At many companies, the mindset of managers stifles innovation and inhibits profitability. Some of the best money making ideas come from people who work on the front lines. Yet, employees often hear the same negative responses when they try to share them.
Does your management team react to suggestions with these phrases?
- Don’t be ridiculous.
- We’re not ready for that.
- Let’s shelve it for right now.
- That won’t work here.
- We need to think about it some more.
- Where did you dig up that idea?
- It’s too radical.
- We’ve done okay until now without it.
- It’s not practical.
- We’ve never done anything like that before.
- It’s too risky.
- Please, let’s get back to reality and be sensible.
- We can’t afford it.
- It’s too much work.
- You can’t be serious.
Obviously, a few of these answers are appropriate in some cases. But if your staff members hear them all the time, you’re sinking ideas that could make your company more profitable and efficient.
Better idea: Set up a suggestion box program so that employees have a formal system in place to propose ideas.
Copyright 2016