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By Paul Rousseau
Finding a Home For Your Ideas
It's difficult to recognize and develop ideas in a vacuum. As I am writing I become aware of ideas floating through my mind ... what about placing a light bulb inside of a shower head. You might say "Hey, that's a great idea," and I would agree. Quickly, I think "a good idea for what?". "What problem does it solve?" "Who would buy it?"
Now, if I did not have electrical service in my bathroom, then the idea has a 'home.' It responds to a challenge I am facing, namely, how to take showers at night without getting injured.
Solutions are ideas that respond to a problem. Results are ideas implemented towards fulfilling visions. Ideas are easier to generate and be accepted when triggered by problems and visions.
There are many solutions looking for a problem. The thousands of failed new products introduce to the marketplace every year are perhaps the best examples. Salespersons are trained to get you "discover" a problem that their product or service will solve.
Ideas that directly respond to a problem, or to an expressed clear vision are more likely to be accepted by both the creator (of the idea) and by others. Looking for creative solutions for a problem, and building a vision that requires the generation of ideas to achieve both help you to find a home for your ideas.
Employing a systematic problem solving or vision building process or model can greatly assist you in focusing your idea generation energies. These models build a framework on which you can focus your creativity. An excellent problem solving model is the Osborn-Parnes Creative Problem Solving (CPS) Model (1981). Robert Fritz, in his book "Creating" (1991) shows how building vision is so critical in generating ideas.
Selling Your Ideas
Keep in mind that a new ideas, when implemented, force change in the lives of other people. Some of these changes may be profound and distasteful. If, for example, your idea results in some people losing their jobs you can expect a lot of resistance. Consequently, ideas must be packaged so they are seen to benefit those affected by its implementation.
Many people have a hard time selling their ideas no matter how noble and useful they may be. Ideas seem so "right" to the creator. And, we often think, people who don't like our ideas are ungrateful, ignorant, or just don't like us. What can you do to make your ideas palatable to others as solutions or as an alternative future?
At a minimum, accept that people are different, very different, from you. In order to sell your ideas you have to accept the fact that everyone has their own unique mental model of the world. Your first step is to get insights into that model so you can address it specifically. You can do this by listening very carefully to what people say and how they say it. Ask others what they like and they will tell you. Ask them what is important in their lives. They will tell you. Then use the words and, ideally, the voice quality they used to express those words, to describe your idea to them.
Make sure there is something, some benefit, for those who will be affected by your idea. Do your homework. Learn as much as you can about those to which you will 'pitch' your solution. Ideally bring them into the problem solving and vision building process early so they become part of idea generation. People don't normally block the implementation of ideas they participated in formulating.
Being strategic also helps. Begin by listing as many names of people that might, even remotely, be affected by the implementation of your idea. Then, informally begin talking to them about the idea, making sure that you frame your conversation in the spirit of "I've been thinking about ...," as in "I've been thinking about what might happen if we changed the way we schedule vacations." At a minimum you will get feedback, some positive and some negative. Then use this information to reframe your ideas, to play down the negative and to build up the positive.
Learning how to gain acceptance and support for your ideas is an important skill. A classic volume to help get you going is Eugene Raudsepp and Joseph Yeager's How to Sell Your Ideas: Your Company's and Your Own (1981).
Welcome to the place where you can finally get to work on your dream!
HowMuchJoy.com
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