VBI: Velour Based Innovation; The first session! - Cris Beswick

So, Perry Timms and I have just finished hosting the first VBI (Velour Based Innovation) session at this year’s CIPD conference.

The concept was simple. The two of us sat on a purple velour sofa (although we got red PVC) discussing the real meaty stuff that makes good organisations exceptional. A down to earth, real world view of what it takes, what gets in the way and what needs to be changed in order to increase an organisations potential for excellence.

Not surprisingly the first few moments had tumbleweed potential but participation was swift and conversation soon turned to the needs and wants of the HR community in order for it to move forward. Also need I say the desires of the HR community as emotion played a key part in the discussion? The usual examples of extra-ordinary companies were cited; Google, Innocent and Apple with a real enthusiasm that these companies are to be emulated, with a recognition that, "we need to be like them" from the audience.

But, how many of you are really stepping away from your well trodden paths with the conviction to really make change? And like the employees that were referenced in the discussion who are happy to be average, how many HR practitioners also follow the same path.

So, how many HR practitioners are unhappy enough to do something about their organisations. Driving change, the change that you and your organisation wants or needs requires the HR lead to be a 'force' that openly and passionately wants the organisation and its people to be exceptional. But unless you are in the driving seat of your organisations bus how can you expect your people to be anything other than passengers. No one wants to be average and there are very few people that are self aware or brave enough to admit that they are. However in my experience they only follow the organisations lead! When was the last time you heard a company/organisation be honest and say to its customers; we provide an average product at an average price, with average levels of customer service?

But the truth is that most of us are average we just don't want to admit it. Here's a quote from a great book by Kjell Nordstrom & Jonas Ridderstrale - Funky Business.

"The 'surplus society' has a surplus of similar companies, employing similar people, with similar educational backgrounds, working in similar jobs, coming up with similar ideas, producing similar things, with similar prices and similar quality."

If you're to move from average to exceptional you must admit that your organisations are what they are. Only then can you plan to move forward and help your people create the organisation you/they want. Exceptional people do not work for average organisations, at least not for very long! Create a strategy and vision, a big vision that people will want to be part of. Then you'll get people wanting to do more than average because they'll have something to achieve, even a legacy to leave. That's when people contribute in amazing ways and that's when you and your organisation become exceptional.

Join us tomorrow (Wednesday) for our second session where we'll kick off about being average!

See you in the ACE Interactive zone at 1pm.

Cris Beswick