Interesting. I think it demonstrates an example of how "small wins" can build positive momentum for individuals in all aspects of their life. Typically, management only thinks about how establishing an open forum for ideas benefits the organization, but work is only one element of an individual's whole life. If we consider a more holistic view, then this urge to creatively develop new ideas undoubtedly spills over into the other elements of an individual's life including their marriages.

One of the more far reaching ... and maybe reaching too far ... findings to come out of the Ideas Are Free study was that a great idea system not only improves the quality of employees' work lives, but it also impacts the quality of people's personal lives.

--> and unfortunately a poorly designed system - and that includes most programs in existance - lead to employee dissatisfaction, management suspicion, and all round company frustration.

We encountered a number of anecdotes in this area, but perhaps the most interesting one, which is almost unbelievable, comes from Martin Edelston, CEO and founder of Boardroom Inc. When we asked him if he thought the benefits of his company's idea system spilled over into his employees personal lives he responded that he couldn't be certain.

--> the anecdotal approach to the book exposes problems with the overall philsophy. On the one hand, the Boardroom example is shown to be a highlight to the book, but at the same time - later in the book - there is a note referring to people having to barter for ideas in order to hit their spurious target of 2 ideas per week (or whatever it was). Leadership thought that was 'ok' - even though they were giving tacit acceptance to employee cheating. How can this be positive for any organization? What is next... cheating the sales numbers?

Our company has a different challenge. That's how to corral all the good ideas into actionable items. At any meeting we have so MANY ideas that we have to put up time limits and topic limits in order to stay on plan.

This environment though didn't happen overnight. Everyone in our company has recently worked where ideas were not fostered, nurtured, encouraged, celebrated.

We work at it everyday. Anyone who has an idea and makes a compelling case as well as bethe champion for its execution then we'll give the green light. This starts with our owner. And it's stayed lively as our company has grown.

Maybe we've gone too far with it. But the other option is just not a solution for us.

That's would be a funny thing to expect that the well-respected ideas at work would be improving your personal life. This correlation may be actually deteriorating sometimes. Check it out. You come up with a brilliant idea, which is being approved by your boss. He assigns you a project, which translates into longer office hours to make this idea work. You come tired home, with nothing on your mind, but a brilliant idea. You can't sleep well, because your idea is too good. You get nervous, what if it won't work. Your whole life becomes a worship of your idea. Your spouse and dog will hate you, because you seem to be too confident lately. Prove me wrong ! :)