“If you criticize an idea whenever you come up with it, whether it is a good or a bad one, you will never get a good result.” Tom Monahan, Think Different, 2009, Magellan Press
This is very fragile. It is sensitive to mocking or criticism, and even just seeing a frowning face, it will die from worrying too much. However, if you grow it well, amazing things will happen. Something new comes to exist in the world, and sometimes it makes what was already going well even better. What is it? It is idea.
A world famous design company has a rule. If someone says something negative to discourage creativity, such as “That won’t work” or “I’ve already done that, but . . .,” they will be fined for their negative words. Instead, if they disagree with the idea, they may say, “Is there any way to improve it?” or “What can we add to make it better?” They ask questions to keep the flow of ideas uninterrupted and maintain momentum.
The consultants in the UK, who are co-authors, suggest “Greenhousing” as a way to bring out good ideas. It is to observe and develop ideas while carefully protecting them as if they were young sprouts.
There is no idea that is perfect from the beginning. When you shake off the reason it doesn’t work and find the reason it works and make up for it little by little, the idea takes down roots, stretches out a stem, gives out branches and leaves, and finally bears fruit.