You Can't Force Suggestions

There was a question on the NWLean email list about suggestions,
in the context of
The Idea Generator: Quick and Easy Kaizen, reading
in part:

“My question is this; is the 2 suggestions per month
per employee forced? Meaning do I require each worker to sumit
their ideas or do I suggest that they do?”

Thankfully, Norman Bodek chimed in and pointed out this is never
coercive. Lean leaders only fall back on positional authority and
telling people what to do as a last resort. Hopefully it starts
seeming silly to people to use one concept (getting employee input)
via a non-Lean approach (mandating things).

The question continued:

If the answer is that I suggest they do, then what is
the next approach I take if I have very little
participation?

I think cases like this provide great opportunities to ask “why?”
Why are employees not participating? The answers will vary
depending on your environment, but it’s always a good thing to ask
“why?” instead of redoubling the mandate efforts.