Seven Rules For Designing More Innovative Conferences

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Yes, this is the 'Out of the Box' Idea Factory!

I once wrote an article asking, "Exactly what is 'out of the box thinking'?" I discovered that a lot of people have an interest in this question. This article was quoted in books, church sermons and other websites. People are intrigued by the analogy. I like the idea of a box. Everyone has a box. Its walls are defined by our thinking style, experiences and motivation for change. Even those we see as highly innovative have a box. It may be different to yours or mine, but it is a box. You can define your 'box' by thinking about what you consider to be 'common sense'. We see the world through a lens that makes sense to us. Others can see it by your decisions, ideas and the things that attract your attention. If you are reading this page, it means you are curious to explore new ideas and new ways of thinking. To think 'outside the box' requires that we deliberately provoke ourselves to think in new ways. Edward de Bono created a term for this. He called it 'PO'. It can be a deliberate challenge or a tool to prompt you to reflect and create a solution. For example:

Case study: Many people admit that they attend conferences, take notes and never look at them again.
PO: We deliberately design conferences for people to take notes and never look at them again!
The PO challenge becomes: how can we design conferences to engage people in ways that lead them to act on their ideas after the conference?

There are two purposes to this page.

1. You can link to articles and newsletters on innovative thinking and shaping more innovative organizations. Idea Factory Resources

2. You received a Navigator Guide or Journal at a conference and you want to get the best value from the event. Keep reading!

Will you 'bridge the gap' between your conference and results back at work?

A few years ago, George Gendron, Editor-in-Chief of Inc. Magazine said, "This is the age of execution. From this perspective, the Navigator Guide is an idea whose time has come helping people bridge the crucial gap between inspiration and execution."

Here are Six Strategies to help you bridge the gap between the inspiration of the conference you attended and personal results in the workplace.

1. Review your notes and materials

It's time to look through your notes, handouts, business cards, brochures and anything else that you brought back from the conference.

Find the important ideas, insights and actions.
Sort your ideas. Pick the 'hot' ideas and plan your actions. Put other ideas on 'ice' until you have time to act on them.

2. Squeeze out every idea from the conference

Some say that a conference will be worthwhile if they get a one idea from it. Why set up such a low expectation? Invest 10 minutes to review and reflect.

What else can you harvest from the conference? What intrigued you?
What did you plan to act on? For example, did you plan to read any books or search websites?
Who said something that made you think?

Rosebeth Moss Kanter said, "To have a great learning organization you need to create a great teaching organization." What did you learn that would be a useful lesson for others in your organization? Teaching is part of leadership.

3. What did you hear that made you think, "I should change"?

Sometimes a speaker or an idea becomes a mirror. What we see we do not like. We know we should change. The idea to change comes in a flash but the discipline to change is daunting.

Peter Drucker said, "We spend a lot of time teaching leaders what to do. We don't spend enough time teaching leaders what to stop. Half the leaders I have met don't need to learn what to do. They need to learn what to stop." His point is that it can be easier to move forward if you stop those things that pull you back.

What behaviours do I need to stop? Create your 'to stop' list. What actions and decisions lead to results you do not want?
What behaviours do I need to start? Create your 'to start' list. What actions, decisions and intentions will take you in the direction you want to go?

4. Managing your 'hot' ideas

Some of your ideas will be too good to ignore. Don't ignore them. Start with describing your idea as if you had to explain it to some one. Clearly formulate your idea.

What is the idea? How does it work? What does it involve?
Who will benefit? What purpose does it serve? What does it make possible?
What is great about your idea? What is better or different about it?

Expand your great idea to its fullest potential. Add a page or two of related detail to describe the successful idea in action. Think as if anything is possible.

Find three options or features to enhance the value of your idea.
Think of enhancing the idea in the short, medium and long term.
What partnerships, joint promotions or alternative ways of implementing the idea are possible at each phase?
What is the bigger context? How can it create value and growth?

5. Promoting your great ideas

When promoting your idea to others, describe it in a few sentences in terms of the benefits to be gained. Practice saying your idea out loud until it sounds like a good idea. Far too many great ideas are killed as people fail to communicate the concept well.

Clearly define the problem this idea solves for the business or the opportunity it creates.
Define the advantages and benefits of the idea.
Know your audience. Do they like the big picture followed by the detail? Or do they want the detail which naturally leads to your idea - the perfect solution?
Don't gloss over weak points.

What if someone says, "Yes, this is a great idea!"? Be prepared. What do you need to get started. If people are excited about your idea, you need to know what to ask for. How much money, time or other resources do you need? What will it take to get things started?

6. Continue to navigate

The Navigator Guide helps people make more effective notes at a conference and then helps them manage their ideas after it. You can continue to 'navigate' by investing in a copy of the Idea Navigator Journal. The journal can replace your notebook with a stylized function idea navigator. Find out more at Idea Navigator Journal.

Want more Navigators?

If your organization would like to purchase Conference Navigator Guides, please visit www.InnovativeConferences.com

You can also purchase Ed Bernacki's new book, 'Seven Rules for Designing More Innovative Conferences'. It's written to help people design more effective conferences.

If you have comments about...

how you found using the navigator guide,
any major 'aha' moments you had using the guide, or
any improvements that we could make to the design or concept of the navigator guide, let use know.

Email info@wowgreatidea.com