Menü
There are very few ideas that are really bad objectively and absolutely. Rather, most of those who are considered to be are victims of the context in which they are born.
Why do ideas die? Why are they discarded, shot down, killed, or abandoned? Because the context isn’t right. Wrong time, too few resources, different target group, too far away from the core business, not yet technically feasible – the context can take many cruel forms.
But ideas in themselves are very, very rarely really bad.
Just think about it:
How many good ideas have you had that have never been implemented? Quite some, right? Many of them you leave and forget over time, but the really good, groundbreaking ideas – you carry them around with you. Or rather keep them – in a folder, a drawer, a directory.
Your personal idea cemetery.
Interestingly, if you were to look at them in today’s context, a lot of these ideas would seem amazingly ingenious. Make sense. And solve a lot of difficult problems. After all, times are changing – and so is the context.
That’s the fascinating thing about really good ideas: they don’t really have an expiration date. The idea of flying is almost as old as the history of civilization – but it took hundreds of years for it to finally become a reality. A trip to the moon, energy in every household, non-perishable food – all these ideas took years, decades, sometimes centuries to be realized.
And the same is true for many of your ideas, especially when they are truly of a breakthrough nature: Many, if not most of them were just a little premature when you had them for the first time.
So consider good ideas being a bit like red wine – they might need some time to ripe and devleop their full potential. So why not visit them once in a while and check for their actual quality?
There’s this wonderful old saying, „No one is really useless. He can still serve as a bad example.“
The same is true for ideas: every idea that didn’t make it gives clues as to how the underlying problem might be better solved.
If this idea didn’t make it, maybe a variation of it? A further development? Or a combination with another idea?
The „Day of Dead Ideas“ will help you to raise and discuss these questions. It will spark discussions and lead to new insights on very old problems. And with that it will accelerate and support your innovation management.
In Mexican culture (and not only there) there is a deeply rooted belief that death is not the end. Rather, it is a phase of transition. The soul wanders from this physical world to another, spiritual world. And that’s a reason to celebrate.
According to Mexican culture, you don’t actually die and disappear until no one can remember you. For this reason, the deceased are commemorated around All Saints‘ Day. With music, dancing, food and drink, colorful decorations, lots of flowers and exciting make-up.
The Mexicans call this festival the „Día de los muertos“ – the Day of the Dead.
What if we adopted this idea and attitude ourselves? What if we remembered our departed ideas – but not in mourning or anger, but in a positive, joyful and constructive way?
So let’s give wings to the ideas in your company. Let us celebrate the innovative power of your colleagues and employees!
The Día de las Ideas Muertas is a curated event that will help you transform long-dead ideas of the past into successful innovations of the future.
But what exactly are the benefits of a day of commemorating dead ideas?
Whether existing or new innovation projects, transparency about previous ideas alone will significantly accelerate and improve work on future solutions. Whether recycling (revitalization), upcycling (adaptation to today) or cocycling (combination with other ideas) – the productivity and efficiency gains are measurable in any case.
Many companies still struggle with their error culture – despite all the management calls and fuckup nights. Why? Because failed ideas are still seen in a negative framing. But what happens when the same Ides are suddenly celebrated? Correct. The idea givers feel valued. Having ideas is no longer seen as a risk, but as an award.
One of the most important factors in any corporate culture is trust – and this is primarily based on transparency. With a Day of Dead Ideas, they create just that – transparency about the power of ideas and openness to talk about failure. But above all, all employees experience a completely new form of appreciation – one that is independent of the successful implementation of an idea.
Receive our latest blog posts directly in your inbox!