Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Nurturing New Ideas

The Weave of Performance
How do you nurture a new idea?  I typically use this process.
  1. Think about a need and how we can meet it.
  2. Read and research.
  3. The idea arrives. Analyze the idea and decide to act (or not). Sometimes ideas are born long before they are implemented as I'm waiting for the right moment, fertile ground.
  4. Read and research the specific idea. Send out feelers via Twitter, blogs, discussion.  
  5. Listen to, and reflect on responses.
  6. Try the idea out, revise along the way.
  7. Analyze the initial implementation, make plans for future development.
Idea streams like maypole ribbons twist and twirl in my mind. Generally they are all connected to the theme of teaching children well or living life to its fullest. I let the ideas flow and change as they grow without too much worry. Similar to the flowers in your garden, I know each idea will bloom in its own time.

How do you nurture and tend an idea?  I'm curious.


Note: I came across this older idea post I wrote that makes a good connection to today's post: Idea Management.