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Circles hold immense power over our imagination. The earth, the moon. The Circle of Life. Circling ’round the campfire for stories. We cannot escape the pull of this imagery. 

Circles also populate the common frameworks of innovation. We see it in the Lean Startup methodology of Build-Measure-Learn. Design Thinking is often presented as the triple circles of the Venn diagram of Desirability-Feasibility-Viability.

Choose spirals instead

While the cyclical nature of innovation has been adopted as a given, I believe it’s the spiral that’s a better pictorial choice. Instead of coming back to your origin point, your aim is to begin the pattern again at a higher and more expansive level. Always moving upward and outward, creating a cycle of continuous improvement — even if it is incremental. 

Negative connotations of “running around in circles” also support the preference of spirals over circles. I’m all for the power of repetition, but who wants to repeat work or experience only to arrive back at the same spot?

Move from 2-D to 3-D

Shifting from circle to spiral imagery also means you can recast your path from 2-D to 3-D. Your journey no longer needs to be flat and listless on a sheet of paper. Instead, it transforms into a three-dimensional mental space that’s dynamic and poised for action. Can you feel the movement? 

My challenge for you this week: Find one area of your life where you have traditionally been thinking in circles. How might your journey — whether today’s To-Do list, annual goals, project objectives, or even life mission — be changed by thinking in spirals instead of circles?

Make something happen,

Terri

P.S. I received some great emails on last week’s post on the Snow Tap and Tacit Knowledge (see it here if you missed it). A colleague from California wryly pointed out that it’s a “Sand Tap” out West. A softball coach of teens noted the similarities in guiding young athletes to develop muscle memory, writing that a large part of her coaching is “breaking down my tacit knowledge into step-by-step instructions.” And my stepdaughter in India shared that at every house — and sometimes even in stores — shoes are automatically removed. Yes, tacit knowledge crosses knowledge domains and cultures. Thanks for writing.

With Chicago facing its snowiest winter in decades, the other day I chose to opt for a ride-sharing service. We stopped to pick up another rider who joined me in the back seat, dragging a huge mound of snow with him. “Wow,” he said. “I’ve never been in this much snow before. It’s pretty impressive.”

As I watched that pile of white fluff turn into a small lake beneath his feet, I thought, “Yup. You don’t know about the Snow Tap.”

For those not used to snowy climates, the Snow Tap is the 2-second action that happens on each foot before you enter a car in snowy weather. You open the car door and tap your foot on the side of the car frame to knock all the excess snow off your soles, leaving the wet outside. (A variation also takes place before you enter your home.) Tap, tap. Tap, tap. It’s a small act with big consequences, as my out-of-town ride-sharing companion discovered when his feet got soggier.

For many of us living in colder environments, this action becomes second nature. It snows. Tap, tap. Tap, tap. Whoever taught you this action is likely long forgotten. But it has become a natural part of your habits, called upon when you need it — and likely dismissed from thought for most of the year.

This knowledge is tacit knowledge, distinct from explicit (and more traditional) knowledge. Tacit knowledge is experiential, intuitive, fluid. It’s rarely written down, yet can have profound implications on an organization’s operations and culture. (It was philosopher Michael Polanyi who explored the concept in the 1950s.)

Sometimes tacit knowledge is recognized as “That’s the way we do things around here.” Or, “People like us do things like this.” Yes, it can carry moral or value-based meaning — but tacit knowledge also expands to adaptations that humans make to processes or operations as they recognize ways to improve results. Often this knowledge is only shared through personal experience and trusted networks.

My challenge for you this week: Consider the tacit knowledge that guides you daily. How can you improve your own level of tacit knowledge — about your work, about your industry, about the world? Who can unlock some tacit knowledge for you? In turn, how can you share some tacit knowledge that you’ve gained through experience, observation, imitation? 

Make something happen,

Terri

If you’re running an active innovation program, chances are high that you have some zombie projects haunting you. These projects rarely contribute any positive outcomes and have long seemed lifeless, yet they remain “undead.”

I’ve seen quite a few zombie projects while advising innovation efforts at both large corporations and smaller startups. Telltale signs include project leads who have lost interest and are now distracted by newer, shinier initiatives. Often, funding was neither increased nor cut, which keeps the project limping along. If an initiative was the brainchild of a powerful figure or had important stakeholders involved, it might linger for months or years.

Zombies Are Threats

While zombies may provide a delicious surge of adrenaline while watching a late-night movie, in a business setting these projects can be darkly threatening, particularly in three areas.

1. They create doubt and distraction. Zombie projects are always in the wings, detracting from the focused efforts needed for new projects. They cast doubt on fresh initiatives, as participants wonder if this project also will end up as a zombie. If it’s an external activity, the project’s lifelessness and abandonment can also damage your brand.
2. They claim time and mental energy. While zombie projects may not be fully active, they aren’t completely dead. They require at least a minimum amount of tending — attention that could be better deployed elsewhere.
3. They tie up resources. Zombie projects likely receive some sort of staffing and financial support, even if modest. Freeing up these resources can fuel other, more valuable efforts.

Ending Zombies in a Positive Light

What’s the best way to deal with zombie projects? First, acknowledge them. Pull them out of the shadows and determine what elements, if any, are worth continuing. If there are none — as is often the case — be prepared to eliminate them permanently.

Then, take this important step to end your zombie projects with grace, so they don’t linger or return: Make a full review of what the project has contributed, and document this value. While not a roaring success, a zombie project may have taught you important lessons about focus, planning, or market needs. It could have connected you to new partners or resources. You may have increased capabilities or gained new perspectives. And at least you now know what doesn’t work, which is important and valuable information on its own.

The documentation of value also provides the basis for a positive response to future questions. When someone inevitably asks about the project, you can reply: “That project is closed. We gained a lot of information about __________ and are putting it to use.”

My challenge to you is to review the zombie projects you have hanging around the shadows of your company. Drag them into the light, assess their value, and be grateful for what they have contributed. Then end them, fully and permanently, knowing they’ve served their purpose.