Concept of innovation will thrive, survive and build teams

THE MANILA TIMES
Business Times p.B3
Thursday, September 15, 2005
http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2005/sept/15/yehey/business/20050915bus11.html

LEARNING & INNOVATION
By Moje Ramos-Aquino, FPM
Concept of innovation will thrive, survive and build teams

I ASKED my good friend, Elaine Dundon, author of The Seeds of Innovation (McGraw-Hill), for her short take on innovation and this is what she wrote: This concept called Innovation is garnering quite a lot of attention lately! This is because we are in the midst of a radical shift in the way we work. Competitive pressures have intensified, the adoption of new technology is more widespread, and the demand for quicker response times has escalated. As we move from linear to more complex relationships in our work (the shift to more horizontal organizations, the shift to a more open, networked work world, and the shift to more contract versus full-time assignments), we, of course, are feeling the pressure to improve our abilities to think more innovatively, and of course, to do so at an accelerated pace.

In order to survive and thrive in this new world, we can’t be obsessed with the way it has always, or hope that we don’t need to change. We need to learn how to “unlearn” some of our old ways of thinking to make room for new answers on how to adapt to this new world. In the gardening analogy that I used in the book, The Seeds of Innovation, we need to clear out the garden of old weeds in order to plant new seeds (ideas). If we don’t clear out old thinking in our gardens, we will waste resources tending to ideas that might have been good in the past but won’t benefit our future.

We also need to nurture this garden to protect the new seeds from the elements and ensure that they have a chance to take root (before we yank them out of the garden with such criticism as “that won’t work,” “that’s not the way we do things around here,” etc). We all have the ability to enhance our knowledge, skills and attitudes in the area of innovative thinking—but we must do it now, or we will miss the harvest in the months to come!

You may get in touch with Elaine at E-mail address Elaine@seedsofinnovation.com, or read more on innovation at her website: www.seedsofinnovation.com.

Here’s how innovation works in simple, yet profound ways, at PAHRDF-Sagric.

From Mark Flores: Here is the e-mail announcement on our activity in support of your cause.

WHAT: Karaoke Night!

WHEN: July 21, 2005, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

WHERE: Karaoke Lounge (Training Room)

WHY: We plan to sponsor elementary-school teachers of Tatalon to undergo a training that will contribute to the objectives of the program entitled, “Building a Creative and Caring Learning Environment” for elementary schools in Quezon City.

The program is being sponsored by the Rotary Club of Quezon City North, with Tatalon Elementary School as the lead school. The cost of the training is P2,500 for every teacher which will include four whole-day sessions, food, materials and other administrative expenses.

During the karaoke night, there is no cover charge but you can donate any amount for every song that you will sing . . . yes, yes, we are encouraging you to sing as many as you can so we can generate more money. Drinks are on the house . . . but again, let us think that this is an activity for us to strengthen our bonding and at the same time heighten our awareness about our social responsibility to our brethren.

Sagric will give its share to the amount that we will be able to raise during the karaoke night. Why Thursday? We have some people in the office who will be out on Friday for work and some have scheduled appointments previously. Of course, everybody is welcome! We will be using Magic Sing with standards and pop music. RSVP: local 102, Lalay Pangan.

With innovation, giving could be an enjoyable bonding activity and not a no-brainer pass-the-hat-around. They contributed P4,000.00.

Congratulations to Service President Jun Raymundo and RC University District. They are helping uniformed police field operatives to update and practice their know-how on ownership, handling, maintenance and operation of firearms and make them ready and effective at all times. Jun (0917-8430579 or 928-6344) says this training program is intended to help the Philippine National Police help us especially during crisis. Let us support them.

(Moje is president of Paradigms & Paradoxes Corp. and RCQCNorth. Pls. send your feedback at moje@mydestiny.net)