Work question: does staring at a blank piece of paper invigorate you or make you uncomfortable? Does getting to the plan and process get the gears turning or make you chafe?
I, admittedly, am more in the blank piece of paper camp these days. It lights up all the right spots in my brain, thinking about what could be. And then trying it. And how did it work or not? Why or why not? What do we try again? What do we scrap… you get the point. I eventually get to process but I like to wrestle with the big, open, unknown unknowns.
If I am presented with something already baked, I will question how it came to be. Why this, why that? Based on what?
Are those questions always helpful? Well, it depends on the context and timing. This is why it is important to do a little pre-work to know how to make the most of these two dynamics- both are necessary and useful. However, if not properly utilized, one or the other can act as sand in the gears.
Blank paper people push to think differently, to innovate, and are motivated about what to test, to try.
Plan & process people bring day to day operational practicalities and order to the work.
Think of these two types as opposite sides of a complementary spectrum. Absolutes are the outliers; while we may tend to lean towards one type over the other, depending on context, shifts along that spectrum may occur.
"Nothing would be accomplished if all reasonable objections first had to be overcome."
When looking at a blank piece of paper, how to work with plan & process people:
Think carefully about who should be at the table at the initial discussions. Who is needed when?
Communicate very clearly what will be asked of people. Not unlike the roles in a RACI (responsible, accountable, consulted, informed), there are some folks who will need to be consulted, meaning their input is necessary, though they do not own it.
Level set expectations. Invite process people into the conversation when there is something for them to respond to but before anything is fully complete. This is not the place to look for perfection but rather to embrace the spirit of what is being generated.
Work together to finalize that piece of paper, if shared ownership and accountability is necessary for success.
Be open to the folks who want to help keep your feet on the ground. Remember, a concept that is not matched to opportunity remains a concept, and can lead to S.O.S. (shiny object syndrome). This is different than someone who will find fault with anything proposed (down to wording) because they are averse to change and are nervous about losing power and/or control.
"Failing to plan is planning to fail."
When coming into planning & process, how to work with blank paper people:
Think carefully about who should be at the table in mid-phase discussions. Who is needed when?
Communicate very clearly what will be asked of people. Not unlike the roles in a RACI (responsible, accountable, consulted, informed)- there are some folks who will need to be consulted, meaning their input is necessary, though they do not own it.
Level set expectations. If you are past design and firmly into implementation, take some time to explain how it came to be. Be clear that you are sharing for awareness, not for re-litigating the fundamental design.
Work together to ensure the operationalization, the scaffolding, and proposed infrastructure will not somehow mute the innovation. Form follows function.
Be open to the folks that are inquiring in order to learn and understand. This is different than someone who solely lives in vision-mode only. Process will bore them and their “what could be” questions, while helpful during envisioning and design, can bog down and distract from implementation.
With these tips in hand, successfully moving from envisioning to execution can be an exercise in productivity rather than frustration.