Making Progress

I'm back in Thailand, and out of China, which does not seem to like Blogger.  In fact, any website that I tried to access during the trip that used blogs (even a sports blog from my home town in the US) got blocked.  You get a real understanding about how strict China is about controlling information.

During the last few days, it looks like all of the remaining Authors have notified me, and all of you should now have an invitation.

I received an interesting question from one group, which I wanted to share:

Anyway, I have a quick question for contributor..  We will have a presentation about 3 challenge activities. Do we need to share those ideas to blogger?  If yes, it means that the first group who posts the idea will have a copyright right? 

This question represents a valid concern, when establishing an "open source" innovation environment.  Later in your time at IMBA we will discuss this in detail (in a class that I will teach next year), so I won't go over the entire discussion in this blog.

A simple answer to the question is, "Yes, the team that proposes an idea first, get the 'rights', or copyright, in this student's terminology.

However, there is a more powerful force at work in open innovation environments: all ideas get better.  When you focus on one idea, without the benefit of seeing others, you don't necessarily improve your own idea.  Your mind focuses narrowly on the idea, and after a while you are unable to think of anything new.

Being exposed to new ideas--even for a particular project--keeps your mind fresh.  Your ideas get better, along with everyone else's.

And since there are plenty of great opportunities in the World, no one needs to worry about missing the one "Best Idea."  There isn't one, single Best Idea.  There are lots of ideas, which, in the hands of a good team, can be turned into great opportunities.

So, view sharing as an innovation opportunity, rather than giving up valuable secrets.

Ed