“I learned to recognise the thorough and primitive duality of man; I saw that, of the two natures that contended in the field of my consciousness, even if I could rightly be said to be either, it was only because I was radically both.”
Robert Louis Stevenson, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Picture the scene. Saturday morning, your favourite music is softly playing in the background, there is a smell of freshly brewed coffee in the air. You are relaxed, your working week is in the rearview mirror. Your child wants to pour their own milk into their cereal. Of course, they need to learn to pour their own milk, no time like the present. They awkwardly take the carton and… splash. Milk all over the counter. “Great try”, you say in an encouraging voice and you merrily mop up the mess. How you reacted to the misfire has an immense impact on your child. They know that mistakes are ok in the pursuit of learning.
Now, the same outcome, but different circumstances.
Picture the scene. Monday morning, you are rushing for work and can’t find your keys. You are stressed, you have that high-stakes presentation later today. Your child goes to pour the milk into their cereal, they confidently take the carton and…splash. Milk all over the counter. “Oh for God’s sake”, you mutter, doing your best to disguise your frustration as you hastily soak up the mess. How you reacted to the misfire has an immense impact on your child. They don’t want you to be disappointed with them, so next time, your child won’t dare to pour their own milk.
Organisational Spilled Milk
(Image: Sour Milk by Rasabi)
Picture the scene. Your company is built on the premise of innovation and embracing change. You walk out of a board meeting where you, as CEO, have just enjoyed the best board meeting you have ever attended. Your stock price is riding high, you’re hiring like crazy, you’re enjoying stellar growth. During the board meeting, your head of Innovation (or R&D, or special projects) presented some concepts that she and her team are exploring. Unfortunately, none of them have yielded her expected outcomes. She is visibly disappointed. You encourage her, praising her attempts, you remind her Edison didn’t fail, he found 1,000 ways that didn’t work. You quote Jeff Bezos, “Failure and invention are inseparable twins.” The board agrees. Buoyed by your words, she says what the team has learned will yield an even better product, but it will just take longer. How you reacted to the misfire has an immense impact on your people. They know that mistakes are ok in the pursuit of innovation.
Picture the scene. Your company is built on the premise of innovation and embracing change. You walk out of a board meeting where you, as CEO, have just delivered the news of a fourth consecutive decline in profits. Your stock price slumped, you’ve announced a slew of layoffs, you are working with consultants on a restructuring plan. During the board meeting, your head of Innovation (or R&D, or special projects) presented some concepts that she and her team are exploring. Unfortunately, none of them have yielded her expected outcomes. She is visibly disappointed. Enraged by the lack of progress, you remind her the company is struggling and you need results fast. The board agrees. Dejected by your words, she says what the team has learned will yield an even better product, but it will just take longer. You say, you don’t have longer. How you reacted to the misfire has an immense impact on your people. They know that mistakes are not tolerated, but they just can’t seem to find a product. The head of Innovation and her team feel the breeze at their heels and start to brush up their CVs and look at roles elsewhere.
A Tale of 2 Brains
Now let’s look at both spilled milk predicaments from a brain perspective. In one state, we are in fight or flight or survive mode, in the other, we are in a relaxed, thrive mode. When organizations fail to innovate in times of abundance, they grapple at innovation in times of scarcity. It rarely succeeds, because in times of stress we cannot be innovative, here is why.
When our bodies perceive a threat, they release adrenalin. Adrenalin thickens the blood so we bleed less quickly in case we get cut or injured. Our body dumps sugar and fat into our systems, shuts down digestion, constricts blood vessels, takes blood away from muscles and internal organs. Blood is diverted from our forebrain, where we do our best thinking to our fists for fight or to our legs for flight. Our brains restrict non-essential thoughts so we can focus on fight or flight decisions, we can narrow in on the impending threat.
In this state, we cannot think straight, our decision-making is flawed and we are less tolerant of failure – even if it is symbiotic with invention and innovation.
This is why it is vital for organizations and individuals to reinvent in permanence, to constantly build capabilities before we need them. When we do need new capabilities, it is often too late.
This is the dominant theme in my book, “Undisruptable, a Mindset of Permanent Reinvention.” It is also the theme of my workshops and Keynotes.