Playing Catch With Ideas
Baseball season started this month, both in the U.S. and in Japan. This might be my favorite time of year. I’m reminded of something I’ve always enjoyed: playing catch.
Playing catch is a great way to pass time. It’s also a great tool for when you’re in the office. Why? Because most people in an office tend to talk to the same group of people, day in and day out. I think these conversations can be more productive if you were to get out and play “catch” with ideas.
Tossing an idea back and forth is the best way I’ve found to come up with new ideas, vet emerging ones, and even recognize mistakes before they happen. It’s the exchange of conversation that makes this happen.
Why does this work?
- It takes an additional layer of thinking to put your idea into words. By expressing an idea verbally, you put it through a shaping process. You give it construct and formality – even if it’s just enough to explain it to the colleague in the next cubicle. This is an important vetting exercise. If you’re colleague isn’t catching your meaning, perhaps you need to go back and reexamine your idea.
- Human contact is inspirational. There have been times when I think I have no new ideas at all. But then when I go out and play this kind of conversational catch with a partner, I am able to think of a number of good ones. Conversations bring ideas that are hiding in the back of your mind up to the forefront.
- Conversation is more friendly than other methods of office communication. If I send around a memo asking for ideas regarding new trends, I’m sure many will respond to my request in writing. But if instead I get out of my office and I go and have a conversation with some of the younger employees, I am more likely to get truly fresh and interesting ideas. My conversation partners will be more relaxed, less restrained in their communication. “Catch” is a game and the conversation will be more fun, less formal.
So think about the conversations you have today. Have you gone out to find new conversation partners? Are you looking for new ways to play catch? That may be the first step in your most significant innovation.
Good article
Consultant
9 年Greet article , Love
Assistant Professor at Frostburg State University
9 年Great analogy...I am hoping to get more colleagues to, "play catch" this summer.
Contract Coordinator @ CDW UK
9 年Some people may not welcome the approach despite it being a friendly and relaxed one, because they are protective of their ideas and might think you will steal them.
Newly graduated Linux DevOps Engineer looking to continue developing skills in Docker Ansible Terraform, Bash Python. Previous experience in IT support and electronic repair. Eligible to work in US and EU.
9 年I'm always looking for people to bounce ideas with and to get thoughtful feedback from but find not everyone appreciates my approaches. A common misunderstanding is that I'm asking for a definitive answer, presumably because I can't cope independently and need help. This can make some people uncomfortable and worse may even make me appear as someone who can't resolve issues on his own. In actuality I'm just adding that "extra layer" as you say, while at the same time receiving the benefits of ideas and feedback from others.