REVEALED: WHERE TO FIND THE BEST IDEAS
by David Brewster
They're back! After 25 years, walking the dog and rocking the
baby are cool once more. Our kids are going around the world
when they should be getting ready for school. Our pictures and
pottery are in peril. Yes - the yo-yo has returned. And with it
a valuable management lesson.
The resurrection of the yo-yo has made me realise the wonderful
openness to new ideas which primary school children have. They
don't seem to care how old things are. For them, all is new. And
everything is measured on a pretty simple basis: its ability to
entertain.
My daughters weren't the least bit fazed when they learnt that
their new toy is actually so ancient that their dad used to play
with one. In the same way, the girls enjoy my Billy Joel
collection and love watching 'The Sound of Music' with no
concern that these things might be just a tad dowdy.
It's not that they aren't open to the latest fashion. They just
haven't yet closed the door to yesterday's. These girls just
want to have fun. Period.
But don't fret for my naivety. I realise that this is not going
to last; that before long I'll have to listen to the Piano Man
in private. My children, as we all do, will develop 'fashion
filters' and become more selective about what they will deign to
enjoy. Newness will become critical; actually meeting a purpose
less so.
And so to the lesson for management. It would seem that the
'fashion filters' we develop in our teens we carry into our
careers as well.
I have recently been doing research for my 'Management made
Simple - Secrets of the Gurus' workshop. While trawling through
over 100 years of management ideas, I have been struck by the
number of powerful ideas which have been lost to fashion over
the years.
While new management books strut the stores and their ideas
permeate the collective management consciousness, older ideas
hibernate or die.
It's true that most of these new ideas are built on the old
ideas' foundations. But I can't help but think that by so
readily embracing the new and exciting we tend to discount the
value of the old but original. In doing so, we miss the chance
to custom build our own house, opting rather to try and live
with someone else's design.
It's also true that the really good ideas - like yo-yos - will
keep coming back if we wait long enough. But why be governed by
fashion? If an idea will make your business more effective, it's
a good idea - no matter how outmoded it appears. In fact, it
might just give you a jump on the competition.
Perhaps it's time to dust off the old toy box and see what you
can find.
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David Brewster is a Simplicity expert. He helps managers and
business owners succeed by finding ways to simplify the way they
work, the products they create and the way they communicate. His
client's work more effectively and have more, happier customers.
David regularly writes and speaks on simplifying work. More
articles, downloads and resources are available at his website:
http://www.businesssimplification.com.au
