“Don” (real name protected) had an internship this summer at a social networking startup that shall go nameless. As he explains, “ideas for changes and small improvements would originate in a brainstorm, and then be preserved for a meeting with our design agency. A week later, a meeting with designers would end with a series of questions for the programmers. The programmers (some work on the opposite coast and some work in India), would have to agree on a meeting time with the designers and with the executives. By the time that meeting happened, everyone would need a refresher on the topic, weeks would have passed, and money evaporated.” Painful.To make ideas happen, creative professionals must work in a system that values a bias-to-action and boundary-less collaboration.
- Brainstorm meetings should include the resources required for execution. If the plan for implementation involves designers, programmers, accountants, lawyers, etc…then they should have representation.
- Strive to have everyone at the table (physically or metaphorically). It is no wonder that small all-in-house start-ups are especially productive in developing new businesses.
- For dispersed groups, extra effort must be taken to engage the right resources in a timely manner.
When an idea is brewing, your first action should be to get everyone involved who will actually need to take action to make the idea happen.–
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