The demanding times we live in require organizations to maintain a high level of performance through sustained efforts in innovation. Toward that end, each and every employee in an organization is asked to contrive new and creative ideas that would not have been generated through conventional thought processes. Approaches that proved to be successful yesterday may have outlived their usefulness and what may be needed today is a clean break from the past. This calls for a discovery of new ideas and new patterns in people's ways of thinking. While it may be true to say that "A layperson's idea sometimes beats that of an expert," the layperson may not be able to convert his ideas into something tangible or specific, since he usually lacks the expert knowledge to begin with. People also say, "Think outside the box" to mean to discover and challenge assumptions, generate alternatives and change perceptions. But again, the layperson may not be able to go outside the box to mull new ideas if he does not possess required skills or basic knowledge. Then, what about a case for a trained expert or professional? Certainly, an expert knows more and better than a layperson. The problem is an expert or professional is more than likely to find himself stuck "inside the box" of his perceived limits. In Japanese, "taga" are tight metal or wooden hoops that surround and hold together a wooden cask or barrel. This expression is a metaphor for "staying inside the box" and is often used to refer to people who get stuck in old, conventional ways of thinking and automatically resist new ideas without realizing there might be other ways of doing things. Trying to formulate new ideas or methods, therefore, necessarily requires some new, open-ended approaches. It is clear that the technological age we live in has dramatically changed every facet of our lives. As the world continues to evolve and change at a rapid rate, it is essential to adapt and innovate quickly and efficiently. Not being able to do so is the death knell for any business, career, or personal life. Taga must be eliminated from our thought processes and replaced with a positive creative force without limits or constraints, one that is a non-stop engine of idea generation and innovation. The good news is you can learn fundamentals that apply across the entire spectrum of your business and personal needs. Containing various hands-on tools to become more creative and inspire innovation, Business Consultants, Inc.(BCon) presents their revolutionary Innovative Thinking System(TM) (ITS) to provide the skills necessary to thrive in our rapidly changing modern era. Built on the concept that creativity is not a gift at birth but a learnable skill, the easily understandable, actionable concepts presented provide proven idea-generating techniques that foster an innovative culture in an organization and a dynamic creative life for the individual. Including vital information ranging from idea generating, adoption, and implementation to the seven ways to incubate, narrow down, refine, and get ideas approved, BCon's ITS is designed to give specific tools that will lead to the dynamic, successful results you need. An energizing personal, business, and organizational development program with a track record of success, BCon's strategies are changing the way individuals, entrepreneurs, and businesses approach their future. Presenting this same topic/concept for five years running at ASTD, the most prestigious HR training and development conference in the world, BCon's Innovative Thinking will give you all the tools you need to create the business and life you desire.
About the Author: Business Consultants, Inc. is one of the oldest and largest management consulting and training companies in Japan. With nearly fifty years experience in human resource and organization development fields in Japan and two hundred full-time consultants/trainers, our clients are from a wide variety of industries in both the public and private sectors.