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the
innovative LEDGER
An e-Newsletter from The Innovative Edge™ Inc. Vol.
4, No. 1, Spring 2004 Another presidential election year is upon us. The primaries are all but over and now the fun begins, as we look forward to what promises to be a hotly contested (and long) general election campaign. The charges and countercharges will fly, among them the now-familiar accusation of "waffling", or failing to make clear-cut decisions in the face of changes in the electorate's mood. We'll hear something like this: "Mr. Bush/Mr. Kerry, in 1994 you voted in favor of a middle class tax cut, but here you are now pushing for increased spending, which will raise taxes, etc, etc. This only goes to show you waffle on the issues and don't stand for anything." We like our leaders to be decisive. Either for something or against it. Forget all the "reflection" and "considering all sides" stuff. Just make a decision. Above all, never admit you may have changed your mind. While a few might consider this a sign of thoughtfulness, most will see it as a sign of weakness, or pandering to public opinion. You'll be labeled a "waffler," and unless you're whipping up a breakfast treat, that's no compliment. But is holding off on a decision, or changing one's mind, necessarily a bad thing? While history is filled with examples in which quick decisions and immediate action were directly responsible for saving lives - even whole nations - there are just as many in which decisions arrived at too quickly, or stubborn refusal to re-consider, led to disastrous results. In addition, many actions which history has recorded as decisive were in reality the result of long and painstaking deliberations, of going back and forth on an issue many times over. J.F.K's decision to blockade Cuba in 1962 comes to mind - a bold and gutsy move, to be sure, but not one that was arrived at quickly. They didn't call the movie "13 Days" for nothing! Of course, quick decision-making is highly valued in business too. And, as in politics and diplomacy, there are times when such action is absolutely critical. Not always though, such as at the front end of the innovation process, when decision-makers are often asked to evaluate a new or unfamiliar-sounding (read: creative) idea. Here, a decisive "yes" or "no" may cut you off from a world of possibilities. I often point out to audiences that few truly creative ideas come out all nicely dressed and ready to go to work. Almost by definition they are flawed, rough, and in need of further refinement. Like a diamond pulled from the earth, their beauty is not readily apparent. Those that insist on an immediate thumbs up or down on one of these will usually decide in the negative, and a potential breakthrough idea for a new product, new service, or a better way of conducting business is lost (perhaps to the competition?). There are better ways of responding to a new idea. For a step-by-step description of what to do, I invite you to read my article "The Key to Innovation: Just Say Maybe". You may go to it right now, or continue reading on to the end of this newsletter. It's
your decision. *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * You've come up with a really creative idea for addressing a problem or exploiting an opportunity. Next you've got to get your colleagues or boss to consider it - no easy task if the idea is brand new (see above article). Here are 6 suggestions for improving your chances. 1. Avoid calling
for a yes or no response - "No" is typically the default
option, and you're only giving them one other response to choose from.
Not good odds! * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Names We Like We're always
on the lookout for creative business or product names. If you know of
any good ones, send them along! You may see them in an upcoming issue!"
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Innovation Quotation "Most
people complain that they aren't creative thinkers. That's because they're
lazy thinkers. They get ideas alright, but they stop after their first
or second (idea). Thinking is hard work. If it were easy, everybody
would be Einstein and nobody would take out the garbage." *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * The Innovative Edge™ Inc. is a consulting firm based in Massachusetts that helps client organizations tackle tough challenges through creative problem solving. Its president, Jeffrey A. Govendo, works in a broad range of industries as a project consultant, group facilitator, trainer and conference designer, enabling organizations to achieve their goals by increasing their capacity for innovation. Contact
The Innovative Edge at: Copyright © 2004 The Innovative Edge, Inc. The
Innovative Edge, Inc. |
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