One of the reasons for the success you have today is that along the way you must have had a few damn good ideas. Perhaps you suggested to your boss some clever way to trim costs, or you came up with a compelling tag line to use in the company’s marketing brochure. Being a good idea person helped you do your job and blast ahead. But now that you’re poised to go big with your success, you need to go big with your ideas, too. You need to come up with not just good ideas but bold, brilliant ideas, the kind that these days are called “game changers.”
Think for a moment about some of the most exciting products and companies you know. Facebook, for instance, or Netflix, or lash-lengthening mascara or those spinners that dry your lettuce, or Paperless Post, whose online cards are as fabulous as anything in traditional stationery. They’ve made your life better or easier (or possibly even more exciting), and now you may even feel you couldn’t live without them. Each began with a bold new idea.
The ability to generate ideas comes easily to some people. I also believe that you can learn how to do it and make it a regular and exciting process in your job. Here are the tricks I’ve used--as well as a few I’ve stolen!
Think about what’s really needed. Read White's six remaining tips on FastCompany.com.
