Empowerment

Pablo Picasso said that “every act of creation is, first of all, an act of destruction”. Consider this statement in light of constraints we place on ourselves in the workplace. What are some constraints that you need to destroy before you can engage in creative problem solving? Give an example of how a constraint you placed on yourself prevented you from solving a problem. Reflect on what you could have done differently and how you will prevent that constraint from limiting you in the future.

Picasso stated that destruction precedes creation, that the old must cease before the new can replace.  Overseeing such an event can be a dramatic moment for many, with a gamut of emotions that may emerge during the process.  

When applied in a business situation that requires “new or fresh” thinking, as the old saw goes, fear can be an enormous inhibitor to advocate and implement a good idea.  What if I’m wrong?  Did I miss something?  This is a natural reaction when dealing in high stress situations.  Healthy fear, or thorough review, is a necessary step to validate these ideas, but fear based upon peripheral concerns can distract from the end goal. 

Once a new concept has entered the arena of ideas, the politicking between interested parties begins immediately.  Fending off competing interests or irrational criticisms can be an exhausting exercise, especially when presenting such a radical idea that may directly threaten an existing program or interest.  When engaged in such a situation, having facts, counter arguments, and a good attitude is essential to promote radical concepts.  

As a personal anecdote, preparing for such critiques and criticisms is something that I learned early on that I needed to improve upon.  With a previous employer, I would periodically present new ideas or products that were intended to improve operational efficiency.  Our company was so woeful that I though any improvement, no matter how modest or flawed, would be an improvement.  However, I was prone to grow frustrated at the “chatter” or distraction that would seem to occur when presenting to the owner.  The distraction from other family members, who were often competing for the scarce resources, was something that was to be expected and that my presentation and follow-up had to remain focused on solving the problem and what the consequences would be if the problem were to persist.

 

This may be referred to as “messaging” now, but I truly hate that term because it implies that all that’s needed is finding better delivery medium or method.  In reality, content matters – meaning that the real work is to thoroughly develop an idea so that any reasonable question or objection can be met and answered.