by Taiichi Ohno
When a new idea is presented we often hear people say, “That won’t work.” But there is something worse than having colleagues, friends or family take shots at your ideas. Worse is when we tell ourselves that our idea is no good.
So your idea is not ready to be implemented. So what? Give new ideas a chance. As Lean leaders, we will never create the conditions ripe for innovation and learning in our organisation if we don’t first learn to challenge our own fear, uncertainty and doubt—or as marketing and software professionals like to call it: FUD. The expression “we are our own worst enemy” rings true. Fear, uncertainty and doubt (FUD) is a habit—a bad habit.
Fear, uncertainty and doubt keeps us from pursuing our dreams and ambitions, and worse, it gets in the way of what we care about most. We want the people in our lives to do well, be well and be supported in their dreams. Every day there are the germs of ideas that can grow into the big ideas that will take care of our own concerns and our concerns for others—if we just give ideas a chance.
Fear and doubt—particularly self-doubt—are quite familiar to most. But what about uncertainty? Uncertainty arises from what we don’t know about our current situation and what we can’t know about the future. Uncertainty is the basis of financial speculation, all games of chance, and the wonder of life. Uncertainty won’t go away, but you can have a different approach to dealing with the unknown—and unknowable.
What is the opposite to FUD? Bravery, wonder and confidence (BWC). Let’s explore how to break the FUD habit. Let’s create a new relationship with our new ideas and the new ideas of others.
This article is written by Hal Macomber & Calayde Davey and published in “The Pocket Sensei”
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