New Ideas and Frankenstein
Sometimes I wonder if new ideas in the workplace are viewed like the Frankenstein monster.
You remember the movie Frankenstein. A doctor creates a life form. This life doesn’t look or sound like everyone else…so it’s viewed as a “monster.” And, since the monster can’t be easily controlled, the reaction of the local villagers is to “kill it”.
Is that how new thoughts and ideas are viewed? It reminds me a little of a Dilbert comic I have in my office:
Boss: “That’s an interesting suggestion, Wally. But if it’s a good idea, why aren’t other companies doing it?”
Wally: “Can you imagine in your wildest dreams that maybe, just maybe I had a good idea that nobody else thought of?!”
Boss: “You must have seen it in a book.”
On some levels, it looks like the conversation people are having about social media. Social media tools are gaining fanatical popularity. It’s not like anything else we’ve ever had in the past. Organizations can’t easily control it. So, the tendency is to keep it away from employees.
As managers and leaders, we need to realize that the key to success doesn’t lie in control. It’s about being open to things we’ve never seen before. Put your business hat on and see if it’s something that might actually benefit the company. It’s about exploration, flexibility, and agility.
Leveraging your strengths and opportunities will get you farther than just mitigating your weaknesses and threats.
So the next time the Frankenstein monster shows up at your door…instead of killing it, why not invite it in…
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