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the
innovative LEDGER
An e-Newsletter from The Innovative Edge™ Inc. Vol.
3, No. 4, Winter 2003 Warning!! Parents with small children and adults with delicate sensibilities… the following article contains references to a nasty word that stymies innovation and is responsible for the early death of millions of creative ideas. Not for the faint of heart… read at your own risk! Recently a good friend and colleague featured in his newsletter a list of nine creativity-killing phrases, admonishing his readers to "Practice these statements and before long, you'll be a professional creativity-whacker." The selections included such favorites as, "We've never done it that way before," "You're joking, of course" and the ever-popular "Top management will never go for it." It was a fairly comprehensive list. However, I'd like to add one more that is, I believe, the undisputed champ of creativity-whacking. And it's not even a phrase - it's the tiny, yet power-packed word BUT. The first of many dictionary definitions of the word BUT is "contrary to expectation." Herein lies the reason this word, used (as it often is) in an initial, knee-jerk response to a creative idea, is such a killer. Creative ideas, almost by definition, are always unexpected. That's what makes them creative! When we react with a BUT response such as, "That's an interesting notion you've got there, BUT…" in effect we're saying that the idea is contrary to expectation and therefore not worth considering. Let's admit it, we all do this and as a result toss out dozens - maybe hundreds - of potential innovations every day. Ironic, considering that the context in which this often happens is when people are brainstorming! They're encouraged to come up with creative ideas, only to be hit with the BUT responses that tell them true creativity isn't really what's being sought. Rather, it's safe, "reasonable" ideas that feel comfortable; never mind that these are the ones we've tried time and again with unsatisfactory results. So, what's an alternative to the BUT response when confronted with a creative idea you don't necessarily agree with or understand? One is to listen to the idea approximately, rather than literally. Highly creative ideas are often metaphors for something else, which the idea-giver may not even be aware of. Instead of responding to it in the literal sense (a response likely to include the B-word), consider what other ideas it makes you think about and be ready to offer up your own connections. In other words, respond by building on the idea rather than judging it. In addition to encouraging more daring and imaginative ideas, it's also a great way to promote real teamwork and collaboration. People simply work better together when allowed to exercise their creative instincts. So,
when it comes to reacting to new ideas, remember to watch what you
say. Not all dirty words have four letters. *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * You have a recurring performance problem. The ad hoc solutions you tried didn't work. It may be time to rethink your approach. Where do you start with a sustained improvement effort? How do you achieve the results you need and deserve? Since discerning questions are better than simplistic answers, here are a few you might want to ask as well as useful steps to take. - What is the compelling business reason to take action? Is this issue big enough in terms of the revenue, risk, time or costs at stake to justify the attention? Make your best case by showing links to improved financial performance and the firm's strategy and core values. - Have you developed a plan for putting your solution into effect? Write an airtight description of your project's boundaries, benefits, costs, risks, time frame and resource requirements. Prepare a list of specific ways to anticipate, pinpoint and deal with resistance. Sketch out preferred roles for the executive sponsors. - Have the stakeholders added their ideas to the plan? Do they all benefit? Whose jobs are affected and how? Carefully consider what kind of impact the changes will have on individuals in the company. - Does everyone understand the desired outcome in its simplest terms? The simpler the goal, the easier it is to get stakeholders to understand, focus and contribute. The faster you produce the desired outcome, the more likely you are to set the stage for more success. These questions get you started. They enable you to plan for and overcome likely as well as unanticipated obstacles. Bill Evans,
our guest contributor, is a performance improvement specialist with
WorkSense Consulting Group (Natick MA). E-mail: billevans@worksenseconsulting.com.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 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 "All
great deeds and all great thoughts have a ridiculous beginning. Great
works are often born on a street corner or in a restaurant's revolving
door." *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 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 © 2003 The Innovative Edge, Inc. The
Innovative Edge, Inc. |
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