By Jayne Jenkins BSc. CEO Churchill Leadership Group

How are Churchill, Microsoft and Positive Affirmation linked?

Our minds are our power: Are you using the great brainpower of your employees? Or are you creating fences, limiting their potential?

As usual this morning I was listening to NPR and they compared the CEO of Microsoft to Winston Churchill. The connection was "under siege," and while Microsoft is not battling Nazi's the PC world is under siege. Microsoft is still very profitable but not like it used to be. It begs the question; "Did Microsoft get too comfortable with fat profits for years and forgot to keep a strong eye on the future?" You would think not, after all they can afford to hire the best talent in the industry. But the result is evident -­- Microsoft profits are down and they are undergoing the biggest revamp of Windows in ten years to try to increase their performance.

Compare to Winston Churchill, a visionary, always thinking two steps ahead of everyone around him. Yes he took risk, yes he made mistakes, but he was incredibly perceptive and went with his gut, plus he built great relationships with people who could stretch his thinking. He saw Hitler as a threat years before any others leaders did.

Solution? One leader can't have all the answers to what the future will hold or what a business needs to do to keep winning. However, there is so much brainpower on your team and your employees want to have a say.

Are you asking them? Are you using meetings to "tell" or "ask?" Are you creating a culture of big ideas and innovative thinking? Or is it "this is the way we've always done it."

Well most leaders are not creating a culture of innovation and they are not challenging thinking in their employees. The result is you may be wasting the brainpower of your leadership teams. It doesn't take much to change this and create an environment of "innovation" in your team. Here are some tips to get you started:

• Hold brainstorming meetings and let ideas flow. Help your team think about the future they would like to create.
• Have them identify the potential risks ahead & possible solutions.
• Identify and positively affirm all the good things that your team is doing, learning and causing. It is a contagious approach that works! Individuals want to have a sense of purpose and to be able to see their future at your organization. Creating a culture that maximizes the brainpower of your team not only can give you better business results, it can also help you retain your great talent!

Written by Jayne Jenkins BSc.,
Senior Management Expert for ManagingAmericans.com & CEO Churchill Leadership Group
 
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