The Library Means Business: 'Weird' ideas may be key to business success

Mike DePue is the business librarian at Library Center.

There is something about the turn of the calendar year that leads people to pause and plan for the future. Part of that process is looking over the past year and determining what things could be better and setting the course to make that happen.

When the status quo isn't working anymore, check out these resources at any of the eight branches of the Springfield-Greene County Library District.

Books @ The Library

Hire people who make you uncomfortable. Reward success and failure, but punish inaction. Start the new year with "Weird Ideas That Work" by Robert I. Sutton, a compilation of counterintuitive suggestions that have actually been successfully used, in some form, by real companies in the real world.

When old solutions don't work and the silver bullets seem to miss the mark, check out "The Agenda: What Every Business Must Do to Dominate the Decade" by Michael Hammer, which provides a tool kit of ideas and techniques. Profit from the power of ambiguity, turn distribution chains into distribution communities or integrate virtually rather than vertically.

Enhance company image as well as attract and retain the best available talent with "Get Weird" by John Putzier, which outlines 101 innovative ways to make a company a great place to work. Bozo filters. Bird dog biscuits. Mystery mess. Silo destruction. If you don't read the book, you'll never know how these odd phrases might lead to business growth.

Pertinent Web sites

www.noboss.com/artresolutions.html

Although these resolutions were written for 1999, they should be added to all resolutions you didn't get around to actually doing. Progress in life results from goal-directed habits. This Web site will help determine if selected habits are working.

www.roulac.com/locationmatters/ 0101.html

Resolve to look ahead, not just one year, but 10, 20 or 50 years. Evaluate the impact of your decisions on the bottom line today, as well as the needs of future stakeholders, employees and community residents.

www.moneyroom.com/online/article_1.html

Substitute 2003 whenever you see 2000, and you'll learn to under-promise and over-deliver.

www.sbinfocanada.about.com/library/weekly/aatpbizresolutions.htm

Make Resolution No. 10 your first priority: drop what's not working for you and move on. Don't invest a lot of energy into trying to make the unworkable workable.