Perhaps I shouldn’t be surprised, but there has been an on-going debate on which is more important to an organization’s long term success: ideas or execution?
- Those who favor ideas as being more important point out that a bad idea which is extremely well executed is unlikely to provide a positive return on investment.
- On the other hand, those who favor execution remind us that the greatest idea is unlikely to become successful if it has incompetent execution.
Headquarter executives, strategy aficionados, and entrepreneurs often chime in on the side of creativity and ideas. Operational executives and line workers usually favor execution.
Actually, debate might be too strong of a word because the loudest voices speak out in favor of execution. To quote Steve Jobs:
To me, ideas are worth nothing unless executed. They are just a multiplier. Execution is worth millions.
Perhaps more memorable than a Jobs quote is the story of the Mice and the Bell:
A large family of Mice were living in fear due to a nearby aggressive Cat. One day, they get together to brainstorm ideas on how to defend themselves from the Cat. After much discussion, one young Mouse suggests they put a bell around the Cat’s neck so they can hear the Cat whenever it approaches. All of the Mice agree with the innovative idea, except for one wise old Mouse who asks: “Which one of us is going to put the bell on the Cat?”
(Yes, another animal story.)
And while the debate may rage on, I think it’s time to reframe the discussion. It’s not a choice between ideas or execution. The key is to come up with ideas which are executable.
This is why I once said that brainstorming is brain dead and that you should embrace design thinking instead. Design thinking explicitly balances desirability (what people want), technical feasibility (can it be executed), and economic viability (will it make money). Unlike other approaches, design thinking starts with what is supposed to be achieved (the goal) rather than what needs to be changed (the problem).
There’s a false dichotomy between ideas and execution. Focus on executable ideas.
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