Ideation in a Nutshell
People with Ideation are natural brainstormers. They generate many ideas and enjoy exploring possibilities and connections between ideas.
People with high Ideation are creative thinkers. They make connections others miss. They generate solutions and possibilities readily. They're energised by "what if" thinking. They don't accept "that's just the way it is".
At their best, people with high Ideation spark innovation. They bring fresh perspectives to entrenched problems. They help teams see alternatives they hadn't considered. They expand what's possible.
Your Key Contributions
- Generating fresh options: Your love of ideas generates fresh options when the team is stuck on a problem
- Connecting unrelated ideas: You connect concepts across fields others see as unrelated, which is often where breakthroughs come from
- Questioning defaults: You keep the team curious beyond routine execution, questioning assumptions that might otherwise go unexamined
Watch Out For
- Generating so many ideas that nothing gets executed
- Difficulty focusing on the best ideas
- Moving on to new ideas before finishing current ones
- Coming across as scattered or undisciplined
The 2 Sides of Ideation
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What Energises You
- Brainstorming and generating possibilities
- Making connections between seemingly unrelated ideas
- Exploring "what if" scenarios
- Being in creative, idea-generating conversations
- Finding innovative solutions to problems
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What Drains You
- Focusing on one idea without exploring alternatives
- Rigid thinking and "that's how we've always done it"
- Execution without ideation
- Colleagues who dismiss creative thinking
- Being forced to commit to one approach
How Others See You
How to Invest in Ideation for Work
If You're high in Ideation
- Help teams generate possibilities, then help select and execute.
- Pair with Discipline or Focus to move ideas forward instead of just generating them.
- Use your creativity to solve real problems, not just explore possibilities.
- Know that not every idea needs to be pursued.
Managing Someone Who Leads with Ideation
- Use them in ideation and innovation roles.
- Ask them to bring alternatives and possibilities.
- Let them brainstorm but pair with execution talent.
- Appreciate their creative thinking without executing everything.
Connecting with Someone who Leads with Ideation
- Bring them problems to solve creatively.
- Engage in brainstorming with them.
- Don't shut down their idea-generation.
- Help them focus on executing the best ideas.