Are you an idea generator? Do you find yourself jotting on a napkin, typing into your tablet or making voice memos of your ideas? How do you convert those ideas in your head into real plans?
Write down your ideas. This exercise will force you to clarify what you’re doing and what you want others to do. As long as an idea remains in our heads, it’s not accountable. We don’t subject our ideas to rigorous scrutiny when they’re just thoughts. But, when we write out an idea, the strengths and weaknesses show up rather quickly; we force ourselves to look at the idea more critically. Since most thoughts for the future are inherently complex or uncertain, a written version of your plan enables you to explain much more. A written plan also communicates to others a broader scope than a verbal plan. After all, when you’re writing, you can bring in the past, cover the present and look into the future.
Identify stumbling blocks. A stumbling block is something that can stop, damage or destroy your implementation before it is complete. Early stumbling blocks such as lack of a budget or risk-averse managers can kill a creative idea at an early stage of its implementation. To prevent this from happening, you should list all of the possible stumbling blocks that exist between now and the successful implementation of your idea. Then look at each stumbling block and indicate how you will deal with it.
Identify people. Make a list of people as well as organizations and groups who should be involved in your implementation. These may be colleagues who will buy into your idea, making it easier to sell to top management, or they may be designers who will build a prototype to demonstrate your idea. A complex business idea often requires the involvement and support of numerous people.
Gain authorizations. Implementing the idea may include the necessity of gaining authorization from one or more entities. This may include approval from people in your company, licenses from government offices and certificates from professionals.
Calculate money. Calculate the costs of implementing your idea and what will be the likely income. For most business ideas, you will probably want to prepare a cash-flow table to calculate the costs and income over time.
Create an escape plan. Very often, when considering implementing a creative idea, committees will water down the idea to make it less risky. Unfortunately, removing risk from an idea is the same as removing creativity. A creative idea with its risk removed is often a mediocre idea. A better approach is to go ahead with a risky, creative idea, but to have an escape plan. For example: if the idea does not meet certain milestones within a determined time frame, you agree to stop it. If sales do not reach a specific target after one year, you stop it. Predetermining an escape plan mitigates risk and ensures you or your company will not continue to throw money at an idea that eventually proves unlikely to meet its potential.
In summary, writing down your ideas not only helps you clarify your plans or goals, but it also helps you communicate what you want others to do or think.
Source Robert F. Abbott is a veteran writer and publisher who specializes in business communication.
Gain authorizations. Implementing the idea may include the necessity of gaining authorization from one or more entities. This may include approval from people in your company, licenses from government offices and certificates from professionals.
Calculate money. Calculate the costs of implementing your idea and what will be the likely income. For most business ideas, you will probably want to prepare a cash-flow table to calculate the costs and income over time.
Create an escape plan. Very often, when considering implementing a creative idea, committees will water down the idea to make it less risky. Unfortunately, removing risk from an idea is the same as removing creativity. A creative idea with its risk removed is often a mediocre idea. A better approach is to go ahead with a risky, creative idea, but to have an escape plan. For example: if the idea does not meet certain milestones within a determined time frame, you agree to stop it. If sales do not reach a specific target after one year, you stop it. Predetermining an escape plan mitigates risk and ensures you or your company will not continue to throw money at an idea that eventually proves unlikely to meet its potential.
In summary, writing down your ideas not only helps you clarify your plans or goals, but it also helps you communicate what you want others to do or think.
Source Robert F. Abbott is a veteran writer and publisher who specializes in business communication.