How to Challenge Assumptions for Innovation

Over the years, one metaphor I’ve used has resonated with people more than any other… …The Tree Stump Theory. It goes like this: Imagine you walk into a conference room at your new job and see a giant tree stump on the table. You say something like “Hey, what’s with the tree stump?” Someone gives you a really compelling reason why it’s there, you say “OK,” and go on with the meeting. The next time you enter the conference room, you notice the tree stump but don’t ask about it. After a while, someone might throw a tablecloth on it or dress it up in some manner, but it’s still there. You no longer ask about it. Frankly, you don’t even see it anymore. You just sit down and go on with your meeting. Meanwhile, anyone new coming into the room for the first time can’t help but see the tree stump and find it to be an obstacle. We all have these types of “tree stumps” in our businesses and in our lives. I bet you could think of something like this in your house right now. They manifest themselves as obstacles to good customer experiences, but they’re also our biases, our stereotypes, and any other set of assumptions we rely on, usually unconsciously, to drive our daily actions and decisions. Sometimes they’re relatively harmless, but more often than not tree stumps prevent people from buying in our channels, or they are the unspoken roots of disagreements and miscommunications in our daily interactions both at work and at home. So how do we get rid of our tree stumps? 👀 1. Recognize Their Existence Acknowledge that these obstacles are everywhere, even if you can't readily see them. Awareness. 🧩 2. Seek External Insights Get a fresh perspective from someone outside your usual circle. Their different background can help identify what you might be missing. ✍️ 3. Document Assumptions Write down and question your assumptions. Statements like "That's the way we've always done it" need to be challenged. 🔄 4. Regular Reviews Don’t question your assumptions just one. Continuously question and test your assumptions. Ask "Why?" a lot. This ongoing process helps uncover and eliminate new tree stumps that appear. By applying these steps, you can enhance customer experiences, improve team communication, and drive innovation. Don't let invisible barriers prevent your growth! 🔗 Dive deeper into the Tree Stump Theory and discover practical steps to remove your obstacles: https://lnkd.in/gu3U_eC9 #customerexperience #ux #strategy 📬 I hope you'll subscribe to my weekly newsletter, Mistere Musings, for more insights and strategies to boost your business success: https://lnkd.in/gNMcy3DK

Lost in the idea maze? Navigate with the power of socratic questioning! 🧭 If you've ever been inundated with ideas, transitioning from one to another without fully exploring their potential--you're not alone. Here's where the ancient wisdom of Socratic questioning can help. 🧠✨ Derived from OG philosopher, Socrates, as a teaching method to provoke deeper thought with his students, it also works great for idea vetting. The technique is a forcing function. It's rooted in critically analyzing, challenging, and refining ideas, and is a great way to transform loose ideas into well-defined visions. For every new idea, you select one question from each of the six Socratic categories, each probing a different aspect of the concept. These questions serve as filters, allowing only the most valid ideas to pass though: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐟𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 (𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧): - "Concisely explain the idea and its goals?" 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞-𝐒𝐡𝐢𝐟𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 (𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬): - "If you were to consider your idea from the perspective of someone with no prior knowledge or assumptions about it, what new insights or possibilities might emerge?" 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧-𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 (𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐄𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞): - "What underlying assumptions are you making about the feasibility and potential impact of your idea? How can you test or validate these assumptions?" 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 (𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬): -"Have you considered the potential consequences, both positive and negative, of implementing your idea? How might it affect various stakeholders and the broader context in which it operates?" 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧-𝐎𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 (𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧): -"What specific steps or actions can you outline to move forward with developing and testing your idea? How can you break down the process into actionable milestones?" 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 (𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧): -"Why is this idea important to you personally, and what larger goals or values does it align with? How does your passion for this concept drive your commitment to its success?" Most times, if my idea passes these filters - its a hit. My newsletter HTG was a result of this questioning, and also one of the best decisions I took. Use these questions as filters for your ideas, and see how many really make it. ---- P.S. To get better at product, growth, strategy, and startups, join 9K+ others and subscribe to my newsletter: https://lnkd.in/etRjs-dX ---- REPOST ♻️ if you found this insightful. #strategy #growth #entrepreneurship #business #product #innnovation

The Erosion of Novel Ideas & Perspectives As an investor, I'm surprised at how uncommon it is to encounter founders and fellow investors who hold distinct perspectives on the current market and the future of technology. In today's economic climate, heightened investment scrutiny has made fundraising more challenging for both founders and venture capitalists. This environment necessitates a higher level of creativity and original thought to distinguish oneself in today's saturated market. Here are a few strategies I employe to challenge my own beliefs to create new ones: 1. Engage proactively with contradicting perspectives Actively exploring and analyzing various perspectives, we can critically assess multiple points of view and hone our skills in recognizing subtle details and biases. 2. Embrace childlike curiosity - "Why" Children typically begin asking "why" around age two and continue until about five, a time when their experience is limited and their brains are rapidly developing. As adults, we should emulate their natural inquisitiveness to deepen our understanding of our reality. 3. Accept we're wrong most of the time History shows us that many long-held beliefs, even fundamental ones like gravity, have evolved with new discoveries. This teaches us a humbling lesson: we are often mistaken. Accepting this, we can foster an environment where questioning the norm is standard, leading to collaboration, creativity, and collective progress towards deeper understanding. 4. Innovation and discovery exists between the lines We often try to understand the world by dividing knowledge into separate categories, which can limit our perspective. Exploring the interplay between different ideas and disciplines unlocks opportunities for advancement and collaborative solutions. 5. Consume differently Our choices in what we read, listen to, and explore are often influenced by popular trends. To broaden your horizons, try something different: read a lesser-known book, listen to music from various cultures, and explore unlit corners of your environment. #curiosity #originality #innovation #challengingthestatusquo #ideas #insightoftheweek

Having grown up in another country gives me a perspective other Americans don't necessarily have. Sometimes it's a more open view of the world and us humans. But my perspective on certain issues isn't necessarily the "right" one, it's just my perspective. Your perspective on yourself and your work is just one perspective as well. I challenge you all to take a viewpoint from another perspective this week. From your current or last supervisor's perspective, what are your greatest successes? From your coworkers' perspectives, what are your greatest weaknesses? From your spouse/partner or BFF's perspective, how do you best communicate? I can't remember the saying exactly, but there is saying in #innovation and #entrepreneurship that challenges you to take the one thing you would never do and then consider what it would be like to do it. Once you have some feedback, ask yourself if this changes anything for you? Will you do anything different going forward in your work or personal life? Can you create a new habit of challenging/testing your perspective going forward? Changing your perspective can challenge your inherent biases, grow you as a professional, and create deeper connections with those around you. Don't assume your perspective is right and true for all, flip it on its head and you can open yourself up to a whole new way of viewing the world and those around you. (photo: The hubs, Gary White, at the Museo delle illusioni a Milano) #feedback #perspectives #coaching #careerdevelopment