Preface xi

1 | THE POWER IN FRONT-LINE IDEAS  

The Clarion-Stockholm Hotel  

The Impact of Front-Line Ideas: The 80/20 Principle 

Creating an Idea-Driven Organization  

Why Are Idea-Driven Organizations So Rare?  

Realigning the Organization for Ideas  

Effective Idea Processes  

Getting More and Better Ideas  

Idea Systems and Innovativeness 

2 | A DIFFERENT KIND OF LEADERSHIP  

Why Leaders Are Often Blind to Front-line Ideas 

Fighting Back  

Key Points 

3 | ALIGNING THE ORGANIZATION TO BE IDEA DRIVEN:  

Strategy, Structure, and Goals

Strategy and Goal Alignment  

Structuring for Ideas  

Key Points 

ALIGNING THE ORGANIZATION TO BE IDEA DRIVEN:  

Management Systems

Budgeting and Resourcing the Idea Process  

Aligning Policies and Rules 

Aligning Processes and Procedures  

Aligning Evaluation and Reward Systems  

Conclusion  

Key Points  

5 | HOW EFFECTIVE IDEA PROCESSES

WORK  

The Kaizen Teian Process  

Team-Based Processes 

Facilitation  

Escalation  

The Electronic Suggestion Box Trap  

Key Points  

6 | IMPLEMENTING A HIGH-PERFORMING IDEA SYSTEM  

Step 1 Ensure the leadership’s long-term commitment to the new idea system  

Step 2 Form and train the team that will design and implement the system  

Step 3 Assess the organization from an idea management perspective  

Step 4 Design the idea system 

Step 5 Start correcting misalignments  

Step 6 Conduct a pilot test 

Step 7 Assess the pilot results, make adjustments, and prepare for the launch  

Step 8 Roll out the system organization-wide  

Step 9 Continue to improve the system  

Key Points  

7 WAYS TO GET MORE AND BETTER IDEAS 

Problem Finding 

Creating a Problem-Sensitive Organization  

Key Points 

8 | FRONT-LINE IDEAS AND INNOVATION 

Innovations Often Need Front-Line Ideas to Work 

Front-Line Ideas Create Capabilities That Enable Innovations 

Front-Line Ideas Can Transform Routine Innovations into Major Breakthroughs  

Front-Line Ideas Can Open Up New Opportunities for Innovation  

Setting Up an Idea System Removes Many of the Barriers to Innovation 

Bringing It All Together 

Conclusion  

Key Points  

Notes  

Acknowledgments  

Index  

About the Authors