The Idea Hunter: How to Find the Best Ideas and Make them Happen

181 Pages·2011·18.07 MB·English

by  Andy Boynton

th
e
D E A
H U N T E R
HOW TO FIND THE BEST IDEAS
AND MAKE THEM HAPPEN
ANDY BOYNTON BILL FISCHER
CO-CREATORS OF THE POWERFUL MANAGERIAL DEEPDIVE® METHOD FOR INNOVATION
WITH WILLIAM BOLE
"Breakaway ideas come to
those who are in the habit
IDEAS ARE ARGUABLYthe most valuable
asset in an information-based economy. But
how do you find the best ideas—the kind that
can boostcareers, changeorganizations, and
ramp up the valueof projects?Why do some
people seem to come up with these ideas
wheneverthey need them?
In this myth-busting book, the authors reveal
that great business ideas do not spring from
innatecreativity, or necessarilyfrom the minds
of brilliant people. High-value ideas come to
those peoplewho are in the habitoflooking for
such ideas—all around them, all the time. These
are the Idea Hunters. Such peopledo not buy
into the notion that the only great idea is a
pristinelyoriginal one. They know better.They
understand that game-changing ideasare already
outthere, waiting to bespotted and then shaped
intoan innovation.
Theauthors presentan eclectic band of Idea
Hunters, ranging from Thomas Edison, Mary Kay
Ash, and Walt Disney, to Warren Buffett, Apple's
Phil Schiller, and others including the leaders
ofTwitter, PixarAnimation Studios, and the
Boston BeerCompany. These people have certain
characteristics embodied in the four l-D-E-A
principles (Interested, Diverse, Exercised, and
Agile). Theyalso know their gig—their personal
mission, and why it matters. They don't let the
organization, job, industry, or profession define
their Idea Hunt. And they recognize how the
world around them connects with their plans
and projects.
Step by step, TheIdea Hunterunveils a strategy
for unearthing new ideas inany industryororgan
ization. It is a must-have resource for anyone who
wants to tap into the successful business ideas
thatarejustwaiting to be rediscovered.
"Boyntonand Fischer getrightto theheartofwhat it takesforpeopleto
createa superb idea—thefirststep to anysuccessful innovation. Byde
scribingthecharacteristicsofsuccessfulIdeaHunters, theyprovideguidance
and toolsthatwillincreaseyourcapacitytofindgreatideas and put them
into play."
—MichaelRaynor,director, DeloitteConsultingLLP, andauthor,
TheStrategyParadoxandTheInnovatorsManifesto
"Mycompanyaimsto add about $4 billionin newsales everyyear. This
won'tbepossible without everyone in the organizationcontributing new
ideas. TheIdeaHunterisanessentialguidetosystematicallydevelopingthis
criticalcapability.,> ,
—WernerGeissler,vicechairman,globaloperations, Procter&Gamble
"Thrilling, fun,andinspiring, TheIdeaHuntertellsstoriesanddiscernspat
ternsofbehaviorandhabitssharedbythegreatinnovators ofthepastcen
tury. Itfinds similarities among thegreats rangingfrom Warren Buffet to
SteveJobs, andeven goingbackearlierinthecenturytoWaltDisneyand
Thomas Edison. Throughbriefstories andsimple self-reflection exercises,
thisbookdistills thequirkyessenceofleadingimaginationinawaywecan
consumeit,andhopefullyaspire tobecomeonewithit."
—AaronC.Sylvan,serialentrepreneurandtechnologist, OneTechnology,
TrustWorks, LemonadeHeroes,andSylvanSocialTechnology
"Werelyon usingthe ideas ofthousands ofexperts to win against tough
competitionin acrowded market. Using TheIdea Hunterasa trailmap,
anyleadercanwinthe dailywars ofideas that differentiate the innovator
from the rest."
—JackHughes, chairmanandcofounder,TopCoder, Inc.
"IdeaHunters arenormal people,with a normal life,in a common social
context.Theonlydifferenceisthattheyhaveanopenmind andareskilled
insearching. This brilliantbookisanidealguide toachieve anopenmind
in ourcomplexworld."
—MaurizioMarinelli, visualartistandpresident,BaskervilleResearchCenter
onCommunication,Bologna,Italy
"Observe, askquestions, becurious, dare tothrowoddideas intoagroups
conversation to makeit better. These areallways to ensurethat the blind
spotsthatweallarethreatenedbydonotstayblind.BeanIdeaHunter!"
—TonBiichner,CEO,Sulzer, Ltd.
"Inmycompany,Iaskallofourteammemberstobebusinessowners.Doing
things inabetterway, atlowercosts, andinamorecustomer-friendlyway
requires ideas fromeveryone. Those ideas come fromgreat IdeaHunters
throughoutthecompany,regardlessofrankandtide.TheIdeaHunterisnot
onlyanenjoyableread;italsooffersapracticalmethodsothatanyoneorany
firm canlearnthesecretsofharnessingthepowerofideas todrivesuccess."
—LauraJ. Sen,presidentandCEO,BJsWholesaleClub
"Humansmakeprogressbydiscoveringnewideas, butalso, importantly, by
repurposingtheonesthatalreadyexist. BoyntonandFischershowhoweach
ofuscangetbetteratthiscriticalskill—identifyingandreapplyingexisting
ideas."
—PaulRomer,seniorfellow, StanfordInstituteforEconomicPolicyResearch
"Huntingisanaptmetaphor. Ideas existeverywhere in thewild.Thetrick
isknowingwheretolookforthemandhowtocapturethem. Boyntonand
Fischertell us how."
—RonSargent,chairmanandCEO,Staples,Inc.
"TheIdeaHunterisunique. It'saboutcuriosity,agility,andperpetuallyhunt
ingforbetterideas. It'samust-readforanyonewhowants tocompeteand
collaboratemoreeffectivelyeachandeveryday."
—GregBrown,presidentandCEO,MotorolaSolutions
"Thisbookupendsanumberofpersistentmythsaboutinnovationandwhat
ittakes tobean'ideaperson.'Itshows thatwhat'srequiredisnotspectac
ularcreativity or remarkable IQ, but curiosity—not innate genius, but a
genuinedesire to engage in adailysearch forideas. TheIdea Hunterwill
helptransform thewayyouandyourbusinessoperate."
—JayHooley,chairman,president,andCEO,StateStreetCorporation
"Ideasarethelifebloodofinnovation, andinnovationisthekeytogrowth.
BoyntonandFischerofferpowerfulandpracticaladviceonhowto'jump-
shift'theflowofideasinyourorganization.Thisbookwillbecomerequired
readingforanyleaderintentonshapingahigh-performanceorganization."
—MichaelD.White, chairmanandCEO, DirecTV
The
I D E A
HUNTER
The
I D E A
HUNTER
HOW TO FIND THE BEST IDEAS
AND MAKE THEM HAPPEN
Andy Boynton and Bill Fischer
withWilliam Bole
JOSSEY-BASS
I
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Copyright©2011byAndyBoynton,BillFischer,andWilliamBole.Allrightsreserved.
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LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData
Boynton,AndrewC.
Theideahunter:howtofindthebestideasandmakethemhappen/AndyBoyntonand
BillFischerwithWilliamBole,
p.cm.
Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex.
ISBN978-0-470-76776-4(cloth); ISBN 978-1-118-03884-0(ebk);
ISBN978-1-118-03885-7(ebk);ISBN978-1-118-03886-4(ebk)
1.Creativeabilityinbusiness.2.Creativethinking.3.Successinbusiness.I.Fischer,Bill.
II.Bole,William.III.Title.
HD53.B692011
650.1—dc22
2011005783
PrintedintheUnitedStatesofAmerica
FIRSTEDITION
HBPrinting 10 98765432
CONTENTS
Preface:Why Hunt? xi
Introduction:BrillianceNot Required 1
AlreadyOutThere 3
ReadytoUnlearn 7
KnowYour Gig 11
The Discernment 13
TheCircleofCompetence 17
GigsMatter 19
The I-D-E-A Principles
INTERESTED
2 Be Interested, NotJust Interesting 25
CuriosityattheTradingPost 28
LearningMachines 29
YourBrainIsOpen 33
DefiningYourOwn Hunt 36
vn
Contents
IDEAWORK #1: SELLING THE BEST HOUR
OF THE DAY TO YOURSELF 39
DIVERSE
3 Diversifyingthe Hunt 47
TheColorofYourIdeas 49
WhenWeakTiesAreStrong 51
WideningYourIntellectualBandwidth 54
BridgingDistantWorlds 58
IdeasAreEverywhere 61
IDEAWORK #2: THE I'S AND T'S 65
EXERCISED
4 Masteringthe Habitsofthe Hunt 71
The PracticeofIdeas 73
BeginwithanEye 75
ObservingattheRitz 77
ErectingaPersonal PlatformofObservation 80
WriteItDown 83
GetItMoving 86
ObserveYourself 88
IDEAWORK #3: ASSEMBLING
AN IDEA PORTFOLIO 91
AGILE
5 IdeaFlowIs Critical 101
TheCaseoftheGuitarStrings 104
CreatingIdeaSpacesatPixar 106
Findingthe"InformalBosses" 110
LettingIdeasPercolate 112
When It'sTimeto "Kill" Ideas 115
via
CONTENTS
IDEAWORK #4: READY, SET, LAUNCH 121
6 Create GreatConversations 129
"Continuers" and "Terminators" 132
TheValue ofaNaive Question 136
PreparingfortheBigConversation 138
Epilogue: ThoreauandtheI-D-E-AAssessment 143
References 151
Acknowledgments 161
AbouttheAuthors 165
Index 167
IX