Work In Colour - Work. Think. Live. In Colour
Wednesday 18th November 2009 | 5 comments
It's a great technique: Whenever you have a problem to solve, or need to come up with a fresh idea, challenge yourself to come up with at least three ideas, not just one. Or if you are a team leader, challenge your team to find three ways of doing something, not just settling for their first plan.
Earlier today I had a client who has been landed with the job of liaising with his company's European offices by phone, which from Sydney means late night phone calls, often for two or three hours, sometimes more. He gets limited time off in lieu, but the main problem is that he has a young family who miss out on his company at night, and he is left feeling both tired and resentful. When I quizzed him, it turns out this has gone on for over four years, up to four nights each week!
I challenged him to find a way of stopping it, and soon. His first solution was to write an email suggesting they find someone in Europe to give this support (though he already knows there is no budget for this). His second solution was simply to refuse to do it any more, effectively threatening to resign. A high risk strategy, that one.
When I explained that I always ask for three solutions, he thought for a few minutes and said, with a look of dawning possibility on his face, 'I could tell them I am not available after next week for phone discussions outside Sydney business hours, but if they summarise the top three (there's that magic number again) challenges or concerns at the end of their phone meeting and email it to me, I will respond by email within 24 hours'. He left soon afterwards, already drafting his memo in his head...
The thinking behind this is that we often settle for the first halfway decent idea, either because of time pressure, laziness, or lack of belief in our ability to come up with a really innovative winner. By being 'forced' to have at least three ideas, we give ourselves a fighting chance of digging deeper to something really fresh.
The trick is not to edit yourself at this early phase, to be as wild as you can. It's not as if every idea has to be practical, a proven winner, or even cheap or legal - those considerations kick in later. For now, the wildest idea is likely to be the one that contains the seed of the really brilliant solution.
So, what are your three ideas?
Tags: thinking, creativity, solutions, tips
Great stuff, Joanna. When the ad agency I used to work for did brainstorming sessions, they sought my ideas yet feared their quantity, craziness and ferocity of delivery.
Three is heaps better than one. And more fun, too. Three lets you slip a weird one in while nobody's looking. Good on you! P. :)
I agree with Paul - this is a great posting Joanna. I can see this being a really useful tool at work and for personal stuff.
Thanks Paul and Grace...I love this technique cos it gives you permission to keep thinking, to have a plurality of possibilities at your disposal.
And it gives the rest of your team (if you have one) a CHOICE of options, and a place to start a discussion that is much more generous and wider than it might otherwise have been.
I reckon we should stretch ourselves further. Michael Hewit-gleason talks about the Power of !0.
Dont start evaluating until there are 10 options.
It is exacting---but really forces the issue.
Thanks Ian, I love the challenge of 10 options. As you say, it's demanding but I have often seen in workshops that the fun doesn't really start until the first 5 or more 'easy' ideas are out of the way, clearing the air for more radical stuff, forcing participants to dig below the surface. So I reckon it would be a great way to go. Thanks...