The misconception that great ideas inevitably lead to success has prevailed for far too long, says Belsky at the start of this book. In fact, however simple the vision, it still has to be transformed into reality before it can take off, and that can be challenging.
The equation he offers to achieve this is:
Ideas + Organisation + Communal Forces + Leadership = Making Ideas Happen
In other words, the process of being structured, working together with others and ensuring ownership of actions is what moves ideas from the abstract into concrete achievement.
The Action Method
Belsky's 'Action Method' is based on one simple principle: work and live with a bias towards action. What this means in practice is to treat every idea, everything that you work on, as a project - and this applies to both work and your personal life. Once you have things classified as projects, you can break each one down to its three primary components:
- Action steps - the most important aspect of the project. These are verbs, things to be done, and must be captured, wherever they arise. Keep them clear and simple and relevant to the outcome of the project.
- References - these are not actionable. They are the handouts, notes, sketches, meeting minutes, etc. that we refer to. They are simply there for information. On the whole, people tend to give too much time to these, mistaking focus on them for action (taking extensive notes is a prime example).
- Backburner Items - these are ideas that are not actionable yet, but may be relevant/useful later on. These should be captured and Belsky suggests having a 'backburner ritual' where you revisit these regularly.
Tips for Making Ideas Happen
Avoid a reactionary workflow - we are constantly bombarded with incoming communications and it is tempting to just react, enslaved by the last incoming message. Belsky suggests instead being proactive, having 'windows of non-stimulation' where you concentrate instead on moving projects forward (the important rather than the urgent). He also suggests using technology to aggregate all incoming messages in a central location.
Measure meetings with action steps - make sure that the meeting is necessary and good use of time, end with a quick review for each person of the action steps they have captured and ensure that each action is owned by someone.
Reduce your 'insecurity work' - this is stuff we do that makes us feel safe and (1) has no definable outcome, (2) does not move the ball forward in any way and (3) takes up so little time that we can do it multiple times a day without realizing it (e.g. checking for texts, looking at Google analytics, re-reading emails we've already sent).
Survive the 'Project Plateau' - the biggest problem in making ideas happen is sticking with it. Belsky identifies the project plateau as the stage when creative excitement wanes and the pain of deadlines and project management becomes burdensome. To escape this pain, people typically generate new ideas and move on to them - a process that can be repeated at infinitum, without us ever finishing anything meaningful. Instead, he says, show your ideas respect and instead of moving on when it gets tough, instead improve how you execute them.
"Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration."Thomas Edison