The Power to Innovate
Most of us believe
that the strongest ideas will win the day. That success of one’s original ideas
is some combination of sheer brilliance, dogged grit, and fervent hustle. After
all, no one questions that new ideas matter. Ideas are like engines, they are
what pull us into the future. Ideas matter to our careers, our companies, our
industries, our economy, and society. They affect both profits and progress.
Yet there’s plenty of
evidence that some ideas get thrown out before they even have
a chance to be considered. Not because the idea is deemed unworthy but because
the person bringing the idea was deemed unworthy of being heard.
Maybe you can think
back to specific meetings and think of how this has played out.
- It’s the admin whose idea is
dismissed just because she didn’t rock the lingo.
- It’s the salesperson’s ideas
dismissed because engineering’s perspective was prioritized.
- It the regional person who isn’t
called upon, like the HQ corporate folks.
Often, far too often,
one’s place in the organization defines one’s power.
Whether it’s rank or expertise, or role, that place you hold in the
organization can deeply shape whether your ideas get their proverbial shot.
Now, there are people
who say it’s okay if someone doesn’t have the power or the place—or the right
gender or the right skin tone—to have their ideas heard. Sure, it’s unfortunate
for them, but not for us. Surely, that idea will manifest
through someone else, someplace else, at some other time (and, P.S. – they
should just try harder).
But that’s simply not
true. How can it be?! It’s something that people who ALREADY have power today
say—maybe to make themselves feel better as they otherize and silence and
ignore… maybe because they are afraid of losing their status in the world,
maybe because they genuinely don’t understand…
The truth is that
each of us – each of you– stand in a spot in the world where ONLY you stand.
From this spot is how one creates value. Onlyness. It’s a function of our
distinct history and experience, visions and hopes. Onlyness is the place of
power each of us has. We don’t all share the same PLACE – and that’s actually
the key strength needed for growth & innovation.
When ‘power of place’
rules, those who “should” have an idea get heard. When each of our ‘place of
power’ is valued, ideas are heard and evaluated for its power. This shift is
tectonic, From those who already have a place of power, to which ideas are
powerful.
Yes, Onlyness is a
newish word. Yet, it is badly needed. Because words shape the way we see the
world. And if we’re to access the ideas that fuel innovation, we need a new
frame.
And right now EVERY
word currently used to describe true originality is a relative and comparative
one. Think about it. Difference. Diversity. Left-Field. Weird. Unique. Even
when said positively, they are all comparative and relative. These existing
words embody a bias because they measure against those who ALREADY have power.
Those who ALREADY count. Those who ALREADY have the place of power by virtue of
their title, or by virtue of their birth.
But Onlyness isn’t
comparative or relative. It says all original ideas need to count.
Onlyness centers
correctly on the ideas that EACH of us contributes. Not that everyone will, but
that anyone can, contribute. And from that bigger and better pool of
ideas, we can fill our innovation capacities.
Which is why Onlyness
matters to our organizations: it unlocks each of us — by standing in our own
place — to add our bit to the world. And, It unlocks a level of innovation and
creativity we desperately need in our organizations.
Nilofer Merchant
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/power-innovate-nilofer-merchant/?trk=eml-email_feed_ecosystem_digest_01-recommended_articles-9-Unknown&midToken=AQGIPog6-r4O6Q&fromEmail=fromEmail&ut=12LOmFG3Cal8w1
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