Hey Attitude Kickers!

May is already gearing up to be a busy month for me. On May 15, I’ll be releasing the first issue EVER of my new magazine “Attitude Digest.” I’m really excited, as it’s going to share tons of information on how to “kick in your attitude” on a daily basis.

The magazine will include sections on health, relationships, team-building, and leadership — and the important role that attitude plays in all these areas. The magazine will include articles from not only me, but also other experts who understand the power of attitude. Attitude Kickers will also be given the ability to participate through monthly contests.

I’d love to hear from fellow Attitude Kickers about their perspective and stories on attitude. Who knows it might be featured in an upcoming issue. If you have something that you would like to share send it my way!

Two year subscriptions are $59 and include 8 editions of “Attitude Digest,” and a copy of “Who Put a Lizard in My Lasagna,” with an accompanying DVD. For more details visit: http://www.everythingattitude.com/store.magazine.html

This week as I was traveling, I picked up an issue of Fast Company to read on the plane ride. I came across an article titled “The Power of the Prize.” It caught my attention because I love contests - as evidenced by my upcoming “2008 Best Attitude of the Year” Contest.

The article outlined new research that suggests that companies can use contests to help spur business innovation and R&D. Most of the examples in the article were about “externally broadcast contests” – contests that tapped into customers and asked them to help create unexpected, workable business solutions. Alan Lewis, who runs internal and external developer contests at eBay, is quoted in the article as saying “…the top things (you get from external contests) are going to be higher quality than what you’d get if you say to employees, ‘You’re responsible for five innovative ideas a quarter.”

Hogwash. While I agree that contests can be great ways to create positive customer experiences and help generate unexpected ideas, I don’t agree that the best innovation lies outside your company. If it does you are failing to effectively lead your team. And I’m not alone. “I’m Not Actually A Geek” blog agrees with me in this post suggesting ways that companies could better maximize innovation from the inside-out.

It isn’t easy. You have to roll up your sleeves and apply a little elbow grease to inspire internal innovation among your employees. But if you kick in your team’s attitude, you can inspire exceptional innovation. Your team will have your back. And internal contests can be used for team building, employee morale, and sparking creativity. There are many companies out there doing it…

- Pelican Products, a firm specializing in watertight protective cases, held an internal contest by which factory workers win points and earn prizes for maintaining certain levels of productivity, enforcing safety procedures and meeting other criteria. The company made sure that the prizes were items that the employees actually wanted to win! Quite the concept! The result? Decrease in both its workers compensation and employee turnover.

- Even large corporations are getting involved with their employees. On April 17, McDonald’s hosted its Voice of McDonald’s II, an employee singing contest. While singing may be appear in the average McDonald’s worker job description, the contest does something very unique. It celebrates the employee and puts them out for the world to see! Who doesn’t want to be celebrated?

The key takeaways? Host a contest for your employees! Some ideas? Ask employees to create a commercial and the winner gets a promotion. Or the top salesperson wins dinner and a stay at a local hotel. Use your creativity and your employees will be committed to your companies success, and more likely to deliver remarkable innovation.