One of the best known acronyms is Keep It Simple Stupid (KISS). Mnemonics can be words or images that remind one of key concepts and ideas.
But not many companies build their own mnemonics and acronyms. Instead they buy ready made posters with cheesy motivational slogans.
Employees have no ownership of these store bought triggers. Taking a brainstorm session and asking employees for one word that signifies innovation in their minds may just be more productive.
Take those words and build posters for office walls or stickers for computer terminals.
Sounds outrageous, well it is. That is exactly what mnemonics is all about.
Images and word association that trigger creative and innovative scenarios in the mind.
Store bought attempts at motivational mnemonics become simply a part of everyday life at the office. Those posters become part of the background noise that simply gets filtered out.
So what if new acronyms and mnemonics have to be created every week or every month. That is exactly what creativity and innovation is all about.
There could be a core company acronym around a basic idea that stays constant. Added to this different departments could build their own dynamic and motivational acronyms or mnemonics.
Being dynamic is something companies should be instilling in their employees and partners. Playing word games around the ideas of innovation and creativity is one simple method of achieving just that.
Fridge magnets tapped into the whole dynamic word play because everybody on one level or another desires to create and innovate.
By forcing an outsiders idea of an acronym or mnemonic on staff, management end up constricting and inhibiting the very idea that they want to create.
Give them scope to create simple acronyms and mnemonics around the core concept of the organisation.
Don't force artificially creative and innovative words onto desks, walls, computer terminals and coffee mugs.
Be audacious in encouraging creativity and innovation but be prepared to change your own mindset in order to keep up. Good luck!
