14 Ways to Kill Innovative Ideas

Whether you are running or embarking on a small business venture, ideas will come and they will go. It is important to allow ideas generate whether in your head or by your team of people. Ideas should be encouraged not muzzled. Think of how many things would be non-existence if ideas were not allowed to flourish like flight, telephones or computers.

Matthew E. May is a design and innovation strategist who wrote this great article about “ideacide” where he lists 14 idea killers from Youngme Moon’s video “My Anti-Creativity Checklist,” .  Youngme is the author of Different: Escaping the Competitive Herd.

14 ways to kill innovative ideas:

  1. Play it safe. Listen to that inner voice that tells you not to stick your neck out.
  2. Know your limitations. Don’t be afraid to pigeonhole yourself.
  3. Remind yourself: it’s just a job. Keep telling yourself you don’t get paid for ideas.
  4. Make scepticism your middle name. Show everyone why that idea won’t work.
  5. Be the tough guy. Demand to see the data.
  6. Respect history. Always give the past the benefit of the doubt.
  7. Stop the madness before it can get started. Crush early-stage ideas with your business savvy.
  8. Use experience as a weapon. Been there, done that.
  9. Keep your eyes closed. Your mind too. Hey, this social media thing is just a fad.

10.  Tell yourself there is no problem. It’s not us, it’s the economy.

11.  Underestimate your customers. If they’re not asking for it, don’t go there.

12.  Give sound advice. Steer your employees toward safe shores.

13.  Be suspicious of the creatives, the lunatic fringe. What do they know anyway?

14.  When all else fails, act like a grown-up. Stop playing around, there’s work to do.

For the full article by May, read here: http://www.openforum.com/idea-hub/topics/innovation/article/ideacide-aka-14-ways-to-kill-creativity-matthew-e-may

Tagged as: small business advice, small business tips

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