New Power by Jeremy Heimans

Author:Jeremy Heimans
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Random House of Canada
Published: 2018-04-03T04:00:00+00:00

The solution seeker (vs. the problem solver)

Back in chapter 2, we told the story of NASA’s experiment with open innovation: all the opportunities it unleashed and all the troubles it caused. You might remember that the scientists and researchers divided into two groups: one that resisted engaging with the crowd, one that embraced it.

As NASA’s experiment with open innovation unfolded, its scientists developed an internal vocabulary to describe the difference between fiercely divided camps: “problem solvers” and “solution seekers.” Their archetypes will ring a bell for many when they think about their own workplaces and teams.

The “problem solvers” were those who resisted change. Their identity was invested in their own expertise. They were scientists in the tradition of Galileo, those whose individual genius would light the way.

The “solution seekers” got their name from a heated debate that Hila Lifshitz-Assaf observed, where a highly respected scientist rebuked reluctant colleagues: “Your main responsibility is to seek for solutions and they may come from the lab, from open innovation, or from collaboration, you should not care! You are the solution seeker!”

It was this group of scientists that got creative and serious about the wider community. They shifted the boundaries of their worlds to invite people in. For this group, success wasn’t that you personally had the answer, but that you were open to experiment, ready to find answers in unexpected places and from unexpected people.

Any team “taking the turn” needs to build a squad of solution seekers. These are the people, typically drawn from the main body of staff, who will become the experimenters and allies of new power initiatives. Investing in this group—and recruiting for it—is key, not just in creating new value for an enterprise, but as a political force.

In old power organizations, all of our resources, training, recognition, and rewards are geared to problem solving. Shifting them is hard work. At NASA, it was the smart work of Jeffrey Davis and his team in their bridge role that encouraged people inclined to be solution seekers. They provided a path for those who were prepared to become a new kind of expert, secure and self-confident enough in their abilities to look outward. They did this with an “opt-in” approach, creating frequent lunch events, sessions with outside speakers, and opportunities for the curious to find out more. Then, as soon as interest started to build and results started to be generated, the team of administrators got themselves out of the picture. They made sure it was the solution seekers, rather than the staff overseeing the initiative, who became the stars of the show. These stars recruited others, and the cultural shift really began to take root.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.