wrote in message
...
On Sep 5, 4:31 pm, "Steve W." wrote:
Tom Gardner wrote:
On one of my recent posts, you kind people pointed out that there are
many
ways of doing something. Simple observations are often the most
profound.
I'm not a master at being able to see a problem from different angles
and
visualize different solutions. It seems that some parts of one idea
affect
another so the ideas are not independent, not "clean" and
compartmentalized.
I met with my guys today and discussed if we could figure out how to
think
about different ways of doing things we are developing. I want
multiple
solutions presented and thinking out of the box. It seems there is
always a
brute-force method of doing something yet the "other" idea, the one
that
springs into existence at the odd hour, is often better, cheaper and
more
elegant. How do you attract those "other" ideas?

Is there a method or exercises to develop creative thinking? Cutting
metal
and drilling holes is the easy part, how do you completely forget an
idea in
order to "see" a new idea? This may come easily for an intelligent
person
but I struggle with my mental limitations.

In my last position as a supervisor we would hold a monthly meeting with
the corporate folks. That was the typical "We need to think outside the
box" type meeting. Complete with PowerPoint profit and loss charts and
the standard "We MUST increase productivity". What got done NOTHING.

The REAL idea meetings were the ones most of the supervisors would have
within our own folks. Those were the ones where we would bring in pizza
and arrange for service coverage with other folks so everyone could come
in. Then they were told that anything goes. No formal records were kept,
unless it was an idea that actually seemed like it would work. I was
also a big fan of "Just DO it" IOW if you came up with something that
worked and made life easier spread it around.

--
Steve W.
Near Cooperstown, New York



Steve:

Good ideas and cost saving measures from the rank-and-file? NEVER!!
Perish that thought!!

In my experience by far the biggest cost-saving ideas and improvement
suggestions came from first-line supervisory staff. In well-managed
corporations these folks really know what they are doing.

Wolfgang

We find that input from the floor is the impetus to address a problem or
potential improvement. They have the advantage of not knowing the details
involved, they just want less problems and more bonus.