Forward thinking is a desirable skill for any team member. It means you are proactive; always on hand and ready to deal with tasks; you take risks; and are open to learning and growing.
When you have an entire cohort of forward thinking employees, you can achieve great things. And success should be awarded! The UK Business and Innovation Awards are a great place to recognise these achievements. It’s even built into the motto – innovation, growth, success.
The great thing about forward thinking, is that it is a skill that can be taught. Here are some of the rules you should follow to develop the skill. In turn, you will become a key player in your company, and achieve meaningful recognition. In which case, UKBA might be the place for you to showcase this!
Rule 1: Gather your team around your company’s vision
A team member can relate to their company’s vision if there’s “something in it” for them. Creating a shared vision is a quality of a leader who builds a strong foundation and framework. You’ve done half of the work if you gather your team around mutual goals that lead towards the same vision.
The vision will give them a higher purpose and is seen as a strategy for success. Encourage your employees to work together closely, and let them feel safe to share their ideas and perspectives. Get your people on the same page, unified, before they even start working. Make sure your team understands the vision, which should not be just a written statement, but a company lifestyle.
Show us how you work with your team. Support your team by spreading the word about their work. For this, we have a dedicated category at the UK Business & Innovation Awards – Team of the Year. Teamwork makes the dream work – so how has your team fared in recent times? If you’ve all pulled together to achieve results many would think impossible, this is the perfect category for you!
Rule 2: Learn from organisations similar to you
Learning from those companies that are as successful as you (and even more successful than you) can improve your overall performance. Ego-centricity can often be an obstacle. But if you are genuinely dedicated to your goals, you will want to drop the ego and focus on growth.
You need to learn more about the competitions in your industry:
- who are they?
- what’s their key to success?
- what are their mistakes?
This is a strategy that will help you improve your work results and avoid making mistakes they did. Don’t be afraid of sharing information with them. Receiving feedback is also one of the vital learning steps.
All participants at the Awards receive a detailed feedback report with constructive comments to help you improve your performance. If you’ve like to learn from previous participants, download our report. It contains three exceptional initiatives from previous winners.
Rule 3: Give it a try
Taking risks from time to time is essential – how else could you be innovative? Even if your current methods work, you should get out of your comfort zone. This will bring more ideas and directly help your employees develop and feel accepted in their work environment. There are so many opportunities to be innovative; allow yourself to explore.
At our Awards, we offer you an opportunity to describe your initiatives and to get the recognition you deserve. You can submit the details of your entry by using only 1,000 words (100-350 words per section). You will also be able to attach up to two attachments per section (as a .jpeg or .png file).
Why not award a forward thinking member or yourself?
Being one or having a forward thinker in your team is precious. They think about the bigger picture and won’t reject an idea ‘just because’. These members are driven by continuous learning, and change management is one of their qualities. They motivate others and communicate well with the team members. Finally, they are self-aware – which leads to making a decision, handling criticism and understanding the environment.
The UK Business & Innovation Awards is a unique place for you to showcase your forward-thinking mindset. Check out our website, learn more about what we do and enter now.
