Where Great Ideas Come From

I’m at a thinking conference this week.  Bet you’ve never heard of anything like that?!  But that’s what it is.  A small, eccentric group of CEOs, business owners and consultants get together to meet some new people, talk about issues and trends affecting business and hopefully walk away with some insight and a few good ideas.

Since most of us don’t get the chance to go spend a few days reflecting on business, life and the future, I thought I’d share a few things with you to get your brain going.

1. Muse on the News.   As I write this, there’s a story on the news about plumetting consumer confidence because of the mortgage debacle.  They’re saying that people will reduce their spending.  That makes me think that people will become picky and what they pick and that means that providing them with an experience that they want and value will assure that YOU get that dollar and not someone else.  See how that works.  Now you try one.
2. Have meaningless Conversations.  That’s right – meaningless.  Don’t expect to extract great ideas from structured information.  The good stuff comes unexpectedly, from a stray comment or expression.
3. Meet new people and get into their world.  Meet people who are completely different from you.  Meet people with whom you disagree and talk to them about the area you’re interested in.  Have conversations about what they are thinking as they interact with a product or service similar to yours.  Understand the "why" behind what they think and do.

So, there you have three ideas about what to think and how to think it.  Now all you have to do is attach meaning and ideas to it.

Happy Musings.