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Inspiration

Don't let your good ideas slip away

t industry trade shows, creativity is on dis- already use, is the obvious one: write your inspired ideas
play everywhere: during keynotes, individual down immediately when they arise in an "idea journal."
presentations and panels, in the exhibit halls, You can use pen and paper, a digital device or a combina-
A at booths and in many conversations between tion of both.
colleagues working the floor. This creativity spurs inno-
vation, which leads to more creativity and further innova- Do it your way
tion. Such a journal can take many forms. Some people like to
jot ideas down on lined paper without much organization;
As an ISO or MLS, it's likely you've left conferences with others enjoy blank paper so they can draw diagrams or
your mind full of new ideas and plans to take action. It's other visuals to accompany their brainstorms; others love
also likely a number of those terrific ideas and initiatives entering notes in their mobile phones while on the go and
have slipped through the cracks. You return to work all or sitting at their desks. There is no right way to organize
fired up, and then all too swiftly become immersed in an idea journal. Experiment until you come up with a
your routines and fail to explore new ideas. method that works for you.

Spurts of inspiration can also arise during the ordinary And then stick with it. Review it often. Add new ideas as
course of business and quickly be forgotten. You might they arise. Analyze whether and how your ideas intersect.
learn of a promising new technology during a phone Brainstorm about possible new initiatives, programs and
conversation and have new ideas as a result. You envision products, and the action steps that will build them, along
implementing them, but then have to address everyday with who needs to be involved to bring them to life. Some
demands, and the new ideas fade. ideas might lead to new products and services right away;

Capture your brainstorms others will likely take years. Some will never be more than
rough notes on a page. But over time, your idea journal
Wouldn't you like to capture and retain more of this wealth will become a rich resource that will serve you well.
of inspiration? The good news is that this is possible. It's a
matter of knowing how.

In Aha! 10 Ways to Free Your Kate Gillespie, President and CEO
Creative Spirit and Find Your
Great Ideas, Jordan Ayan
wrote, "So what separates the
people who experience the
exhilaration of having their
ideas come to life from those
who sit back and continually
wonder about what might
have been? In many cases, it
is simply a matter of the disci-
pline to document their ideas
and a method for doing so.
The fact is, ideas that sit rust-
ing in our minds are like cars
in an automobile graveyard
– eventually they become
unsalvageable. If we try to
rescue an idea two hours – or
two years – later, we almost
always fail."

One effective form of docu-
mentation, which some of you

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