Take your idea and run with it!

by Jack Warren, Top Coach editor and host

You’re sitting in that clinic, reading a book, or listening to a podcast and — boom! — a great idea hits you. It could be something that could transform your organization or it simply could be a path to a more efficient practice plan. Now what? What are you going to do with that idea. After all, it is only an idea. It is not yet a plan.

Just like most endeavors, the average idea never makes it past the light-bulb-over-your-head stage. How will you develop your idea? How will you wrap structure around it? How will your idea (and subsequent plan) be implemented? This is the critical stage.

One of the exercises in my staff development seminars is to ask attendees for a show of hands in response to several questions regarding their regular exercise or workout times. How many of you listen to music? How many of you listen to podcasts or audio books? How many of you occasionally listen to nothing? It is surprising how few respond in the affirmative to the last question.

Why do you come up with some of your best ideas while in the shower? Well, I’m not a brain scientist or psychologist, but I’m guessing that much of the answer has to do with focus. In order to nurture and develop your ideas, you need quiet time — time to focus. Take your idea and run with it.

I run 3-4 times a week. On most runs I’m listening to a podcast or music — frankly, to help to distract me from the fact that I’m running. However, at least once a week, I listen to nothing. I start the run with an idea, concern, or issue that needs developing, addressing, or resolving and do nothing but turn that thought over in my head until it starts to gather its own momentum. It is amazing how quickly it does so. In fact, related ideas often start to come so quickly that I sometimes have to stop and make notes.

What are you doing to develop your nugget of an idea and turn it into a full fledged plan of action? I suggest you take that idea and run with it.

Jack is available to speak to your team or organization or at your next function. He also provides individual and organizational coaching and consulting. You can get more information on these services at Jack’s professional services site, JackWWarren.com.