Page 25 - Free the Idea Monkey

PRIME PRIMATES
As you can tell by now, I am a big believer in Idea Monkeys—the

folks who, on demand, will gladly produce a stream of ideas on just
about any topic without worrying about the consequences (see side-
bar on divergent thinking). To some, the phrase, “Hey, Idea Monkey,
get in here. We’re trying to figure something out,” would be offen-
sive. To me it is the ultimate compliment.

Idea Monkeys are connectors, readily joining
numerous thoughts into new ones. Unlike most
people, they are able to temporarily ignore
the myriad of reasons why an idea might not
work and instead choose to pour their energy
into possibilities. Idea Monkeys are often the
energizing sparks in the room who keep ideas
coming at a rapid pace. For Idea Monkeys, anything is achievable
and every challenge is merely an idea waiting to happen.

For the Idea Monkey, the word “can’t” is like a rallying cry for
ideas. I’ll never forget being in a brainstorm with a client when one
of their biggest thinkers said that something could not be done.
Moments later, the CEO of a wireless surveillance company—an out-
side expert we had asked to participate in the ideation (see Chapter 4
for why this is an important idea)—was drawing his idea for how to
overcome the “can’t.” Our client sat dumbfounded as he recognized
that he was wrong and that a solution existed. He had been concen-
trating on the wrong issues. Later, our client confided in me that they
had been working on that challenge for five years.

Someone who knows how to awaken and manage the Idea
Monkey in their organization is a (Ring)leader, an incredibly valu-
able resource. If you can awaken the Idea Monkey inside yourself,
you become a priceless resource.

Idea Monkeys, as the classic Apple commercial stated, are the
“Crazy Ones.” They are artists, inventors, engineers and scientists.
They are dreamers and believers. The Apple commercial ends with
the phrase, “Because people who are crazy enough to think that they
can change the world, usually do.” Apple is clearly run by a bunch
of Monkeys.

10 F R E E T H E I D E A M O N K E Y