Posted:
09/04/2017
23 November 2016 Innovation Team Meeting
Summary Notes from Bob Gregg
Suggested Innovation Team Mission: Promote a culture of Innovation.
This mission seemed to be acceptable to all of the team members.
Themes and Discussion Points:
a. Beneficial Suggestions; Suggest and Recognize. The idea is to engage the broader ACT staff in the innovation effort. There was a discussion about ways to implement an updated version of the COS"s Suggestion Box. There seemed to be general support amongst the team for this. Spent some time talking about variousincentives for staff members who provide useful innovative suggestions.
b. Identify Existing Tools that facilitate innovation: Stocktake. The thrust of this point was that ACT already has several tools that could be used to promote innovation within the HQ. The team focused in on the use of ACT Connect as a good place to start. Other tools that I am aware of:
Innovation Hub
Coffee Bar
Brussels Conference Room
ALTA Facilitation team (Brainstorming, Nominal Group Technique, Six Hats thinking and a few other tools if I recall correctly)
TRANSNET
DOTMLPFI Framework
Fit-for-Purpose team results (sponsored when VADM Johnston-Burt was the COS)
c. Speakers Program. The team discussed the value of bringing in outside speakers to discuss topics focused on Innovation. General support for this within the team.
d. Near Term and Long Term Focus. I wrote down that we identified the near term focus asACT as an Innovative Organization and the longer-term focus asDeveloping Expanded Innovation Partnerships. Again, there seemed to be general support of this idea.
e. Branch Chief Involvement. Discussion centered on key role that Branch Chiefs play within the HQ. Town Hall meetings between BHs and COS were discussed, monthly periodicity was mentioned.
f. Potential near-term theme for Innovation Team to kick-start the effort within the HQ: Working Smarter. Also discussed how we could use ACT Connect, Town Hall Meetings, and Suggest and Recognize themes to support this theme.
g. Clearing House Function. Idea here is to use the Innovation Team as a clearinghouse of sorts for Innovative Proposals that come in. We also talked about using Innovation Team members tocoach staff members who may have some innovative ideas but are reluctant to share for fear of not beinggood enough to post on ACT Connect.
h. Terms of Reference Review. We discussed the need to get this finished quickly.
i. Innovation Team Workspace. All agreed this is still desirable.