Peer to Peer Magazine

P E E R T O P E E R : I L T A ' S Q U A R T E R L Y M A G A Z I N E | F A L L 2 0 1 8 21 Tech Fairs When it comes to cultivating a culture of innovation at Miller Johnson, our bread and butter is the Tech Fair. Once a year, the Information Services Department packs a space full of technolo and food, letting employees roam about as we feed any and all curiosities. Some things are work-related, some are not. The point is to celebrate technolo as a whole, celebrate employees using technolo at work and at home and, of course, gather feedback. We want to put smiles on faces, make eye contact, and re-establish ourselves as technolo subject-matter experts. In addition to the incoming projects on display, we offer employees the opportunity to beta test for us by signing up. Getting the first signature is the hardest; next thing you know, the sheet is full. Technolo is fun. We want that childlike enthusiasm to come out; that's when anything becomes possible. Lessons Learned Training programs, user groups, town halls, and tech fairs. This is not an exhaustive list of ways to engage your user base. This is a case study of how Miller Johnson has accomplished growing an innovative culture. This is the foundation upon which our projects and initiatives are built. The Information Services Department is not where the battle is won; we need all employees in the same phalanx formation. We need everyone's voice and ideas. We need everyone involved. Using these strategies has allowed Miller Johnson to be successful in its technolo initiatives, and we believe all firms can benefit from this experience. ILTA of several user groups, these individual meetings bring with it the camaraderie referenced earlier. Everyone is on the same team and has delivered an end-product, the result of conversation and turkey clubs. The goal should be to create excitement and a feeling of ownership within the group, as well as an amazing deliverable. Town Halls This is where you just let the phalanx scenario play out. If we get positive feedback and that's it, great. However, the real value is when you get the opposite. We want to hear the complaints. We want everyone to work each other into a frenzy. We don't want anyone to hold back. Not only can a town hall be a source for feedback on existing initiatives, it can also be a place to introduce and brainstorm future projects. To take it a step further, these discussions can also give rise to completely new ideas. You can never predict where a good idea will come from. T H E R E ' S M O R E O N L I N E ! Training programs, user groups, town halls, tech fairs: all great ways to engage your team! Join along as the author discusses new and innovative ways to change corporate culture! iltanet.org/ innovative-culture We want users who are involved in projects or initiatives to almost feel like members of the Information Services Department.

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