Building a Culture of Continuous Improvement

7 Ways to Upskill Your People: Tell me, and I forget. Show me, and I remember. Involve me, and I understand. In today’s fast-changing world, upskilling isn’t optional—it’s essential. Great leaders focus on developing their team’s skills for the long term. Here are 7 ways to foster continuous learning and upskilling: 1. 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗔 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 → Encourage curiosity and lifelong learning. → Make learning part of your team’s daily routine. 2. 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿 𝗧𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘀 → Identify skill gaps and align training with individual goals. → Personalization boosts engagement and results. 3. 𝗘𝗺𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗔𝗜 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 → Use AI-learning platforms like Shiken AI. → Use AI roleplay, quiz generation to upskill your people. 4. 𝗟𝗲𝘁 𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗲𝘀 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲 → Give them autonomy to choose learning paths. → Ownership fosters accountability and motivation. 5. 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵 → Show how new skills lead to promotions and opportunities. → People are more likely to invest in learning when they see the payoff. 6. 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗲 𝗢𝗻-𝘁𝗵𝗲-𝗝𝗼𝗯 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 → 80% of learning happens through hands-on experience. → Pair employees with mentors or rotate roles to expand their skill sets. 7. 𝗜𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 → Recognize and reward efforts to gain new skills. → Use certifications, bonuses, or public acknowledgment to keep learners motivated. Upskilling isn’t just about staying relevant It’s about empowering your people to thrive. What’s your team doing to stay ahead of the curve? Let me know in the comments below 👇 --- ♻️ Find this helpful? Repost for your network. ➕ Follow Dr Alexander Young for daily insights on productivity, leadership, and AI.

Some of the most powerful breakthroughs start with a surprise. An unexpected event happens. Someone recognizes its potential. And then, someone chooses to act on it. A recent article from Harvard Business Review highlights the story of LASIK eye surgery. It wasn’t developed through a carefully planned roadmap, but instead emerged when doctors discovered that a femtosecond laser caused far less damage than a scalpel. Or take the example of the rolling suitcase, created not through a boardroom brainstorm, but because someone got tired of carrying heavy equipment on a wheeled skid. When we become open to the unexpected, we open the door to innovation. But this doesn’t happen by accident; it happens when we create the conditions for curiosity to thrive. When employees are engaged and feel safe and encouraged to explore, question, and even challenge the status quo, their intrinsic motivation and commitment soar. They become more invested not just in their tasks, but in the organization's success. Leaders play a pivotal role. By inviting your teams to share their surprising observations, encouraging experimentation, and making it okay to try things that might not work, you're not just fostering innovation; you're actively cultivating an engaged workforce. When employees see their ideas welcomed, even the "failures" as learning opportunities, they feel valued and empowered. This sense of psychological safety is a cornerstone of deep engagement. And don’t underestimate the power of bringing different minds together. Cross-disciplinary collaboration is where fresh thinking happens and where people connect the dots others don’t see. When we foster a culture of engagement, serendipity isn’t just possible — it’s inevitable. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/eX5QZk5T #EmployeeEngagement #Innovation #WorkplaceCulture #PeopleFirst #FutureOfWork

🌱💼 Are you empowering your team to develop and grow? 💼🌱 Studies suggest that sometimes a leader’s perfectionism or ‘only I can do it’ mentality hinders team cohesion and high performance. To foster team development and support, it is crucial for managers, and project leads to cultivate a team culture with a growth mindset. In the Harvard Business Review article "To Help Your Team Grow, Give Them Space to Struggle," we learn key strategies to empower your team's growth. 👉 Shift from a doer to a leader mindset: As a manager or team lead, you need to transition your mindset from personal achievement to developing your team's potential. Ask yourself: How can I support and nurture my team's growth? 👉 Embrace the discomfort of the learning process: True growth happens when individuals can face challenges and learn from them. By reframing struggles as opportunities for growth, you can create an environment that supports and encourages continuous development. 👉 Distinguish between high- and low-stakes tasks: Delegate low-stakes tasks that provide valuable development opportunities for your team without risking significant consequences. Reframe failure and establish a safe and supportive environment where mistakes are viewed as learning opportunities. 👉 Be curious: Cultivate a curious mindset and ask insightful questions that encourage team members to reflect on their approaches and experiences. Practice compassion and grace, offering support and understanding as they navigate their paths to success. As managers and team leaders, we must provide the coaching, guidance, and support necessary for our teams to thrive and reach their full potential. Let's foster a culture of continuous learning, growth, and empowerment within our teams! 🌱✨ Harvard Business Review article by Kelli Thompson #leadership #management #entrepreneurship #founders #highperformance #culture #professionaldevelopment #growthmindset #collaboration  #advising #coaching #bestadvice #jennyfernandez https://lnkd.in/e4vKX5sn

This week, I facilitated a manager workshop on how to grow and develop people and teams. One question sparked a great conversation: “How do you develop your people outside of formal programs?” It’s a great question. IMO, one of the highest leverage actions a leader can take is making small, but consistent actions to develop their people. While formal learning experiences absolutely a role, there are far more opportunities for growth outside of structured settings from an hours in the day perspective. Helping leaders recognize and embrace this is a major opportunity. I introduced the idea of Practices of Development (PODs) aka small, intentional activities integrated into everyday work that help employees build skills, flex new muscles, and increase their impact. Here are a few examples we discussed: 🌟 Paired Programming: Borrowed from software engineering, this involves pairing an employee with a peer to take on a new task—helping them ramp up quickly, cross-train, or learn by doing. 🌟 Learning Logs: Have team members track what they’re working on, learning, and questioning to encourage reflection. 🌟 Bullpen Sessions: Bring similar roles together for feedback, idea sharing, and collaborative problem-solving, where everyone both A) shares a deliverable they are working on, and B) gets feedback and suggestions for improvement 🌟 Each 1 Teach 1:  Give everyone a chance to teach one work-related skill or insight to the team. 🌟 I Do, We Do, You Do:Adapted from education, this scaffolding approach lets you model a task, then do it together, then hand it off. A simple and effective way to build confidence and skill. 🌟 Back Pocket Ideas:  During strategy/scoping work sessions, ask employees to submit ideas for initiatives tied to a customer problem or personal interest. Select the strongest ones and incorporate them into their role. These are a few examples that have worked well. If you’ve found creative ways to build development opportunities into your employees day to day work, I’d love to hear what’s worked for you!

Far too often, I see leaders and companies move on from innovation, believing it's only necessary during the startup phase. In reality, it's what keeps companies alive and thriving. As companies grow, it's easy to fall into routine and let creativity fade. But innovation must continue-even as you scale. An older HBR article I came across this morning highlights how breakthroughs in management can create lasting advantages that are hard to replicate. Companies focused only on new products or efficiency often get quickly copied. To stay ahead, businesses must become "serial management innovators," always seeking new ways to transform how they operate. This idea remains as relevant now as it was back then. The benefits of sustained innovation are undeniable: •Competitive Edge •Increased Revenue •Customer Satisfaction •Attracting Talent •Organizational Growth and Employee Retention Embrace the innovation lifecycle-adapting creativity as your organization matures. Sustaining creativity means creating an environment where people feel safe to push boundaries. Encourage your teams to think big, take risks, and use the experience of your organization. Here are three strategies that I’ve seen work firsthand: Make Experimentation a Priority: Mistakes are part of the process—they help us learn, grow, and innovate. As leaders, share your own experiences with risk-taking, talk about what you've learned, and celebrate those who take bold steps, even when things don’t go as planned. It sends a powerful message: it's okay to take risks. Promote Intrapreneurship: Many of the best ideas come from those closest to the work. Encourage your people to think like entrepreneurs. Give them ownership, the tools they need, and the freedom to explore. Whether it’s through ‘innovation sprints’ or dedicated time for passion projects, showing your team that their creativity matters sustains momentum. Address big challenges, ask tough questions, and let your people feel empowered to tackle them head-on. Break Down Silos: True innovation happens when people connect across departments. Create opportunities for cross-functional interactions-through gatherings, open forums, or spontaneous connections. Diverse perspectives lead to game-changing solutions, and breaking down silos opens the door to that kind of synergy. Innovation doesn’t happen by accident. It requires dedication, a commitment to growth, and a willingness to challenge what’s always been done. To all the leaders out there: How are you ensuring your teams remain creative and engaged? What strategies have you found that create space for bold ideas within structured environments? —-- Harvard Business Review, "The Why, What, and How of Management Innovation" #Innovation #Leadership #ContinuousImprovement #Creativity #BusinessGrowth #Intrapreneurship #CrossFunctionalCollaboration #ImpactLab

Most teams don’t get better because they don’t take time to debrief. Last year, I had the honor of doing a bunch of leadership development work alongside my dear friend and amigo, Michael French. He’s a multi-time founder with successful exits, a fantastic family, and a heart of gold. One of the most powerful tools we taught together (really he, Michael O'Brien, and Admiral Mike McCabe taught, and I amplified in my sessions) was the concept of a Topgun-style debrief — and then we practiced it ourselves after every single session as a group. It’s a simple but transformative ritual. After every experience, we’d ask each other: What went well? What could have gone better? And what actions will we take to be even better next time? That’s it. Just three questions. But when asked in a space of trust, it opens the door to continuous improvement, honest reflection, and shared learning. The coolest part? Michael started doing it at home with his son — and now his son comes home from school excited to debrief the day with his dad. That’s when you know the tool is working. The origins of this approach go back to the Navy Fighter Weapons School — better known as Topgun. In the 1960s, Navy pilots were underperforming in air combat. So they changed the way they trained. But more importantly, they changed the way they debriefed. They created a culture of constructive, positive, inclusive performance reviews — grounded in trust, openness, and the pursuit of excellence. Led to a 400% improvement in pilot effectiveness. The philosophy was clear: the debrief is not about blame or fault-finding. It’s not about who “won” the debrief. It’s about learning. It’s about getting better — together. The tone is collaborative, supportive, and often informal. The goal is to build a culture of reflection where people feel safe enough to speak, to listen, and to grow. Most organizations only do debriefs when something goes wrong. But if we wait for failure to reflect, we miss all the micro-moments that help us move from good to great. Excellence isn’t a destination. It’s a mindset. It’s the discipline of always being open to improvement — even when things are going well. Especially when things are going well. So here’s my nudge to you: give this a try. Whether it’s with your team, your family, your partner, or just yourself at the end of the day — ask those three simple questions. What went well? What could have gone better? And what actions can we take to be even better next time? Let me know if you do. I’d love to hear how it goes.

Ever found yourself facing a team that might not naturally be considered "creative," but you know deep down there's untapped potential waiting to be ignited? That's where the real magic happens – when you transform a group of individuals into a powerhouse of innovation! Here are a few strategies to nurture creativity in even the most unexpected places: 1️⃣ Diverse Perspectives: Embrace the beauty of diversity within your team. Different backgrounds, experiences, and skill sets can create a melting pot of ideas that spark innovation. 2️⃣ Encourage Curiosity: Cultivate a culture of questioning and curiosity. Challenge your team to explore the "what ifs" and "whys" to uncover new solutions. 3️⃣ Collaborative Storming: Gather your team for brainstorming sessions. Fostering an environment where no idea is too outrageous encourages free thinking and inspires unique concepts. 4️⃣ Cross-Pollination: Encourage your team to draw inspiration from unrelated fields. Sometimes, the most innovative solutions come from connecting seemingly unrelated dots. 5️⃣ Empower Ownership: Give individuals ownership of projects and allow them to take creative risks. When people feel their ideas matter, they're more likely to contribute their creative juices. 6️⃣ Learning from "Fails": Embrace failure as a stepping stone to success. Encourage your team to share their failures and lessons learned – these experiences often lead to innovative breakthroughs. 7️⃣ Structured Creativity: Implement frameworks like Design Thinking or Ideation Workshops. These structured approaches can guide your team to think creatively within a defined framework. 8️⃣ Celebrating Small Wins: Recognize and celebrate every small burst of creativity. This positive reinforcement encourages more innovative thinking. 9️⃣ Mentorship and Learning: Pair up team members with differing strengths. Learning from each other's expertise can lead to cross-pollination of ideas. 🔟 Lead by Example: Show your own passion for creativity. When your team sees your enthusiasm for innovation, it's contagious! Remember, creativity is not exclusive to certain roles or industries – it's a mindset that can be nurtured and cultivated. So, let's harness the potential within our teams, empower individuals to think outside the box, and watch as innovation unfolds before our eyes! #InnovationAtWork #whatinspiresme #culture #teamwork #CreativeThinking #TeamCreativity #LeadershipMindset #bestweekever

What would it mean for your organization to improve One Percent each day? Continuous improvement stands as the cornerstone of effective leadership and organizational advancement. When leaders can effectively guide their teams daily and keep their people focused on the future, growth and development come easier, instilling success as an organizational discipline. As a leader, you can significantly elevate your business by collaborating with your people on the right priorities and nurturing a culture of constant development. At its core, continuous improvement thrives on transparent communication. Leaders must establish channels that ensure seamless team dissemination of job responsibilities and goals that align with the company strategy. When information flows freely, team members can seamlessly align their efforts with the organization's evolving objectives, creating an environment (and expectation) of enhanced efficiency and productivity. Empowerment also plays a pivotal role. Leaders should entrust their team members with goals and tasks that resonate with their skills. This encourages individual growth and redistributes responsibilities enabling the organization to accomplish more. At the same time, it motivates your people and keeps them engaged. Continuous improvement also doesn't happen without feedback. This must become cultural and always be seen as a means for improvement and growth. Leaders must encourage people to voice their opinions, ideas, and concerns without restrictions. Constructive feedback, done correctly, guides every team member toward areas of improvement, providing an on-the-job laboratory for continuous learning. Proactive investment in employee development is the price that must be paid for sustained progress. Leaders are responsible for creating opportunities for skill augmentation and career advancement, reinforcing their commitment to their team members. This practice boosts morale and infuses your organization with a competitive edge. Getting your people to work better together must also become a part of continuous improvement. Collaboration and teamwork are non-negotiable. Leaders must create and promote opportunities for interaction among team members, facilitating the cross-pollination of departments and functions. Merging these diverse perspectives creates innovative solutions that will help to drive long-term success. Last, adaptability may be the most important of all continuous improvement attributes. NOTHING is more important than understanding and being open to change. Adjusting to customer preferences, new technologies, and market shifts creates resilience and ensures you remain in the best position to win within your field of play. Yes, focusing on one percent can get you all of that. It's what's needed from every leader. #ceos #leadership #onepercent #execution For more effective leadership insights, subscribe to my newsletter at https://lnkd.in/gKaqqhPC

I’ve been a huge fan of Tom Fishburne for years since we were classmates at Harvard Business School. Tom started drawing cartoons on the backs of HBS business cases, which evolve to become his famous and insightful Sky Deck cartoons.  I was always on the lookout for them. I invite my connections across all industries to subscribe to Tom’s insightful newsletter. Last week’s issue particularly resonated with me. Tom highlighted that labeling an idea as polarizing can quickly kill it, as businesses usually avoid such ideas in favor of safer, more universally appealing ones. However, there’s power in polarization. Trying to appeal to everyone often results in appealing to no one. In a cluttered world, the last thing a company can afford is to create indifference. Several years ago, I was helping the innovation group of a large carrier and saw firsthand the graveyard of idea killers. Many innovative ideas, often originating from those in the field who directly experience pain points, did not make it past the first round of evaluation. To help this carrier effectively evaluate innovative ideas and develop a repeatable process, we implemented a few key strategies: 1. Idea Champion Program: We assigned champions to promising ideas to advocate for them, gather feedback, and iterate on the concepts. 2. Cross-Functional Evaluation Committees: We created committees with members from various departments to ensure diverse perspectives in idea evaluation. 3. Fail Fast, Learn Faster: We encouraged a culture where failure is acceptable as long as we learn from it quickly. Prototyping and piloting ideas in controlled environments helped us make informed decisions. 4. Customer-Centric Approach: We focused on ideas that directly addressed customer/staff pain points, involving these stakeholders early in the development process. 5. Regular Review Cycles: We established regular review cycles for all submitted ideas to ensure they received proper attention. By implementing these strategies, we helped the carrier create an environment where innovative ideas could thrive. This process not only brought new solutions to the market but also fostered a culture of creativity and continuous improvement. Remember, the goal is not to avoid polarization but to harness it. Great ideas often provoke strong reactions, and that’s where their power lies. By creating a structured process to evaluate and nurture these ideas, we can ensure that they have the opportunity to make a significant impact. https://lnkd.in/eWfV_a-t

The 6 most dangerous words in business (and how to overcome them): "That's how we've always done it." It's an attitude that's shockingly common, But that CAN be defeated. This mindset often comes from an innocent place: ↳Comfort - With how things are ↳Stability - "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" ↳Pragmatism - Change takes substantial work ↳Fear - How will this impact me? ↳Efficiency - We've refined a ton to get here: don't muck it up But the reality is: ↳Customers and their preferences are always changing ↳Competitors are always changing ↳Macro forces are always changing So organizations need to always be changing - or they'll lose. The good news: even if your organization is stuck on "that's how we've always done it" - You can overcome it. Here's how: Seek Frontline Feedback ↳Offer multiple channels for employees to give ideas and feedback ↳Explicitly ask for them often - and thank people publicly when they contribute Empower New People ↳Remember that new employees have the freshest perspective and least inertia ↳Tell them this, while asking and empowering them to speak up with ideas or concerns Reward Successful Ideas ↳When someone gives an idea that's implemented, tangibly reward them (bonus, time off, etc.) ↳Celebrate them publicly so others are encouraged to do the same Make Change Cultural ↳Make continuous improvement and growth mindset part of your mission, and emphasize them frequently ↳Put adaptability and risk-taking on your performance evaluations Promote Learning ↳Give employees time to attend conferences, workshops, and trainings that will generate new ideas ↳Invite them to share key takeaways afterward Block Time To Brainstorm ↳Ensure leaders dedicate protected time to evaluate existing processes and plan improvements ↳If this can't happen day-to-day, block time for offsite retreats Highlight Change Successes ↳Tell stories of changes the organization (and other orgs) has gone through before ↳Ensure all employees see the line from changes made to improvements in their job Celebrate Risk Taking ↳Highlight big risks that paid off, emphasizing that the success wouldn't have otherwise happened ↳Ensure risks that fail are treated as learning opportunities, not punished Conduct After Action Reviews ↳After big projects, gather everyone involved for an after action review ↳Talk about what to improve upon - even when things went well Start With Small Wins ↳Seeing is believing, so start small with trials and pilots to get results ↳Let those who participated become your frontline advocates Listen ↳Ask questions to understand what's behind any resistance to change ↳Tailor change efforts and communication based on what you learn Ensure Changes Succeed ↳Resistance to change builds when changes fail, so work overtime to ensure they do not ↳Use strong change management practices: planning, creating buy-in, communicating, reviewing --- ♻ Repost to help your network overcome this mindset. And follow me George Stern for more.