Are You Prepared to Lose Control of the Idea?

  • Posted by glen on February 9th, 2010

Are you prepared to Lose Control of your idea
Photo by chavals

People are awfully protective of their ideas (myself definitely included). There are plenty of reasons for not sharing ideas:

  • we’re afraid people won’t like them, or worse, won’t understand them.
  • someone might steal them
  • they might, in reality, be total crap
  • they’re hard to explain, especially when the proverbial ink is still dry in the mind
  • etc., etc., etc.

But the biggest fear I have of sharing ideas is losing control.

There is an awful lot of ego that gets attached to our ideas, (see: the God Complex), and the thought of losing that grip is crippling.

One of the most intoxicating aspects of having an idea is having control over the idea. We thrive on building, planning, analyzing, almost anything but actually doing.

It’s not just little companies or amateurs that struggle with letting go. Some of the biggest companies in the world suffer from these “idea insecurities” listed above.

Microsoft’s Decline In Innovation

I read an interesting sad article about the causes of the downward spiral of Microsoft’s innovation. For the past ten years, Microsoft has been playing catch-up to companies like Google and Apple. Instead of creating breakthrough products that once made the software giant famous, the company has relied on a monkey-see, monkey-do approach to production.

The article goes on to explain that the top brass at Microsoft were directly responsible for the void of innovation, simply by harboring the fears listed above. Products were never made because of petty differences between divisions. The main reason for the lack of innovation was the stubbornness of division heads to work together on technologies.

They were afraid of losing their ideas in favor of someone else’s better idea.

Letting Go of the Idea

Some people never understand that if they hand over control of the original idea, something better might come out of it. Flickr was set to be a gaming company until the founders discovered a really efficient way to serve photos. There are plenty of examples of this happening throughout history.

Letting go is one of the absolute hardest concepts to grasp as an entrepreneur. But sometimes our idea outgrows us. The trick is to swallow the thick pride and embrace the potential of what could happen.

If the powerful suits at Microsoft had put aside petty differences and allowed other departments to improve their products, who knows what Microsoft would be today. They might have had a Google killer, or the iPod. We’ll never know.

This wasn’t an excuse to single out Microsoft. Every single company and entrepreneur deals with control issues at some point. I know I have. The important thing is recognizing when we’re holding on a bit too tightly on what’s “ours” and not recognizing the full potential of the idea, with the help of others.

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    • I posted this in the comment section of another blog, but meant for it to come to you. Your wise post reminds me of a favorite quotation:

      “It’s amazing what you can accomplish if you don’t care who gets the credit.” - Harry S. Truman
    • Brilliant quote Maggie!
    • craigharper
      It’s fair to assume that the first idea won’t be the best. Be completely willing to hear alterations to your ideas, even if the original idea doesn’t survive in any obvious way. If the end result is better, and is what everyone wants, isn’t it worth it to stand back from the whole issue of being prideful in your idea?
    • There's a lot of psychology that goes into this. Comes down to the fundamental human issues of how we manage change. We either expand through change or attempt to preserve through sameness. When we are on top, preservation becomes vital. That's why the moment small companies become big they lose their innovation. Check out Regulatory Focus Theory (heady - but spot on).
    • ralphcarlson
      In a business environment, you always lose control of your idea. It needs to be embraced by the organization or it dies friendless and when it is embraced it changes.
    • Nice Post...Organize your work properly with Pocket Coach iPhone app...its pretty worthy buying
    • stmcdonald
      I completely agree. Companies have lost their mojo. They have lost their creative edge. The company lawyers seem bent on squashing creative ideas because, well maybe it's not politically correct or might offend someone. As a country and as US companies we need to spark that creative edge that makes America and each one of us the best in the world.
    • Compelling delivery of your point. I had never thought of ideas as something we can hoard, or try to keep to ourselves before!
    • mrwong
      Nice Post. Totally agree. It feels good to know that other people are dealing with the same issues
    • martynka
      ah you see, it is the same what also interests me in Napoleon.
      He was such a MAN!
      but he collapsed, and was imprisoned( I try not to think how such a creative and powerful mind feels when put into four walls)
      it is a big question mark what was it

      when you love the idea too much you may stop listening what the surrounding is telling you, no mystics involved- just nothing stays the same, and big ideas exists because they coexists with the ever-changing world

      hm, you gave me some great ideas to think of, because you see, I also have this issue- I love my vision

      best wishes
      Martynka
    • augapfel
      I don't entirely agree with this post. There is a time and a place to relinquish command over a project and let it take on it's own form. You have built a nice case around Microsoft to demonstrate this.

      I think that @Get In The Hot Spot is on to something by mentioning Apple. Steve Jobs is absolutely obsessive over a product like th iPod and controls it every step of the way. He doesn't relinquish control, rather he takes control and drives his concept to life.

      I think the key here is really knowing when to use total force to drive a product or idea and when to loosen the reigns a bit and let an idea take on it's own form.

      Achieving that balance is where real leaders shine.
    • Great topic. You're right, it's critical that you allow your idea the opportunity to receive input and criticism so it can grow even larger.
    • Nice post. I agree with you that Microsoft's story is sad, yet, entertaining. My biggest fear with ideas would have to be failing and having someone else do it better than me - probably the same to your losing control.
    • Yeah, insecurity of my ability is a big factor too. Excellent point.
    • Interesting that actually doing something about an idea means relinquishing control of it. I suppose its true because when you put an idea that sounds great in theory out into the real world you always have to change, refine and compromise it to get it to work. You have to be prepared to kill your own babies so to speak.

      It sounds as if there were too many egos battling for power at MS - I think the other thing we need to remember is not all ideas will work but if you don't try them you'll never know. I'm sure that Apple planned and experimented with heaps of gizmos before they finally decided to run with the ipod or the itouch.
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