Comments on: Defining Strategic Stretch Goals to Stimulate Innovation in Organizations

By: Ben Simonton

Ben Simonton — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 15:46:37 +0000

Bernhard,

Thanks for your interest.

To learn how I shifted please read an interview of me at
http://www.extensor.co.uk/articles/int_simonton/interview_ben_simonton.html

To learn more about bottom-up, read my articles at
http://www.bensimonton.com/articles.html

If you have questions, just ask.

Best regards, Ben

By: Bernhard Schindlholzer

Bernhard Schindlholzer — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 09:36:29 +0000

@Ben:

Interesting opinion, how exactly did you shift from top-down to bottom up? How does it manifest itself? Could be an interesting point for a discussion.

@ Driton

Yes, indeed stretch goals might have been one reason for the current financial crisis. Investement bankers have shown a tremendeous degree of creativity when it comes to re-packaging bad mortgages. Bruce Nussbaum from BusinessWeek has written an interesting article about the downside of innovation in the financial industry: http://www.businessweek.com/innovate/NussbaumOnDesign/archives/2008/09/did_innovation_2.html

By: driton

driton — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 21:07:37 +0000

Could it be that Banks Stretch goals has brought this situation?

By: Ben Simonton

Ben Simonton — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 08:31:39 +0000

Stretch goals sound interesting, but only that. Having unleashed huge amounts of creativity, innovation, and productivity in my 30+ years of managing people, I would advise getting rid of the traditional top-down command and control approach to managing people and adopting its opposite, bottom-up.

Any form of top-down tends to demotivate and demoralize employees, actually “leading” them to never dare to innovate for fear of job loss. Top-down treats them as if they aren’t valuable employees thus “leading” them to no be valuable. Bottom-up treats them as if they are valuable and thus “leads” them to become valuable. When I shifted to bottom-up, eventually employees proved that they are at least four times more capable than everyone thought possible. That was truly amazing to behold and besides, being treated so well they literally loved to come to work.

Best regards, Ben