Transforming the Traditional Functional Mindset

In far too many organizations, senior management's traditional functional mindset represents one of the most significant barriers to change. Indeed, there is reason to believe that the traditional functional paradigm has done more to impede customer focused, business performance improvement over the past two decades than almost any other factor.

This way of thinking stands in the way of executives understanding and improving the flow of cross-functional activities which create enduring value for customers and shareholders. It promotes the type of thinking that impedes the effective deployment of enabling information technology. It promotes also 'silo behavior' and turf protection, and an undue pre-occupation with organization structure. This mindset contributes to the mistaken belief that if it was somehow possible to properly define the boxes on the organizational chart, and fill in the names of the "right" people in the key boxes – then the organization's performance will automatically improve. Yet, little is further from the truth.

Further, it encourages a distorted view of performance measurement and executive rewards, shifting focus away from meaningful measures such as the timeliness and quality of services provided to customers, and towards less significant measures around functional departmental performance.

It reinforces a task focus and traditional command and control behavior, where questions such as 'What is the scope of my responsibility?' 'What tasks I execute?' and 'Who are the key subordinates who can help me look good?' are foremost and top of mind.

Develop New Ideas

An idea which does not seem very interesting to anyone else can have this special ‘smell’ for a creative person. This seems to be a sort of instinct in the way it operates. It is not, however, an instinct but a judgment built up from a lot of experience.

At the very start of an idea, difference is a point of interest. Something which is different, or even the opposite, of the normal will always be interesting. Whether that interest develops into something practical is another matter.

The purpose of any new idea is to show value and benefits. Any idea which at an early stage suggests large benefits is always worth hearing and pursuing. The benefits must, however, be made very clear.

An idea that has no obvious benefits is not a creative idea. It is not much use delivering an idea and hoping that there may be benefits somewhere.

(Refernece: http://www.thinkingmanagers.com/management/developing-new-ideas)