{"id":819,"date":"2022-06-28T18:51:49","date_gmt":"2022-06-28T22:51:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.highheeledsuccess.com\/?p=819"},"modified":"2022-06-28T20:44:15","modified_gmt":"2022-06-29T00:44:15","slug":"generating-career-catapulting-ideas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.highheeledsuccess.com\/?p=819","title":{"rendered":"Generating Career Catapulting Ideas"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

There\u2019s nothing new under the sun! Or is there? Women who excel in their careers become idea factories, churning out ideas aplenty. But sometimes it seems like there is nothing new to be had, all the great ideas have been taken. Whether you own a business, work in a corporation, or non-profit, it\u2019s essential to continue to generate ideas and solutions. The key is to say or do it differently<\/strong>! Let\u2019s take Spanx, as an example. It\u2019s all about holding \u201cstuff\u201d in! In my great grandmother\u2019s day, it was a corset. In my mother\u2019s day, it was a girdle.\u00a0 In my day, it was first control top pantyhose, and now it\u2019s Spanx, Shapermint, or other garments designed to yank it in. Remember, it\u2019s just a new twist on an old idea. To be a changemaker you only need to tweak, not necessarily revolutionize. The same is true for ideas and concepts. You\u2019ve likely heard of SMART goals, standing for Specific; Measurable; Achievable; Relevant, and Time-bound. One of my keynotes, \u201cCracking the Code for Goal Setting,\u201d presents other essential aspects of achieving goals, START goals.\u00a0 This is a concept I use with my individual clients, too. It\u2019s looking at how to better view goals, based on what is commonly overlooked. It\u2019s truly how to build a better mousetrap. Just a little better, just a little different, just a little more down-to-earth. Your spin makes it YOURS!<\/strong> Give your idea a name, acronym, or initialism. (If you don\u2019t know the difference, google it.) Once you have a term, it takes on newness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Become a solution sleuth! Problems are everywhere. Even small or partial remedies can set you apart. What you don\u2019t want to do is consistently dismiss your ideas as inconsequential and table them. Timing is important but that doesn\u2019t equate to never! Commonly, my clients don\u2019t give their ideas enough credit for usefulness, originality, and value. If the message in your head is a reoccurring loop of \u201cNo one will care about this,\u201d understand that reflects how you value yourself. If you need encouragement, affirmation, or a kick in the pants, run it by someone you trust and who will be candid with you. Even if they are a naysayer, it\u2019s your ultimate decision to make.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another critical factor in the idea factory is ownership. In the entrepreneurial world, it may entail a copyright, a Registered Trademark, or patent. In a corporate or non-profit world, it likely means having a paper trail.\u00a0 It also means starting at the top. Divulging your idea, at high ranks first, helps you \u201cown\u201d the idea and prevent someone else from taking credit. I hear from clients often how they casually threw out a fabulous idea at a meeting and the next thing they knew, someone else had repeated it and taken credit for it. This happens to women frequently. Consider times where you have observed a woman tossing out an idea in a meeting, getting little reaction and then a male has repeated it and received a glowing response. Just another example of the struggle for women to have a voice and be acknowledged in the workplace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How might you get started in catapulting your career with workplace changing ideas?  Here are three foundational steps you may want to take:<\/p>\n\n\n\n