Thursday, November 01, 2007

Ideation

"I have an idea."

Have you heard someone say that often? It could be that they have Ideation as one of their signature themes or strengths.

A person strong in Ideation is fascinated by ideas. Lots of ideas. All kinds of ideas. A thought to explain something complex or a connection between seemingly disparate concepts. Those with Ideation enjoy finding new perspectives on things and twisting and turning the familiar into new and exciting possibilities. For the Ideation person, ideas are energizing, and this person thrives on them.

One of the keys to working with a person with Ideation is to honor the ideas and provide opportunities to express them. Many times this person will think out loud, throwing out ideas right and left, seeing if one sticks. Understanding that ideas will flow from this person can help others see that the process of creating ideas is what gives this person energy. From the large number of ideas can come a truly remarkable thought that can take organizations in a whole new direction.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Ideas are wonderful, but you need to have the right mix of people on a team to actually make those ideas a reality. Strategists and people who can actually put those ideas into action and make them a reality are important for any organization. You need these movers and shakers to get things going. If I were building a team I would make sure the right mix of people were working together. If not, you'll have a number of good ideas, but no way of making them a reality.