Paid to THINK Single.

Regardless, leaders and managers have used Paid to THINK Singles as cost-effective means of sharing information with other leaders and/or stakeholders. For instance, if you want to get six managers and 34 group members up to speed on a particular topic rapidly, you dont have to purchase 40 copies of Paid to THINK and ask everyone to read only one chapter within the larger book. Instead, you can economically teach your people by simply securing six copies of Paid to THINK for your leadership team and 34 copies of a Paid to THINK Single and achieve the same outcome!

Paid to THINK Singles offer additional value to people working in NGOs (non-governmental organizations), NPOs (non-profit organizations), and in emerging markets where the need for leadership information is great but where budgets may not be ample enough to cover pricey educational tools and methods. Luckily, Paid to THINK Single gives more people the opportunity to learn and develop..

Paid to THINK Singles make great gifts, and theyre convenient for those who dont want a full book. Whatever your purpose in choosing a Paid to THINK Single, youll find it to be an economical and easy way to learn.

This book is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information about business and leadership. Neither the author nor the publisher is engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional services, by publishing this book. If any such assistance is required, the services of a qualified financial professional should be sought. The author and publisher will not be responsible for any liability, loss, or risk incurred as a result of the use and application of any information contained in this book.

This book contained single-subject material from the book Paid to THINK. Content within this Paid to THINK Single, therefore, does not necessarily cover all the terminology or descriptive material referenced within that pertains to the comprehensive resource Paid to THINK.

Copyright 2012 by David Goldsmith

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available for this title.

978-1-937856-54-0

Editing by Lorrie Goldsmith

Copyediting by Shannon Kelly

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IM GOING TO TELL YOU a little story. On the surface, it will not appear all that interesting. Therefore, youll have to pay close attention to it, because I am going to quiz you at its conclusion.

His first meeting of the day took longer than he had allocated, and Sean had only twelve minutes before the next one to grab an espresso, phone his wife to confirm that a colleague would be joining them for dinner that night, and brief one of his managers who was out sick the day before about a new purchasing form.

He hopped the elevator to the second-floor caf, ordered his shot of caffeine with a splash of milk, and dashed to the elevator with cell phone in hand. Yes, thanks for taking care of the reservations, he finished while exiting the elevator. Just then, he spotted his manager.

Hold up, Sean motioned to the manager. I want to show you the new purchasing form. Andrea will fill you in on the details later.

Moments later, Sean slipped behind his desk and dialed up his Skype call. The next meeting would start on time.

Are you ready for your quiz? Perhaps you expect me to ask you what Sean did wrong or what he did right. Nope, neither. Heres your question: How many innovations did Sean encounter in those twelve minutes?

Even if you go back to the story and begin counting(1) the concept of office meetings, (2) espresso, (3) elevators, (4) the cell phone, (5) restaurants, (6) purchasing processes, (7) forms, (8) desk chairs with rolling wheels, (9) the Internetyou would still never accurately include all of them in your response. For example, what about the innovation of domesticating animals so that the splash of milk in Seans coffee didnt require Sean to chase down some poor cow in a field? Or consider all the processes involved in the mining, harvesting, and manufacturing of raw materials needed to build the elevator. We are completely enveloped by innovation, and throughout each and every day, innovations influence everything we do, think, and experience. Throughout the history of mankind, one innovation has built upon anotheror displaced it altogether. Yet when you look at your organization, how often do you see its components within the context of innovation? If youre not consciously innovating everywhere in order to drive the activities of your stakeholders and secure the survival of your organization, I expect that your outlook will be different by the time you finish this chapter.

All people are born innovators, but as they journey through childhood and into young adulthood, they become conditioned to color inside the lines both literally and figuratively. Research shows that people tend to lose their innovative spirit in early childhood. Advice from well-meaning parents and teachers channel most people away from free-spirited thinking and toward the conformity sold to them as entry tickets to good colleges and decent jobs. Society rewards the kids who dont question authority, who wont ask aloud why or why not, and who are willing to play along. If you want the letter of recommendation to gain entry to a college or job, being a renegade wont get you a very good one.

Perhaps looking back on your life, you can see how you bought into the fallacies that diminished your innovative tendencies until you tried to stand out as a go-getter, someone special or unique, to a college-admissions officer, a person interviewing you for a job, or a financial backer for your business. Although you may not have seen your need to stand out rather than to fit in within the context of innovating, thats just what it was. And today, when you want your organization to edge out competitors, grow, and prosper, you are continually required to innovate, whether its with products, people, departments, use of equipment, financing, or any other aspect of running your organization.