So, there you are in the C-suite with your head down, totally on-task. You know how it is… you’re completely consumed with carrying out your company’s strategic plan, guiding your management team, putting out the occasional fire and pacifying the board of directors, and you check your watch only to discover that three, five…heck, ten years have gone by!

You, my friend, are in a rut – and the chances are good that if you are in a rut, your organization is, too. I’ll admit that when you’re a strategic executive, the stability that comes from being in a rut has a certain allure. You don’t have to think too hard. You don’t have to do a lot of heavy lifting. You pretty much know what to expect, and so do your people.

But a recent survey conducted by BusinessWeek found that 54% of its readers believe that even in these difficult economic times, taking risk is more important than stability.

That’s right – the majority of respondents said that now is the time for innovation.

What’s more, 55% said that if they could recommend one thing to their boss for increasing innovation, it would be for him or her to “encourage all employees to submit ideas for new products.”

Notice that the respondents said all employees. This is not the time to just round up the usual suspects. Innovation is a team effort. Every single person in your organization must be empowered to bring forth their best ideas, and not just during strategic planning sessions, but always.

You’ve worked hard to create a culture in which ideas are treated as priceless commodities; a culture in which every team member takes his or her responsibility for innovation to heart. But what do you do when the suggestion box – and your brain – are both full-to-bursting with big ideas? How do you ensure that you’ve considered every angle and option in this thorny and ever-changing business environment? When the stakes are this high and there’s a major decision to be made, the C-suite can seem like the loneliest place on the planet.

This is where a strategic consultant can step in to help you come up with effective ways to incubate or test your big ideas. A strategic consultant is a trusted advisor who will provide confidential guidance, honest feedback and leadership coaching to help you find the clarity you need to make your best decisions.

If you are in need of a sounding board for your next big idea, use this contact form to schedule a no-cost, no-risk hour long executive consultation with one of the most highly regarded strategic consultant’s in the business, click here.

“Be courageous. I have seen many depressions in business. Always America has emerged from these stronger and more prosperous. Be brave as your fathers before you. Have faith! Go forward!

~~ Thomas Alva Edison

What is your favorite inspirational quote about business, innovation or risk-taking?
Tell me about it using the contact form above, or the comments below.