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Back in the Office from ASAE Annual Meeting

I got back from Chicago yesterday around noon, and headed straight back into the office. Lots to catch up on. In fact, as I type this in the office today, I turn around this afternoon and head up a Leadership Conference for some of our members up in Bethesda. I am excited for next week, when I can actually go through all my notes and figure out how I can implement some of the ideas that the sessions sparked. I think I have a manageable amount coming out of Annual Meeting, which is less than the Great Ideas conference, but might be easier to deal with.

Which brings me to this question. Would you rather have a boatload of ideas and only be able to act on a few, or have a few ideas where you can act on all of them?

Comments

Tony Rossell said…
I will take quantity of ideas. If you have a whole lot of options in your mind, then hopefully the right one will come to the top when you need it. I have always liked this quote:

“Most companies [or non-profits] would be better off if they made fewer billion-dollar bets and a whole lot more $10,000 or $20,000 bets – some of which will, in time, justify more substantial commitments. They should steer clear of grand, imperial strategies and devote themselves instead to launching a swarm of low-risk experiments.”

Gary Hamel and Lisa Valikangas, “The Quest for Resilience”

Do you agree? Tony
August 15, 2007 at 1:42 PM
Matt Baehr said…
I am with you Tony. I like lots of ideas. Throw them all against the wall and see what sticks. You learn just as much (sometimes more) from trying and failing. Don't limit yourself to the ones you think will work.
August 15, 2007 at 1:52 PM
Becky Granger said…
I vote lots...that way you can act on the easy ones quickly but keep thinking about the others until it's a good time.
August 16, 2007 at 10:08 AM
David M. Patt, CAE said…
The more ideas the better. That way you'll have plenty of choices and are more likely to act on the best ones.
August 16, 2007 at 11:16 PM
Ben Martin, CAE said…
I will also go with quantity. Frans Johanssen, author of The Medici Effect says, "the best way to have a great idea is to have a lot of ideas," or something like that. There's no way to tell what will or won't work in today's environment.
August 18, 2007 at 10:09 AM
Maddie Grant said…
I agree too! I still have a whole pile of ideas from last year's Technology conference that are just waiting for the right moment for me to present them. I find that often my members are a little bit behind the pace and I need to let the pot simmer a bit before they taste just right - to everyone. I also think there are many ideas that can be combined at the right times to create a whole wave of new thinking - and that works better if we can show our members a whole menu of possibilities. (Hmmm - can you tell I have not had lunch yet?)
August 20, 2007 at 2:15 PM
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