In this blog series FWE&E members share the secrets to their success: incorporate these practical and dynamic strategies to improve your own performance your team’s. Denise Brouillette is a leadership strategist who coaches and consults to leaders in the Fortune 500. To visit Denise’s blog, click here.

I often hear men and women at work talk about how they hate the idea of having to promote their accomplishments just to get their work noticed, and instead wish that the results they deliver could just speak for themselves.

If you’re one of those people, and you’d like to get some attention on your work without having to wait until someone notices you, or without having your update sound like pure self promotion, you can begin using the soundbite strategy for getting your work noticed.

Within the last couple of weeks, how many times have you run into leaders at work who’ve asked, “Hey, how are things going?” or “What’s happening?” and all you were prepared to say was, “great, “fine,” or “not too much” and then hurriedly move on? These chance encounters are your soundbite opportunities – those 15-second responses that give leaders the inside information on what might be of interest to them in your world relative to their world.

Here’s how you can put your soundbite strategy in motion.

1. List the 3 most important people who should know about you/your work/your team’s work and who you’re likely to run into in the hallways, elevator, cafeteria, in a meeting, or elsewhere on your work campus.

2. Next, list the 2-3 high-profile projects you’re working on right now. Catalogue the top 2 recent accomplishments as well as the key 1 or 2 milestones you’re expecting to accomplish and when. These are highlights only – soundbites – not a long list of what’s going on.

3. Then, jot down the professional events you’ll be attending or where you’ve been invited to present or speak, whether inside the company or outside at a professional event, and any important meetings or events you’ve got planned or are facilitating.

4. Finally, get your one or two 15-second soundbites ready for each of the 3 people on your list.

Here’s an example of how well this worked for someone I know. In her words, she wrote: “I was riding in the elevator just this morning and saw a senior leader. He asked, ”What’s up?’ and I said, ‘I’m very excited to be holding our first ever xyz meeting today that covers abc.’ And his response was, ‘Where and when; I’ll be there!’   He showed up and supported me all the way. Amazing! If I hadn’t had my soundbite ready, I would have missed a golden opportunity.”

Not being ready with information that the leaders in your organization would find interesting or useful for their own work is one of the biggest professional mistakes you can make. Because while you’re hurrying on by, many of your co-workers likely are stopping, if only for the moment, to let those leaders in on what’s happening with their projects, with their teams, or what’s new on the horizon. And that’s how they get known and how you might not. When you get your soundbite strategy in place, you can be sure that the next time you run into one of these important leaders and they ask, “Hey, how are things going?” you’ll have a ready response.

A good time was had by all at the FWE&E Innovation Leaderships, Visions for the Future event last night hosted at Ericsson’s Experience Lab in San Jose. Sarah Beckman spoke on learning theory for design innovation. She is senior lecturer at the Haas School of Business Management at UC Berkeley. Her talk was followed by a panel session of distinguished leaders in the field moderated by Lisa Solomon.

The panelists included: Dr. Jan Uddenfeldt, Senior Vice President, Senior Advisor Technology to CEO, Ericsson Group. Susan Worthman, Associate Chair, MBA in Design Strategy and Director, Leading by Design Fellows Program, California College of the Arts. Jennifer Dulski, Co-Founder and CEO, Center’d/The Dealmap. Chris Ertel, Partner, Monitor Group’s Doblin Practice. The meeting was graphically recorded by Lynn Carruthers, Visual Practitioner, Monitor Group, Global Business Network.

In her two hour presentation, Sara Beckman described the four key take aways for any organization needing to innovate. These are:

1. Develop empathy through out your organization for customers and users.
2. Focus on the most imp. Problems and ladder up the hierarchy by asking why
3. Motivate change innovation with compelling sticky stories
4. Learn through rapid prototyping of alternative solutions.

Develop empathy through out your organization for customers and users. Identify the audience and design for the extreme then test your solution on the mean. For example, the potato peeler the Oxo Goodgrip, was designed for a person with arthritic hands to use. Arthritis sufferers make up a small percentage of Oxo’s customer base however, the design innovation also met unexpressed needs of the larger audience. This design is a market leader.

Empathy is also needed for the stakeholders in an organization on whom you are pushing your innovation. This remark was made by panel member Chris Ertell from Doblin Inc. As a design innovator and leader for fortune 500 companies like Apple, Yahoo! and Excite, I often failed to understand this point. Product innovation led by a designer without proper institutional support from user feedback, business planning and engineering implementation is destined to fail, at least this was my experience.

Design innovation can succeed when you have command and control leadership like Steve Jobs at Apple or you have open innovation born out of love. Without this arrangement it is hard to avoid the corporate run around and business incentive to focus only on short term financial wins.

Focus on the Most Important Problems. Sara spoke to the need to Focus on the most important problems and ladder up and down the hierarchy of needs and keep asking why. Working with individual clients and companies over the years I have found this to be true. What a client tells you is a problem often masks a deeper issue that needs addressing before any attempt at resolution can be found. Diagnosis is critical to establish the true problem to be solved. Where the pain shows up, may not be where the pain originates so you have to keep asking questions. More explicit or stated needs that can be found through interviews with customers.

Where Sara spoke to “laddering up and down the hierarchy” I believe she was speaking to the scope and focus of design innovation in the product design context. In my experience innovation is a ladder with four steps.

Step One: Improving an existing product to create greater efficiency or cost saving for example, creating a cheaper aluminum can.

Step Two: Evolving a product to bring it to a new level of performance, for example, Oakley sunglasses do the same job a any pair of sun glasses but have evolved to serve the community of sports players.

Step Three: Inventing a new product solution. For example, the iRobot is a new class of vacuum cleaner. The iRobot cleans on its own, whilst the competition continue to compete on suction power.

Step Four: Transformation occurs when a product comes to market that changes the market or the organization for example, the iPhone.

Motivate Change with Customer Stories. Sara recommends enforcing and motivating change with compelling stories discovered from customer observation. There are two types of story. One you tell internally to unite the team in pushing ahead with a new idea and stories you tell the market to help sell your new product. For example, Kimberly Clarke customer insight stories helped reframe their perspective on diapers away from “waste management technology” to clothes designed to help parents potty train children. This research inspired story then became the story which launched a new product of “Pullup” diapers with the famous tagline “I am a big kid now”

Learn through rapid prototyping of alternative solutions. In the five years I worked in the Advanced Technology Group at Apple Computer, all I did was prototype new product concepts for testing, feedback and industry promotion. The type of prototype ranged from simple card sorting exercises to understand the order someone would complete a task, to interactive prototypes people could click on and tell us if what happened on screen matched their expectation of what they thought would happen.

Sara mentioned that getting her students this year to test their ideas is proving difficult. She feels this generation is so used to looking stuff up online, that interacting with people and sharing their ideas face to face is not desirable.

The reality is, if your audience can’t try out your ideas before you go to market, you are missing out on one of the most creative moments of the design innovation process. When you make the time to observe, listen, analyze your work being used by the people you are designing it for, you experience profound insights which help transform your OK ideas into great ones. This is when the stories are made, this is when the penny drops, and this is when you and your team find the heart connection, what martial arts experts call “hitting the Tai Chi”. Finding that perfect right point that when you attain it, all the other variables, problems, glitches and hiccups fall away and you have your perfect right solution.

Anne Lise Kjaer - 2020 Shaping Ideas

At the onset, Kjaer is quick to remind us that the future is an indeterminate thing. After listening to her interview, I realized that it’s true: I –and perhaps most people—tend to think of the future as a finite thing, as in “the future will be like XYZ,” rather than “the future might be like XYZ.” We forget that the future is not a predetermined place where we will all eventually end up regardless of the choices we make. Corny as it sounds, we have the power to create exactly what that future will be like. The possibilities are endless!

Despite the fact that the future is an intangible and mercurial concept, Kjaer’s job is to make predictions based on current trends and opinions. After her extensive survey, she came to the following conclusion:

“[In the future], women won’t bother to try to get into a male-ruled organization; they will just try to start their own company, because it’s much easier. If you go into an old-fashioned, last-century organization, which was very left-brained, you won’t have a chance in the future…

Daniel Pink supports Kjaer’s premise in his book, A Whole New Mind, reiterates that the era of “left brain” dominance, and the Information Age that it engendered, are giving way to a new world in which “right brain” qualities-inventiveness, empathy, meaning-predominate.

It remains to be seen whether women will be forced to circumvent established traditions of thought by starting their own companies. However, it highlights an interesting shift specific to the world of entrepreneurship – as women step up to take the reigns, innovate, and build new companies, what changes can we expect to see? How will women build, lead, and foster differently? I, for one, am excited to see what changes (hopefully positive) these shifts will bring to the future.

I was particularly impressed to see the usual suspects of design firms and forward-thinking design companies were not the only participants. Equally present were representatives from forward-thinking universities and graduate schools looking for inspirational and practical ideas on how to build integrated curriculums to teach future leaders critical thinking, design and visual communication skills. Their goal is to teach future leaders how to “toggle” between subjects and disciplines, how to understand whole-systems logic while leveraging individual parts, and how to bring in several perspectives that allow for diversity of opinion to cross pollinate multiple possibilities. Ultimately, they want to teach students how to learn, not just how to perform.

While I hope that the next generation has a better shot at learning these skills holistically, I’m left wondering what happens to the rest of us who are already in positions of responsibility. How do those of us who have too many deadlines, too many emails in our inbox, and too many commitments find the time to appreciate the whole system? Where do we begin to search for multiple perspectives? How do we re-learn how to learn?

Contrary to the old adage, I believe that you can teach old dogs new tricks. There is no need to wait until the next generation finds its way into positions of leadership: we can incorporate design processes into other departments now. Moving forward with a new way to develop projects and products is possible by applying collaborative design principles to your next conversation. Instead of drilling the “right answer” or defending your personal opinion, allow yourself to collect and combine the best aspects from each stated position. Embrace the “why” in a conversation, not just the “what.” Bring someone else into the conversation to provide a fresh perspective. Most important is the willingness to take a risk by presenting your ideas before you’re sure that you’re “right”; this is the only way to incorporate feedback and create the most positive, well-rounded outcome. It takes courage, faith, and commitment to design a new kind of dialog where colleagues develop ideas between each other rather than talking at each either. These are exactly the kinds of leadership skills and competencies that must be embraced at every level of the organization – instead of exclusively within the innovation and design teams.

Ericsson has moved beyond the expectations of a big technology company in launching an ambitious project to define the meaning of innovation. “Ericsson 2020- Shaping Ideas,” uses a wonderful starting point: the future. Rather than trying to define what it means to be innovative today, they have attempted to project an image of what innovation will be like tomorrow.

“At Ericsson, we need to collaborate and get inspiration from people outside our business in order to adapt to these changes—people that take a stand, and that want to share and work together.”

In choosing perspectives outside the realm of technology and communication, Ericsson has demonstrated a powerful shift in models of leadership – embracing a model that seeks out diversity to achieve a truly innovative strategy. The ideas featured in the project do not represent the company’s opinion, but rather demonstrates a corporate commitment to innovation through collective wisdom – drawing together the minds of many to develop a much more powerful and complete vision of what the world might become in 2020.

Tapping into the power of innovation is no small feat – it requires commitment at all levels of leadership as well as a comprehensive strategy to execute vision throughout your organization. How do you push the boundaries of traditional work environments to promote innovation in your workplace? Do you invite conversation, dialogue, and thought leadership to shape the vision of your company? If not, what steps can you take to create invigorating methods and ideas through the power of collaboration?

In periodic points throughout my career, I’ve found find myself feeling as if I’m wearing blinders – being too focused on internal corporate issues and struggling to find the resources to bring creativity and innovation into my workspace.

I’m guessing that many of my colleagues and peers struggle with the same. The constant challenge we all face as leaders is how to stay ahead of the curve; maintain the “big picture” vision that will guide our business strategy, direct our goals, and motivate our teams to high performance. In other words, how can we leverage the vast amount of information around us, to motivate and prosper?

Many of the women I know have discovered synergies between athletic achievement and effective leadership on a personal level. I’m no exception –cycling is my personal passion and something that keeps me grounded and focused during high intensity work periods. Wouldn’t it be great if we could identify (extract) the tools and mindset of high performance athletes and integrate them into our work performance? Marilyn King, the speaker for Your Story of Now,” demonstrates that these two worlds have far more in common than what initially meets the eye. Appearances aside, both worlds require specific qualities to achieve success: commitment, stamina, and above all else, raw drive. Marilyn provides an approach that will examine patterns of success and tailor them to create a leadership strategy that will result in high quality and exceptional performance.

When it comes to seeking out new and innovative ideas, look up and out and beyond your immediate surroundings—it is quite often in unfamiliar territory where the greatest inspiration lies.

“Convening is different from facilitation. By definition, facilitation is ‘the process of making things easy or easier.’ Conveners invite participants to co-create the highest possible outcome for a meeting or gathering.” ~ Craig Neal, Heartland Inc.

To be truly successful, Collective Wisdom requires us to open ourselves and our decision-making process to include diverse opinions, varied perspectives, and different experiences. Transitioning from individualistic thinking to a collaborative group mentality can be a dramatic mind shift for some women leaders, but the value speakers for itself – more heads are better than one. In other words, the likelihood of coming up with the best solution increases significantly when we encourage diversity AND foster the conditions for Collective Wisdom to emerge.

My previous blog post discussed the importance of creating authentic connections for professional and personal benefits. Here’s an example of theory to practice. Women with strong networks are much better positioned (and more comfortable) reaching out to bring “new wisdom” to the table. Women who haven’t cultivated these connections have fewer resources to draw from and are more likely to act alone, limiting their impact as a leader.

It’s true that no single woman leader can do it alone. Nor should we try. In fact, leaders who don’t embrace a collaborative style of management will inevitably be less successful. Social networking and the web have created an expectation of collaboration- irrespective of age, title, status, gender, or race. It’s already happening online, the question is are YOU tapping into the power of collaboration to achieve success?

That being said, relationship building comes more naturally to some than others. For those who don’t gravitate toward the spotlight, there are some valuable skills and tools that can make connecting with people an easier and a more gratifying experience.

1) Networking vs. Connecting: There really is a difference. Over time, the word “networking” has become synonymous with awkward conversation and exchanging business cards. Now take a step back and reflect on your networking efforts. How often have your networking experiences produced long-term relationships or meaningful results? Consider reshaping your perspective and moving away from traditional networking. Redefine your goal with the word “connecting” in mind; find points of engagement with other people who are authentic and fulfilling. The way to accomplish this is reasonably simple – change your frame of reference from “me” to “them” - be open, listen, ask questions and just being OUT THERE.

2) Set Goals for Connecting: It might seem contrived, but now – more than ever – it’s important to be strategic with your efforts and time. Setting goals for connecting and building relationships expedites the process and produces high-quality results. Before you venture out, spend a few moments answering some basic questions: “What am I trying to achieve?” and “Who can help me get there?” Women are natural relationship-builders, however we tend to build deep connections within smaller groups. Be mindful that the connections you need might not be available within your group, which is why identifying “Who” is equally important as identifying “What.”

3) Build it Before You Need It: It’s easy to let your efforts to build relationships slide when you’re career is going smoothly; however those are times when you should be maximizing your efforts, not scaling them back. It’s much easier to build your connection base when you are coming from a position of giving rather than taking. The more you give, the stronger your relationships will be, which makes them a much more valuable commodity when you are in a time of need. Be sure to maintain consistent and relevant contact with all the connections you make – you never know, the opportunities that arise will astound you.

If you’d like to learn more about creating connections, download to this PBWC webinar: Strategic Networking: Learn How to Build Stronger Connections that Fast-Track Your Career or Business with Wendy Beecham

March is National Women’s History Month. It’s a time to recognize and celebrate the achievements exemplified by thousands of women who understood the power of change and broke barriers to redefine the role of women in society. I’m in awe of these courageous women and humbled to be considered among them as a recipient of the 2010 History Makers Award.

The National Women’s History Project’s theme for 2010 is “Writing Women Back Into History.” This theme is incredibly relevant to me as I explore the impact women have on the world. NWHP says, “The history of women often seems to be written in invisible ink.” Going forward, how can we can we fix that? How can we empower each other to continue the legacy of change handed down by the extraordinary women who came before us and make sure our efforts are recorded? How do we write ourselves back into history as we follow our goals, ambitions, professional careers, and personal relationships?

There’s no simple answer. One way is to build a social and professional community by women for women. Collaboration empowers every woman to become a triumphant leader. Collaboration enables us to break the mold and achieve the unachievable. In our community of FWE&E members, every day I see women enhancing their impact on the world. Their success moves all women forward and underscores the power of change.

President Obama said, “Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.”

How will you write yourself back into history?

As Haiti experienced yet another devastating aftershock today, I find myself feeling incredibly sad for the community that I had been so close to just a few days ago. My husband and I flew to the Dominican Republic for a belated honeymoon, returning the day before the quake hit. Although we did not visit the island of Haiti, we met several Haitians in DR, as well as many of the locals. In the US we complain about how horrible the economy was in 2009. Believe me, as bad as it was here, most of us are much better off than the majority of people in poverty-stricken countries. This was the first time that my husband had travelled outside of the US. As we walked down the street, what disturbed him is something I’ve seen many times around the world. Poverty was everywhere. Entire families live in cinderblock houses smaller than my living room. It’s heartbreaking that there are so few resources to help them. Despite their dire circumstances, these people are some of the most beautiful, generous, and kind people I’ve ever met. They don’t beg for food or money and don’t want charity. But they’ll do anything for the smallest amount of money that could equate to what your child might receive from the tooth fairy. And even though they have so little, they’re willing to share what they have with their neighbors. In that spirit of generosity, I hope you’ll help those who are happy with so little, when we are blessed with so much. I encourage you to support the Haiti earthquake relief effort any way you can. It’s easy. You can text the Red Cross at 90999 to donate $10, or you can go to their link to donate http://www.redcross.org/ For more ways to help, there’s a list of other organizations at http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2007/impact/.