You know that cartoon moment when a character gets a brilliant idea and a lightbulb appears over their head? That’s how we often think about innovation: sudden flashes of genius that change everything.
Tag Archives: Creativity
The Curiosity Gap: Why Some Leaders Miss Breakthrough Ideas
You might be missing breakthroughs. Here’s why…
A few years ago, I managed operations for my father’s screen-printing business. We faced a persistent challenge: lead times. Clients called weekly, anxiously asking if we could deliver on time. Rather than seeing this as merely frustrating, I recognized an opportunity for improvement.
When Your Ideas Fall on Deaf Ears: A Problem Solver’s Guide to Staying Engaged
We problem solvers are a unique breed. We see inefficiencies and immediately start mapping solutions. We spot opportunities where others see only challenges. Our minds constantly churn with ideas for improvement.
However, a particular frustration comes when those ideas consistently land in unwelcome environments.
The Instinct to Withdraw
I’ve been there. After having had enough experience offering thoughtful solutions and watching them dissolve into the ether of organizational inertia or individual resistance, I wondered, why bother?
The mental calculation becomes automatic:
“Why waste my time, energy, and mental focus knowing this person won’t do anything? They’re not open-minded; they like the status quo, so why even try?”
This withdrawal makes perfect sense as a self-preservation tactic. Our cognitive and emotional resources are finite. But complete disengagement comes with its costs—to our sense of purpose, our communities, and sometimes our growth.
Finding the Middle Path
The challenge isn’t whether to share our problem-solving gifts with the world—it’s how to do so in ways that honor both our insights and our well-being. Here’s what I’ve learned works:
1. Become a Context Connoisseur
Not every environment deserves your problem-solving energy. Look for people and spaces where:
- Change has happened before
- Questions are welcomed, not just answers
- People express curiosity rather than defensiveness
- There’s an acknowledgment of imperfection in current systems
Redirecting your energy toward receptive environments isn’t giving up—it’s strategic reallocation. Use your energy wisely!
2. Adapt Your Approach
Different audiences require different frames:
- Some need solutions that explicitly build on what’s already working
- Others respond to data and concrete examples
- Some need to feel ownership of the idea
- Many need to understand “why” before engaging with “how.”
3. Create Your Own Spaces
Sometimes, the best response to unreceptive environments is to build new ones:
- Start a blog where your ideas can find community
- Gather like-minded problem solvers
- Volunteer where innovative thinking is welcomed
- Launch side-projects where you have autonomy
4. Embrace the Long Game
Change often happens on timescales we can’t see in the moment:
- Ideas that seem rejected might be percolating
- Today’s resistance might soften with tomorrow’s evidence
- Your suggestion might combine with others to create momentum
- You may be preparing ground for someone else’s success
The Quiet Power of Discernment
The most sophisticated problem solvers I know have learned that knowing when not to offer solutions is as important as knowing how to create them. This isn’t about dimming your light or accepting mediocrity. It’s about becoming more intentional about where and how you direct your focus and energy.
I’ve learned that you protect your impact and energy by choosing your battles wisely, adapting your approach to your audience, creating spaces for innovation, and playing the long game. The world needs persistent problem solvers who haven’t burned out or given up. It needs people who can see what could be better and how to make it so.
What challenges have you faced as someone who sees solutions where others don’t? How have you stayed engaged while protecting your energy? I’d love to hear your experiences in the comments.
Bottom line: Instead of continuing to propose ideas to unreceptive people or completely shutting down, consider these approaches:
- Be more selective about where you direct your problem-solving energy. Look for people and environments that have demonstrated openness to new ideas.
- Frame your suggestions differently depending on the audience. Some people respond better to ideas that build on what already exists rather than proposals that seem to criticize current approaches.
- Consider creating spaces where your problem-solving abilities are valued—a blog, a community group, or collaborations with like-minded individuals.
- Recognize that sometimes, planting seeds is valuable even when you don’t see immediate growth. Ideas can take time to germinate.
Want Innovation? Let Your Team Question the Norm
While running Netek, my affective computing startup, I hired some college students as summer interns. After just one week, I handed each of them a sticky note and asked them to write down 3-5 things they thought we should stop doing and explain why.
Unlock Innovation: Are You Asking the Right Questions?
It all starts with a provocative question! Are you aiming to spark breakthrough innovation within your organization? Often, the most impactful innovations don’t stem from having all the answers but rather from asking the right questions. Asking better, more insightful questions can lead your team down paths you’ve never explored, opening doors to unprecedented creativity and groundbreaking solutions.
Think Bigger, Go Further: How to Become a Beyonder
Ever look at something and think, why do we even do it this way? If so, you might already have the mindset of a Beyonder—someone who doesn’t just accept the way things are but constantly looks for a better, bolder way forward.
I Might Be Wrong
Having conviction is a superpower. But you know what’s also a superpower? Intellectual humility: knowing you might be wrong.