Low or No Cost Training Resources

The Competitive Edge of Continuing Ed...

If knowledge is power, then training and continuing education are the power source that keeps your business moving ahead. From industry changes to regulation to technology and more, additional training and education is available in virtually every aspect of business, from a wide variety of different sources, says workplace training consultant Karen S. Sieczka, founder of Growing Great Ideas in Douglasville, Georgia.

Read more on the INC. Small Business Solutions blog here.

Creativity@Work: Idea Master Richard Branson

My interest in life comes from setting myself huge, apparently unachievable challenges and trying to rise above them...from the perspective of wanting to live life to the full, I felt that I had to attempt it. –Sir Richard Branson

Sir Richard Branson is a British entrepreneur and risk-taker extraordinaire, best known for his Virgin Group of over 400 companies. Branson’s first successful business venture was a magazine called Student at age 16. He is the 212th richest person in the world according to Forbes' 2010 list of billionaires.

What makes him an Idea Master is his philosophy to embrace life, take risks, learn from failure, think creatively, and continually adapt.

Consider how your organization could “think” more like Richard Branson to become more creative and innovative by borrowing some of his traits:

• Step out of the comfort zone- Branson is constantly stepping outside his comfort zone into new industries and challenges.

• Face toward problems-When problems arise, Branson tackles them immediately and aggressively, making sure that small problems don’t become big issues.

• Be open to change- Branson is constantly open to changing his perspectives, viewpoints and approach to any situation if he feels that it will help him attain his goals and objectives in a much more effective and efficient manner.

• Seek new opportunities- Branson is always on the lookout for new opportunities and ideas that will enable him to gain an advantage over his competitors.

• Ask questions- Branson is constantly asking questions to clarify his thinking and help him overcome the challenges that confront him on a daily basis.

• Be playful- Branson turns everything into a game where having fun is on top of his agenda.

• Take notes- Branson carries a notepad in his pocket to capture ideas for new projects, gather feedback from customers and employees, and to write his goals, thoughts and experiences on paper.

• Learn from failures- Branson fully understands that lessons are usually learned through mistakes and experience.

To learn more about Richard Branson, visit Virgin’s website.

It’s almost here! The complete, expanded second edition e-book comes out on March 1st! Download a free, 25 page preview of THE training guide to Creativity@Work, Growing Great Ideas: Unleashing More Creativity@Work, at the E-book website.

Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter or become a fan of my Facebook Creativity@Work page. I can also train you and your organization to be more creative and innovative at work. Email me for more information.

The E-Book begins

Starting Monday, January 3rd: and every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, I will be blogging and Tweeting about my new Creativity@Work E-book.

Follow along on my Twitter @growinggr8ideas to join in the conversation.

What's in it for you?

• Links to articles on creativity and innovation in the workplace
• Excerpts from the new E-book
• Creative authors to add to your reading list
• Creativity@Work exercises
• The Idea Masters series
• and...
• #creativitychat forum on Twitter

I look forward to sharing! Happy New Year!

Where's the next great idea?

Do you know where your organization will be in the next 2-5 years? Will it still even exist? If it does, how will it look? One thing is certain, you will need new ideas to survive and thrive--Ideas for new or improved products, better or new services, and ideas to increase productivity and lower production costs.

So... where’s the next great idea?

Read the rest of the article on GetEntrpreneurial.com

Why be creative at work?

Think creativity is only for artistic types? Think again; your livelihood and organization may depend on it.

Why bother with creativity at work? Why should you encourage it from your staff? For one thing, promoting creativity at work has many benefits and an organization’s continued survival may depend on it. Most importantly, ideas= $$$$$!

Read the rest of the article at Get Entrepreneurial.com

Build an Idea Library

Want to encourage your staff to think outside the box? Provide the tools they need to get creative.

An Idea Library is a place where you and your staff can go to look for the seeds of a new idea. Much like a regular library, your idea library houses books, journals, and magazines, and offers comfy seating and a place for quiet reflection. What’s different ? It is on-site and available for use any time writer’s block strikes, a project gets stuck in development, or new concepts just don’t seem to be coming.

Sound interesting? Visit GetEntrepreneurial.com to read the full article.

For more information on creativity at work visit GrowingGreatIdeas.com

Failure IS an option

It is better to have enough ideas for some of them to be wrong, than to be always right by having no ideas at all. --Edward de Bono

As entrepreneurs, we have all failed at one time or another. An idea doesn’t pan out, a deal falls through, we get rejected by an important client, things don’t turn out as expected. We feel disappointed and sometimes we even feel hurt. Often, we want to throw in the towel. When this happens, we need to remember failure is an important part of the process of building success.

Read the full article on featured on Get Enterpreneurial.com

Growing Great Ideas-the book NOW available!

I have just finished the first edition of my creativity training book Growing Great Ideas: Unleashing Creativity at Work. Bring enthusiasm and most importantly, IDEAS back to work. Growing Great Ideas: Unleashing Creativity at Work uses exploration and exercises to unleash employees' problem-solving skills and creative potential, build teamwork, and turn business challenges into business opportunities.

It is available for download in PDF form or in print form on LULU.com.