Ideas-to-Action Insights
Overview
Ideas-to-Action Insights translate the core ideas from Ideas to Action—grounded in 35+ years of real-world application—into practical guidance leaders can apply immediately. The focus is simple: how to activate employee-powered innovation without slowing execution or creating “engagement theater.”
Start with the early numbered posts for the foundation of the Ideas-to-Action Process and the leadership behaviors that make it work.
Inside this library
1. Where the Ideas-to-Action Process came from—and why it works beyond factory floors
2. The leadership behaviors that unlock motivation, ownership, and ideas
3. Why speed and simplicity matter most at the front line
4. Common leadership mistakes that quietly stall employee-powered innovation
5. How to run focused sprints that produce real outcomes without bureaucracy
More is More: An Undefeated Season and the Power of Starting Where the Energy Is
What does an undefeated college football team have to do with employee-powered innovation? Discover the surprising connection and a powerful leadership lesson from Coach McPhee.
Don’t Start with Complexity: The Simple Secret to Employee-Powered Innovation
Want to unlock continuous improvement and ignite innovation? Forget complex systems as the starting point. Discover the power of “Starting Where the Energy Is,” a surprisingly simple principle for tapping into your employees’ existing knowledge and passion.
A Leader’s Leap of Faith: Why Steve Preston Believes in the Power of Employee Ideas
In a world increasingly focused on automation and top-down control, where frontline workers are increasingly devalued, former SBA Administrator and current Goodwill CEO Steve Preston champions a different approach: effectively empowering frontline employees. Discover why he believes a “leap of faith” in your workforce is essential for success.
The Lake, the Leap, and the Lesson: Why Trusting Potential Matters
During the pandemic, I faced a leap-of-faith decision: buying a lake property sight unseen. This personal experience reminded me of a powerful lesson about leadership outlined in my book, Ideas to Action. Discover the connection between a ramshackle cabin and employee-powered innovation.
The Sweet Spot of Change: Where Top-Down Direction Meets Bottom-Up Empowerment
Are top-down mandates and endless surveys failing to drive real change? Discover how to achieve the sweet spot of change by combining
clear leadership direction with employee-powered innovation.
Stop the Change Initiative Treadmill by Unlocking Your Most Underutilized Asset
Discover how to tap into your employees’ knowledge and empower them to drive innovation and accelerate results with the new book, Ideas to Action.