Getting Traction

Hands up who believes that good ideas always come along at the Right Time and reach the Right People?

Anyone?

Good ideas are great, but they usually require timing and resources to get them into place.  A great idea isn't neccessarily going to happen without resources or timing.   You may want to go to Hawaii, but unless you have the vacation time and the money, it isn't going to happen.

In libraries, many people have a list of Good Ideas that never made it. 
They weren't costly, but due to a lack of resources or being thought about at the wrong time, nothing happened.  This does't mean that they should end up on the scrap heap however; some of them could still be viable if they were raised at the right time and to the right people.

This sort of juggling act is a part of management.  You pay attention to the world around you, so that your chances of success are maximised.  Whether it is the stock market, the board room or getting your team to change how they take on a task.  Sometimes its a real battle to get all 3 factors into play.  But it's also a feeling of achievement when it all comes together.

Yesterday I managed to draft up a training program that my boss is taking 'to the streets'.  Its success relies on a collaborative effort, which is more likely due to the very little effort required from our partners to be involved, and is cost neutral.  Plus it's always nice to be seen to be doing a project that can be promoted as a benefit to the library community.
But the Good Idea came to me last year during what I could take away from CPD23, and I have been on the lookout for the Right Time and the Right People ever since. 
Hopefully I've found them.