I'm having trobule posting blog entries. It seems that api.google.com has been having troubles for much of the night. So I'll just queue things up and try later. Grr.
I'd take the Google related stuff out of my templates, but the moment I do Google will fix the problem anyway.
Damn you, Murphy.
I'm not sure what the magic formula for innovation is. I've read books about it. Thought about it. Kept track of companies that seem to be good at it.
In an effort to assist everyone else who's been trying to figure out the secret, I offer tips for helping your employees to stay clear of innovation:
1. Explain to your employees that times are tough so innovation must go on the back burner.
2. Further explain that there's no reason to despair--a high-level executive will be spending a lot of his time working on an innovation plan for the company (whatever that means).
3. Let a lot of time pass and say nothing about it. Pretend that things are just fine.
4. In the meantime, do nothing to alter the company's fundamental cultural and organizational problems--you know, the ones that have been in the way of an open an innovative busniess the whole time.
5. When asked about the mysterious "innovation plan" at an all-company meeting, explain that the executive is still working on it. Really! He is! Divulge no more.
There you have it. Five easy steps to sucking the innovative life out of employees who used to care about that sort of thing.
This is just too damned funny. Maybe it's because I've known Derek for a while, or maybe because of how pathetic it makes AOL look. You really must read it.
I'm still laughing several minutes later. I'd have just hung up and called my credit card company.