Build and sustain an innovative work environment

Build and sustain an innovative work environment

Observation/Demonstration

Throughout this unit, you will be expected to show your competency of the elements through observations or demonstrations. Your instructor will have a list of demonstrations you must complete or tasks to be observed. The observations and demonstrations will be completed as well as the activities found in this workbook. An explanation of demonstrations and observations:

Demonstration is off-the-job A demonstration will require:

Ø  Performing a skill or task that is asked of you

Ø  Undertakinga simulation exercise

You should demonstrate that you can:

1.      Lead innovation by example

2.      Establish work practices that support innovation

3.      Promote innovation

4.      Create a physical environment which supports innovation

5.      Provide learning opportunities.

You should also demonstrate the following skills:

Ø  Reading

Ø  Writing

Ø  Oral Communication

Ø  Navigate the world of work

Ø  Interact with others

Ø  Get the work done

Activities

Activity 1A

Estimated Time	20Minutes
Objective	To provide you with an opportunity to make innovation an integral part of leadership and managementactivities, to demonstrate positive reception of ideas from others and maintain relationships based on mutual respect and trust.
Activity	Ø  This is a reflective activity. Ø  In teams, or as directed by the INSTRUCTOR, reflect on what has been discussed so far and address what are the actions and steps needed to achieve a result from an ACTIVITY or EXAMPLE from your WORKPLACE? Ø  If no workplace example is possible, draw an activity PROVIDED by the INSTRUCTOR. EXAMPLE Your company wishes to focus on its core business and is looking to management for innovative ideas and an approach to areas within the organisation that explores outside opportunities How would you approach the areas discussed so far in your example? Make notes and be prepared to then discuss with the class YOUR COMMENTS

Activity 1B

Estimated Time	20Minutes
Objective	To provide you with an opportunity to take considered risks to open up opportunities for innovation.
Activity	In teams, or as directed by the INSTRUCTOR, conduct a risk analysis exercise using an example of considered risks to open up opportunities for innovation.Draw your example from your WORKPLACE or as provided by the INSTRUCTOR. YOUR EXAMPLE Or….EXAMPLE PROVIDED BY THE INSTRUCTOR Detail your findings under these categories: A risk categorisation Risk assessment Risk likelihood and consequence Risk resolution

Activity 1C

Estimated Time	30Minutes
Objective	To provide you with an opportunity to regularly evaluate own approaches for consistency with the wider organisational or project context.
Activity	Ø  In teams, or as directed by the INSTRUCTOR, complete the following tables. Ø  Discuss each in the class Ø  Draw your example from your WORKPLACE or as provided by the INSTRUCTOR. Benefit Management Your Comments Why are you or the organisation doing this? What objective/s will this innovation achieve in meeting the “value for the organisation?” Have you defined all of the benefits? Have you justified the time and resource expense in achieving the benefits? How do you measure the benefits through the planned deliverables and the company objectives? Are the benefits in fact still relevant or in need of further review? Following the above comments, you would then need to go a step further: Extra Step Your Actions Benefit cost analysis Scoping the benefit Quality management Stakeholder engagement Risk management assessment

Activity 2A

Estimated Time	30Minutes
Objective	To provide you with an opportunity to consult on and establish working conditions that reflect and encourage innovative practice and to introduce and maintain workplace procedures that foster innovation and allow for rigorous evaluation of innovative ideas.
Activity	Fill in the following table: Examples What are the likely processes applicable to these examples? Analysing consistency with overall goals, values or vision Assessing resource requirements and practicalities Assessing the potential to find 'champions' or supporters Evaluating the external factors that may impact on the idea Exploring the implications of ideas that may stretch or change existing ways of doing things

Activity 2B

Estimated Time	15 Minutes
Objective	To provide you with an opportunity to facilitate and participate in collaborative work arrangements to foster innovation.
Activity	Collaborative work arrangements might be: (provided examples) Ø  Cross section Ø  Vertical teams Ø  Within a section Ø  Working with supplier organisations or partner organisations Your Examples Why?

Activity 2C

Estimated Time	30 Minutes
Objective	To provide you with an opportunity to build and lead teams to work in ways that maximise opportunities for innovation.
Activity	Ø  Using an example from your WORKPLACE, or as provided by the INSTRUCTOR, provide your comments to the questions below. Ø  Build and lead teams to work in ways that maximise opportunities for innovation Question Examples from your experiences or as provided by the instructor Are they team goals versus the broader organisational goals or just one individual’s goals (e.g. the leaders) Are they simple, clear and measurable? If not measurable, can their achievement be determined? Are they realistic as well as ambitious? Do they allow small wins along the way? Do all members agree with the goals, their relative importance and the way in which their achievement will be measured? Do all members articulate the goals in the same way?

 

Activity 3A

Estimated Time	30 Minutes
Objective	To provide you with an opportunity toacknowledge suggestions, improvements and innovations from all colleagues.
Activity	Acknowledge Suggestions Discuss your Views Talk about the individual and team current status of issues Provide colleagues members with feedback from other sources Slowly open positives and negatives Careful wording Words should make colleagues team members think and not to react negatively Relate to experience and examples as much as possible Feedback on areas such as time management is always a positive approach to a variety of issues

 

Activity 3B

Estimated Time	30 Minutes
Objective	To provide you with an opportunity to find appropriate ways of celebrating and promoting innovation.
Activity	Provided Examples Your Comments or Experiences Congratulating the project team Ensuring management acknowledgment Providing a newsletter story about the idea Using the idea to help foster other ideas Well-planned group incentive schemes

 

Activity 3C

Estimated Time	30 Minutes
Objective	To provide you with an opportunity topromote and reinforce the value of innovation according to the vision and objectives of the organisation or project and to promote and support the evaluation of innovative ideas within the wider organisational or project context.
Activity	Ø  Promote and reinforce the value of innovation according to the vision and objectives of the organisation or project Ø  Promote and support the evaluation of innovative ideas within the wider organisational or project context In groups, or as directed by the INSTRUCTOR, conduct an activity on making an assessment for an innovative idea. Use an example from your WORKPLACE or, as provided by the INSTRUCTOR. Risk Taking The degree to which there is intellectual and emotional support for team members that want to try out something new, given some reasonable precautions to avoid harm or completely disastrous disruptions to the work place Your Innovation Workplace Example What qualifies this as an innovation Is the innovation new or a continuance of an earlier one Does it have benefits or impact on: Ø  Commercial areas of the company Ø  Internal Ø  External Ø  Other Has the company marketplace been tested for the possible innovation outcome What, if any, financial support is needed Are there special or specific skills needed for this innovation to proceed Is it technically viable

 

Activity 4A

Estimated Time	30 Minutes
Objective	To provide you with an opportunity toevaluate the impact of the physical environment in relation to innovation.
Activity	Ø  Evaluate the impact of the physical environment in relation to innovation Ø  Using an example from your WORKPLACE or, one provided by the INSTRUCTOR, describe circumstances that would evaluate the pros or cons of the impact in relation to INNOVATION. Evaluate the impact of the physical environment in relation to innovation What are your workplace findings/ evidence/compliance to innovation Eating areas Extent to which design or style links with declared philosophies or objectives External areas General ambience of the work environment Location of different people Presence and ambience of relaxation areas Style of decor Use of creative messages or images in the workplace Workspace design and decor Workstation arrangements and opportunities for interaction

 

Activity 4B

Estimated Time	30 Minutes
Objective	To provide you with an opportunity tocollaborate with colleagues about ideas for enhancing the physical work environment before taking action.
Activity	Ø  Selecting physical resources and equipment Ø  Design, fit-out and decorate workspaces Trends The Right Mix Yes Your Experience No Your Experience Intense interaction Optimised space Large formal meetings Quick transitions Thinking spaces Activity settings

 

Activity 4C

Estimated Time	30 Minutes
Objective	To provide you with an opportunity toconsider potential for supporting innovation when selecting physical resources and equipmentand todesign, fit-out and decorate workspaces to encourage creative mindsets, collaborative working and the development of positive workplace relationships.
Activity	Discuss from your WORKPLACE experience, or as provided by the INSTRUCTOR, examples of these questions relating to: Ø  Collaborate with colleagues about ideas for enhancing the physical work environment Ø  Selecting physical resources and equipment Ø  Design, fit-out and decorate workspaces Is your organisation willing to support collaboration with colleagues about ideas for enhancing the physical work environment? YES/NO: Do individuals have an awareness of these ideas and methods of collaboration but no actual involvement in their development, implementation or review? YES/NO: Are there standard processes either formally or informally used to address special needs or demands such as these? YES/NO: Do managers have the ability to make changes to physical resources and equipment depending on the organisations and individual needs? YES/NO: Is the trend in your workplace or environment to have fewer and smaller individual workspaces and a larger space allocated to interactive use for a variety of functions? YES/NO:

 

Activity 5A

Estimated Time	30 Minutes
Objective	To provide you with an opportunity topro-actively share relevant information, knowledge and skills with colleagues, toprovide or encourage formal and informal learning opportunities to help develop the skills needed for innovation and to create opportunities in which individuals can learn from the experience of others.

 

Skills and Knowledge Activity

Estimated Time	1 Hour
Objective	To provide you with an opportunity to demonstrate your knowledge of the foundation skills, knowledge evidence and performance evidence.
Activity	Complete the following individually and attach your completed work to your workbook. The answers to the following questions will enable you to demonstrate your knowledge of: Ø  Reading Ø  Writing Ø  Oral Communication Ø  Navigating the world of work Ø  Interacting with others Ø  Getting the work done Ø  Explain the concepts and theories of innovation and how these link to innovation in practice Ø  Explain the context for innovation in the workplace including core business values, overall objectives, broader environmental context and the need to ensure the value and benefit of innovative ideas and projects Ø  Discuss the factors and tools that can motivate individuals to use creative thinking and apply innovative work practices Ø  Research the legislative framework that impacts on operations in the relevant workplace context Ø  Explain how different approaches to management and leadership can support or hinder innovation Ø  Discuss typical challenges and barriers to innovation within teams and organisations and ways of overcoming these including rewarding and celebrating innovation, coaching and learning, modelling behaviour and managing the physical environment. Answer each question in as much detail as possible, considering your organisational requirements for each one. 1.      Create a planning document outlining a plan you could implement in order to build and sustain an innovative working environment in your workplace. You may choose any method to achieve this, but you should detail your plan thoroughly, explaining how each element of the plan will enable you to achieve the outcomes of the project.

Case Study                                                                               

Estimated Time	2 Hours
Objective	To provide you with an opportunity to demonstrate your skills and knowledge and understanding to the concepts of this unit and applying those into real situations.
Activity	This is a Case Study– your instructor will let you know whether you will complete it during class or in your own time. Attach your completed answers to the workbook. You must individually, answer the following questions in full to show your competency of each element: 1.      Lead innovation by example 2.      Establish work practices that support innovation 3.      Promote innovation 4.      Create a physical environment which supports innovation 5.      Provide learning opportunities Clara Brown is the Senior manager of a leather shoes production department within the organisation where she has worked more than 10 years. She has worked from trainee and reached up to the post of senior manager. She has always been dedicated to her work and aims to improve the position by adding value to it. However her production team, generally, meet their production requirements, though she is concerned about the interest in quality improvement, particular in a reduction in the use of resources and in waste reduction which is least concerned by her production team. She is interested in effective environmental management. Clara is part of a weekend Land care group which is rehabilitating local river area by removing waste, and planting trees to re-vegetate the site.  Clara has worked her way up through the organisation. She has awarded Advanced Diploma of Management studies from a local colleges and she is in the final semester of degree in production management. She can bring the expertise gained in the workplace to her position as well as her learning in the Degree study programs. Clara is a full-time staff member, though many of her staff members on a part-time or casual basis. They are employed on one of two shifts, a day shift and a night shift. The two shifts do not often have contact with each other. Many of the staff members are working to support young families and meet high mortgage repayment commitments. There is little social activity in the work place. Most staff members have learned what they know on the job, though the team leader Andrej. Andrej has undertaken certificate in Diploma of Management course. Also, part of the professional Development plan he is participating workplace professional training and management workplace on a regular basis. The management is happy to consider Clara’s concern with the environment. But they have not provided significant time or resources for training of staff or meeting to support Clara’s ideas. You are required to consider yourself as manager of a production department (Clara’s role) Answer the following Questions- 1.      Why would it be beneficial to make innovation an integral part of leadership and management activities? 2.      How could you demonstrate positive reception of ideas from others? Why would this be useful? 3.      How can you establish and maintain relationships based on mutual respect and trust? 4.      Give an example of how you could take considered risks to open up opportunities for innovation. 5.      Why should you regularly evaluate your own approaches for consistency? 6.      How could you consult on and establish working conditions that reflect and encourage innovative practice? 7.      How can you introduce and maintain workplace procedures that foster innovation? 8.      How can you facilitate and participate in collaborative work arrangements to foster innovation? 9.      How can you build and lead teams to work in ways that maximise opportunity for innovation? 10.  Give an example of how you could acknowledge suggestions, improvements and innovations from all colleagues. 11.  What is an appropriate way of celebrating and promoting innovation? 12.  How can you promote and reinforce the value of innovation according to the vision of the organisation? 13.  How could you promote and support the evaluation of innovative ideas? 14.  What elements of the physical environment can you evaluate in relation to innovation? 15.  Why would you collaborate with colleagues about ideas for enhancing the physical work environment? 16.  Why should you consider the potential for supporting innovation when selecting physical resources? 17.  How could designing the workspace encourage creative mind-sets? 18.  Why should you pro-actively share relevant information, knowledge and skills with colleagues? 19.  How could you provide formal and informal learning opportunities? 20.  How could you create opportunities in which individuals can learn from the experiences of others?

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