Failure is an option for many of us.
Not so for big companies though, they feel they can’t afford to. So they get scared and wait for someone else to experiment it first. If your organization has billion of dollars in budget, it’s okay for someone else to first experiment the brave and scary stuff then take over the market. The video gaming industry, for example, experienced it firsthand.
In the beginning, gamers developed programs everything from animation to sound effects. They used to be able to do all with only a handful of geeks and techies in the garage of a team member’s house. But, after Sony and other giants decided to get into the game, they couldn’t compete against the big guys.
Despite of all this, the brave ones who were in the game from the beginning got bought out and made money. The firms who only went into the industry after seeing other small developers shown results got eliminated.
So you have a choice.
Either you can be on the lookout for the brave and scary stuff early or be the giant. Everything in between will have to redefine their focus in order to produce maximum execution. For most of us, the first option is an easier and realistic choice.
But fear gets in the way of us – every day. For big corporations, it’s even more fearful because they have more things to worry about. Even if you belong to a small organization, it is still scary, but 99% of others in your industry won’t take the lead, trying to challenge anything so you have a huge opportunity.
What if you’re an employee and work for someone? Chances are, most of your co-workers and bosses are scared, too. They’ll lie low and just do what they’re told to do. Hopefully, nobody eliminates them so they can maintain the job security. But those rules are changing… No longer the case. New technologies are taking over many white collar jobs, and the economy is affecting industries previously known secure.
Two ironies here;
Organizations want and need employees who are “problem solvers”. For growing and dynamic companies, problem solving means looking into the future, thinking outside the box, adopting new initiatives, embracing the changing and evolving principles. But if employees are discouraged from questioning the existing model, this will never happen.
Organizations want and need “innovative ideas”, but they’re too scared to fail. They worry too much about appearing wrong, imperfect, less than dignified and end up yielding to those willing to take risk.
Nobody knows which idea will work. As a result, most companies choose to take safe and boring route as much as they can. But in this day and age, the problem is that people want to be blown away. “Good” is no longer good enough.
You Can Do It
First step to change your dynamics is stop being perfectionist. Perfectionism comes from worrying too much about what others think of you or your organization. More bluntly put, it derives from low self-esteem.
Second step is to stop relying on others to make changes. Since others are more scared to do things than you probably are, such changes will never happen or if it did, you may find those changes aren’t consistent with your values (because it didn’t come from you!). But, the fact you’ve read this article this far shows that you’re not as scared as you think.
Third step is to start leading. Most people don’t believe they have charisma required to champion an innovation. That thinking is wrong;the truth is nobody is born with it, but leading the cause will give you.
Once you embrace an idea that you can call it yours, it will become coded into your organizational DNA. Having a such belief system will control the way you act, you speak, you think and influence others.
Soon, you will meet others who will think your ideas matter to them. Finding these people will allow you to spread your ideas to those outside your influence. And if your ideas are really worth spreading, it’ll reach those who care.
What matters to you is probably just as important to other people. People are quietly waiting for a leader to rise and lead the cause. Most people are followers and will be always. Hence, you have a huge opportunity.
So let’s start leading – you are far more capable than you may realize. The world needs you, your community needs you, your organization needs you, and your family needs you.
Don’t be scared, it’s okay to fail as long as your belief system remains protected when challenged by the brave and scary stuff.
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