This post is based on a general session I attended at a recent membership and marketing conference in DC.
Mike Maddock, the author of Free the Idea Monkey, made some interesting comments based on his book.
In a nutshell, the:
- Idea Monkey - is the person who can come up with hundreds of concepts before lunch; and the
- Ringleader - is the person who manages the idea monkey’s.
He went on to state they are rarely the same person. A number of idea monkey’s and ringleaders are profiled in the book. I’m sure these names sound familiar.
- Walt and Roy Disney
- Orville and Wilbur Wright
- Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak
- Paul Allen and Bill Gates
He challenged the audience to identify the idea monkey’s on your staff?
He then went on to pose some interesting questions and statements for the audience to consider:
- Who’s your soul mate at work? Get outside the jar.
- Insights first, ideas second and most importantly keep looking for treasure!
- Can I see opportunity?
- Am I and innovator or inventor?
- You can’t read the label when you are sitting in the jar – expertise trap!
- What business are we in?
- What business could we be in?
- Insight, Idea and Experience – where the three meet is where you need to be.
- Invention or innovation?
- Ringleaders need to drive the train – empathy.
For more information on Mike Maddock go HERE.
