What makes or breaks the success when launching frontline change and innovation teams?
It’s not the grandeur of the launch speech or the elegance of the project plan. Based on our work with thousands of teams over decades, we’ve learned something simpler, yet more profound: success hinges on what happens in the first 60 minutes the team spends together.
Think about that typical first meeting for a new initiative. How much time is spent on introductions, lengthy explanations of the background, reviewing complex plans, or debating methodologies? While well-intentioned, this common approach tragically squanders the most valuable resource the team brings to that first meeting—their initial energy, enthusiasm, and readily available ideas based on their firsthand experience.
The fact is motivation for change at the frontlines is highly perishable; delaying the opportunity for the team to contribute often means that opportunity is lost. It’s no wonder leaders sometimes hear that painful question after a project finally succeeds using a long-known frontline idea: “What took you so long to ask?”
Designing for Speed to Ideas
The Ideas-to-Action Process™ tackles this head-on. Step 2: Launch Teams & Unleash Ideas! is specifically designed to make that first hour radically productive by focusing relentlessly on speed to ideas. It recognizes that immediately tapping into the team’s collective wisdom is paramount for building momentum and ownership.
But it’s more than just asking “Any ideas?” Effective idea generation, especially in that crucial first hour, requires a process that allows ideas to flow freely without bias, inhibition, or constraints. The core technique used in Step 2 is Silent Brainstorming.
Drawing inspiration from C.C. Crawford’s simple “blue slips” method invented over a century ago operates on a simple premise: More ideas flow when people have the opportunity to quietly, in silence, individually “download their thoughts and record them as ideas’ before discussion or debate.
To make it work even better, we added the following ground rules to guide this “silent brainstorming” activity:
1. Keep Ideas Anonymous: Equal pens/notes or online input levels the field; focus is on the idea, not the source. (Boosts psychological safety)
2. One Idea Per Sticky Note: Ensures clarity and makes sorting/grouping ideas much easier later. (Promotes clarity)
3. Focus on Solutions: Steers the team towards actionable improvements, not just problem restatement. (Ensures actionability)
4. Require Full Participation: Everyone contributes; no passive observers. (Values all voices – “Up-Valuing”!)
5. Maintain Silence (During Generation): Protects introverts, prevents dominant voices or premature critiques from stifling creativity. (Ensures equal voice & focus)
Why it Works: The Power of Unleashing Collective Genius
This structured approach consistently unlocks more practical, diverse ideas from more team members, faster than traditional brainstorming. It creates a safe space where all team members feel comfortable contributing their unique perspectives right away. Seeing a wealth of tangible ideas emerge in minutes builds immediate confidence and shifts the dynamic from passive listening to active problem-solving.
Make HOUR ONE count!
The first hour is make or break when engaging frontline teams to execute change and innovation. Don’t waste it. By replacing lengthy preambles with disciplined, inclusive techniques like Silent Brainstorming, Step 2 of the Ideas-to-Action process ensures that initial team energy is immediately channeled into productive ideation, setting the stage for rapid progress and real results.
Ready to transform how your teams launch? Preorder Ideas to Action to get the detailed guide to Step 2 and the full five-step process.
