How do you balance inspiration and action?
/No—I’m not concerned whether you have your ideas in the shower, while you’re driving or while you are in the midst of your daily routine.
The important question is this—do you wait till you have a problem to solve or are you on an unremitting hunt for opportunities?
When you’re solving a problem, you’re seeking to address the visible effect of a cause that happened in the past. Something is not working the way it used to and you want to restore the old performance. It hurts when your sales dip or your production process hits a logjam—better find out why and get back to where you were.
When you seek opportunities, it’s because you desire a specific change. Something may or may not be working but your instinct says things would be better if it worked differently, if you replaced it with something else. Taxis and hotels have been around for donkey’s years but Uber and Airbnb saw opportunities.
Generally, problems are forced upon us and we feel compelled to respond. Opportunity seeking is voluntary. This is why we spent the vast majority of our time on problems at the expense of investing in the future.
Status quo trumps change. There’s no right or wrong proportion, but you might consider moving the needle in the direction of a better future. This balance is a foundation for forming your opinion on innovation and setting expectations for the role of technology in your business. I’ve dedicated a whole chapter of Trusting Technology to this topic.
In the next article, I’ll show how an Idea is just an Idea Until its Shared. Try this exercise first.
Clarify your inspiration balance
Time for some reflective listing:
List ten problems you encountered in the last year. Put a check mark against each one you have solved.
With the same period in mind, list any ideas you’ve had for making things better than they’ve ever been. Check the ideas the you have already acted upon.
Now consider—are you happy with the balance you’ve allocated between fixing the past and investing in the future? What are your opportunities to change the mix?
For bonus points, consider how many of those opportunities came to mind while you were thinking about a problem you had to solve. How often can problems provide you with a springboard for seeking opportunities, for prevention rather than cure?
PS In association with Catalyzing the Future, I am offering myTransforming Outcomes by Reducing Unknowns workshop
on December 9th. Check here for a preview and here for signup details
Trusting Technology is a book about forming ideas, exploring opportunities with customers and colleagues, and building your future together. Order your copy here.