Tips on creating, capturing and developing good business ideas.
Good business ideas don't grow on trees. They're conceived, incubated and birthed by common, everyday folks like you and me. Don't underestimate the fecund nature of a contractor's imagination. Trade professionals produce patents, marketing ideas and tools, and it's not uncommon to find a poet or two among our ranks. The question is - how do we harness our idea factory? How do we come up with an idea to solve a specific challenge or take advantage of an emerging opportunity?
When defining your objective, don't succumb to tunnel vision. Ask questions about all aspects of the situation. In our punctuality question you might ask: Why 7:30 a.m.? Does everyone need to be here at the same time? Why? How does this affect company performance? How does this affect customer service? In other words, you may think that punctuality is the objective when the bigger picture is that you need a different schedule.