What’s the stupidest idea you can think of?
In a brainstorming meeting a couple of days ago, Rex and Noah and I were stuck thinking of the same old strategies that have been working just well enough for Graff-Pinkert. Then Noah challenged us to think of ten STUPID ideas for Graff-Pinkert. It turned out that the three of us came up with more than 30 goofy ideas for the business, several of which turned out not to be that stupid, spawning positive action the same day. It’s not inconceivable that one of them will turn out to be brilliant.
In business, simply putting one foot in front of the other is not enough to thrive. You need to do the unexpected to set yourself apart. In the machining world, just making perfect parts day after day may not be enough to survive in a cutthroat world. Ruthless customers may forget you as they march toward the cheaper option.
Coming up with crazy ideas seems hard because we don’t want to look stupid to our peers, but openly trying to contribute stupid ideas is a terrific way to wake ourselves up to try something worthwhile.
A machinery dealer starting a monthly print magazine called “Screw Machine World” in 1999, having no publishing experience seemed like a crazy idea to a lot of people. It lost a bunch of money, but it also differentiated Graff-Pinkert from any other dealer. Our audience came to know us as people they could relate to and trust. It made us “thought leaders” before anybody had coined that term.
And it had an ancillary benefit. My son Noah saw a place for himself in a creative business that he might have overlooked.
When my children and grandchildren get together, one of the word games that the family loves to play is Taboo. We give clues to the members of our team so they can guess the word that is in play without saying forbidden words that would make it too easy.
Competitive spirit comes out, but also zaniness and laughter. My mind has lost a little word quickness, so my score is invariably low. But what I may lack in ability to give clues that lead to a quick path to the given word, I make up for in a bizarre, roundabout description. What seems obvious to me often seems hilarious to my brilliant grandchildren. It has pulled us closer together through the years.
Creativity takes life out of the ordinary. It may change the course of a war by instilling fear in the attitudes of enemies. It may bring a family closer and it may enliven a business that feels stuck.
What did you have for breakfast today, yesterday, or the day before? Have you tried kiwi or limes lately in your cereal?
Think of ten nutty ideas today. It may change your life.
Question: What are some past ideas you’ve thought of that seemed stupid at first but then worked?
