When did having an idea become a joint venture? A creative democracy?
The political correctness and egalitarianism of the organisation likes it when ‘we all had the idea together’. As if by some miracle birth, all 12 people, while staring slack jawed at an impotent white board, had the same Eureka moment at once.
Nonsense.
Ideas are had by individuals. Executed by groups. Appropriated by the masses.
Don’t get me wrong. It’s good that large groups of people serve the idea process. I believe in the value of laying the groundwork for an idea to ‘likely’ happen.
Equally, I believe that it takes more than just the person who had the idea to make it happen. In fact, often leaving it to someone else to execute can lead to an even better idea.
But let’s not undermine the value of great ideas, and the people who have them, by thinking that the ‘group’ had the idea together. Because then any group can have an idea. And the ‘idea economy’ will certainly crash.
I’d prefer we kept good respect for that one individual who opened their mouth and said, “What if we did this?!?”
That first utterance is what starts everything. And without it, what do you really have?
Moving junk. Landfill.
If you had a great idea today, you know who you are. And you have my respect.
Take a bow.
I love the idea of “eureka” moments – perfect, fully-formed ideas suddenly materializing in the mind. But in my experience they almost never happen. Although it pains me to say it, I think my best ideas have always been so collaborative that it’s hard to say where the concept really come from.
ME: What if we did something like… “coxf”.
MY AD: Um, I like the “co” part. How we make it “conc” instead.
ME: Interesting. Would it be crazy if we added an “e”?
MY AD: Not if we put a “p” right after.
ME: I like where this is going! Let’s add an x and q and a x and a b!
MY AD: How about just a “t”?
ME: Okay.
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Everything you write my friend, is worth printing out, folding up, and keeping.
Snakeboards come out of idea democracies.
Boy bands.
Hooked on Classics.
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