How People Grab Ideas

I totally forgot to write the follow up to my Idea Grabber, so here it is:

Every one “grabs” ideas differently. It’s been really cool to watch and guess what people will do. Most of the time, the way they approach grabbing an idea fits their personality perfectly. It also fits the way they approach life both personally and professionally.

Here’s the four main ways people approach grabbing an idea:

Giving Up:
I wanted to start with this one first because it’s the one I dislike the most. These people aren’t quite sure what to do. They nervously approach the task and give it a half hearted attempt. When the music ends, that’s it. They give up. They don’t ask to try again. In fact, they don’t ask anything. They accept the loss and walk away defeated. Truthfully, these people gave up before the task even started.

The Anaylst:
You guessed it. These people are usually your analysts, database managers or finance people. Before starting, they take several minutes to study the task from all angles. They read the fine print / instructions on the controls. They study the claw and the toys looking for the one that is most grab-able. They make a few practice moves with the controls. Only after research do they drop in the coin to start the music. Nine times out of ten these people quickly and efficiently grab a toy. Having a plan and taking a step back to see the big picture pays off.

Try, Try Again:
These people are some of my favorites. Most of the time, they jump right in, attacking the task. Because they jump right in, they don’t take time to read the fine print. They spend valuable seconds trying to figure out how to work the controls, what works, what doesn’t. Because of this, they usually run out of time. BUT, here’s the key: they try again. And again. They try until they get the prize. These people do not get defeated, they get determined.

Superstars:
Like life, grabbing an idea comes easy to this set of people. These people process things faster and just get “it”. This group is The Analyst and Determined Person rolled into one. Quickly, they analyze the big picture. However, they don’t spend nearly as much time doing so as The Analyst. This person gets enough of the project and takes off running. Unlike The Analyst, they don’t need to research every “what if” situation. This person is also determined and confident; you can see it in their faces. This type of person has no doubt that they will successfully grab an idea. Of course, they always succeed. In fact, they usually dominate before the music/time stops.

What’s your style? Stop by my office to find out