June 2010

I loved the comment on our Monday Morning Message this week.  Here it is again:

“Innovation comes from saying no to 1,000 things to make sure we don’t get on the wrong track or try to do too much. We’re always thinking about new markets we could enter, but it’s only by saying no that you can concentrate on the things that are really important.”  Steve Jobs

Like Steve Jobs, I have so many ideas that I start to be annoying to the people around me.  A lack of ideas is not my problem – my struggle is to be wise and mature enough to say NO to the bad ideas that are bad (which is most of them).

Here are some things I know about my “innovative” ideas:

1.  Most of my ideas are bad.  And so are yours.  I may think mine are good, but that is because I am surrounded by people that care about me, and often agree.  But most of my ideas stink.  Yours do too.

2.  My ideas need incubating.  Time is the great equalizer for the entrepreneur.  Let your ideas roll around in your head at least a few months before taking them to other individuals to vet…

3.  I need to vet my ideas.  I HAVE to run my ideas by other people.  People that will tell me the truth.

4.  I have to be willing to listen to feedback about my ideas from other people.  Don’t even vet your ideas with others unless you are willing to listen, adapt and change.

5.  New ideas are rare.  Most everything has been thought of already.  It’s just true.

6.  New ideas exist in the context of innovative people.  Get around big thinkers.  They tend to pull the ideas out of you.  Though new ideas are rare, they do still exist.  The right context will make them more obvious.

7.  Saying “No” to bad ideas keeps you focused on the good ideas.  Steve Jobs says it best above.

So we have the hope of being innovative like Steve Jobs.  It just takes, wisdom, time, vetting, listening, and we have to be around the right people.

Go find someone smarter than you, and take them to coffee.

Thanks, Jason M. Blumer

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