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Shake That Brain!® Newsletter
Volume 1, Issue 3 |
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To help you Shake That Brain!® and discover solutions for maximum profit. IN THIS ISSUE: 1.
GOOD IDEA OR BAD IDEA? - Part II ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ GOOD IDEA OR BAD IDEA? Last month's newsletter featured a hypothetical suggestion box with a number of off-the-wall suggestions that each turned out to be a "Good idea!" Concrete boats. *(In case you missed it, including the very amusing AUDIO SAMPLE for "Oh, Shut up!", click on: http://www.shakethatbrain.com/stb-Newslettervol1Issue2.html) What's the easiest way to spot a good idea? Usually, after the fact - once some wild, outrageous idea has proven itself out in the world. As for a "bad idea," all it takes is a knee-jerk "No way!" reflex to snuff the creative flame -- either from others ("Bob, that's a dumb idea") or from yourself ("Bob, that's a dumb idea"). Remember Victor Kiam and his TV commercial ("I liked the Remington Razor so much I bought the company")? Years earlier, Kiam was offered the patent for Velcro for $25,000 but turned it down because he failed to see its potential. Today, Velcro is a component in thousands of products and a huge money-maker for someone else. Velcro? Bad idea! What you need to stand out is the courage to stand up and be counted, to say, "This is a great idea!" -- despite all criticism, negativity and self-doubt. When creator Stan Lee first pitched the idea of Spider-Man, his boss shot back: "Here I draw the line. People hate spiders. [Besides,] teenagers can only be side-kicks, not superheroes." In contrast, when Chuck Jones and his cohorts were creating their famous Looney Tunes cartoons (featuring Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, etc.) they took a far more enlightened approach to fostering new ideas. At regular meetings, called "Big Yes" sessions, the rule was that every story idea or gag that was pitched could only be greeted with a Yes. As Jones explained, "For two hours . . . you could only contribute to the idea, and that meant that all negatives were out." People were free to offer changes or modifications but they had to focus on the positive. Imagine you were the head of a Hollywood studio when an animator pitched you on the idea of "a talking yellow sponge named Bob." Can you honestly say your knee-jerk reaction would have been "Great idea!"? America Online? Bad idea! -- recognized as such in 1985 when an investment banker, approached for venture capital, responded: "It's a dog. You should take it out back and shoot it." (Fast forward to 2003 and that "dog" may still live to have another day.) How about a rock 'n roll song called, "I've Got You, Babe"? You'd have to hear it first? Cher did, the same night Sonny wrote it. As Cher tells it: "He played me 'I've Got You, Babe' and I said: 'Sonny, I don't think it's your best work.' And I went to bed." Later that year, Sonny's not best work went on to become their most popular hit. Or how about a book of parenting advice... written by kids and presented in their own handwriting? Initially rejected by 14 publishers -- Always Kiss Me Good Night: How to Be The Almost Perfect Parent by 147 Kids Who Know -- was eventually purchased by Random House on the condition that the creator of the project add at least 25 drawings from children. Afraid he'd get nothing but "smiling faces and rainbows" the author was convinced the drawings were a "Bad idea!" Nonetheless, he went along with the change. 1) He wanted the money, and 2) He was willing to entertain that even though HE thought it was a bad idea, he might just be wrong. Published in 1997, Always Kiss Me Good Night has sold more than 150,000 copies to date and ranks among Random House's top 10 ten gift books. As for the addition of those drawings, it turned out not to be "Good idea" but a "Great idea!," according to author J.S. Salt (aka Joel Saltzman). For selections from the book -- including some of those drawings -- click on: http://www.shakethatbrain.com/stb-selections-01.html You need vision ("It's a great idea!), persistence ("It's still a great idea!"), and the willingness to change or modify along the way -- either to gain support, improve your idea, or both. Of course, not every off-the-wall idea turns out to be a Good Idea. Many really are Bad Ideas! "Creativity," says Dilbert creator, Scott Adams, "is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep." The trick -- the "art" of it -- is to not say No so quickly, to not throw out a good idea just because you doubt its wisdom, or because it challenges some time-honored way of doing things. As Tomas J. Watson, founder of IBM put it: "If you stand up and be counted, from time to time you may get yourself knocked down. But remember this: A man flattened by an opponent can get up again. A man flattened by conformity stays down for good." ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ -- Bertrand Russell This newsletter has been brought to you by Joel Saltzman. Joel is a speaker, facilitator, consultant, and creator of the "Shake That Brain!®" system for Business Solutions: for building better teams, increasing sales, and improving the health and vitality of your business and personal life. To learn how Joel can help your organization, click on: http://shakethatbrain.com/wow TO SUBSCRIBE: If this newsletter has been forwarded to you and you'd
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to: join-stblist@mh.databack.com This list (and your participation in it) will never be sold, rented, or used for any purpose other than to entertain and inform you with our FREE Shake That Brain!® newsletter. TO UNSCUBSCRIBE: If you'd like to unsubscribe to our newsletter, send
the words TO BE HEARD: Send all comments, criticisms or suggestions to: comments@shakethatbrain.com Shake That Brain!® is a Registered Trademark. JOEL SALTZMAN |
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