15/09/2022
๐๐ฆ๐จ๐จ๐ญ๐ก ๐ฌ๐๐๐ฌ ๐๐จ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐ฆ๐๐ค๐ ๐ฌ๐ค๐ข๐ฅ๐๐ฎ๐ฅ ๐ฌ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐จ๐ซ๐ฌ.
Welcome to this new series on ideas, what they are, how we get them, what we do when we have them and how we grow them. Over the next few weeks, I will explore tools for exploring and developing ideas and then focus on ideas in particular situations โ land, water, food, transport environment, health, retail, construction, clothing and fashion, arts and crafts, recycling and personal services.
An idea is defined as a formulated thought or opinion โ a thought or a suggestion as to a possible course of action - a plan, thought, or suggestion, especially about what to do in a particular situation. For example, you might have an idea about how to counter the effects of climate change on your island or what to do about youth unemployment or how to prepare for a cyclone.
In my last article I looked at some of the internal challenges such as lack of confidence that you will have to overcome as you develop new ideas. Today I begin to look at some of the external challenges that you are likely to face.
The first area of challenge that you are likely to encounter is other people! If you have been lucky enough to visit New Zealand or Australia you may have heard the term, โtall poppyโ. The tall poppy syndrome is a cultural phenomenon in which people hold back, criticise or sabotage those who have or are believed to have achieved notable success in one or more aspects of life, particularly intellectual or cultural wealth; "cutting down the tall poppy". Poppies are flowers that usually grow to similar length but sometimes some grow taller, like some people!
As you progress with new ideas and as an entrepreneur it is likely that you will be seen as a tall poppy and some people will want to cut you down to the same size as everyone else! A friend of mine describes this attitude as being a โdream-takerโ. They have no dreams of their own, so they donโt want you to have any either!
Rather than spend time trying to get people to change their minds, it is important to be aware of this behaviour and then to create your own personal strategy for dealing with it. Identify positive people that you know and enjoy spending time with. Decide who you want to listen to and take advice from. Be aware that dream takers have their own problems โ maybe they are jealous or scared or simply do not understand what you are doing โ but whatever the causes they are not your responsibility! Obviously, it is harder if these dream takers are close to you โ family members for example. Try not to provoke an argument and, if you can help, do so as long as you do not compromise your own ideas or vision.
A few years ago, I mentored someone in New Zealand who had two dream takers in her life โ her husband and her son. This was obviously very difficult for her as she loved them both and also loved what she was doing โ her passion. Fortunately she was a very confident woman with a high level of emotional intelligence and, with a good plan and strong support was able to achieve her entrepreneurial goals and maintain her relationships.
Entrepreneurs will always be different and will stand out in the crowd. If everyone has a black umbrella the entrepreneur will have a green one! It is this willingness to be different that leads entrepreneurs to identify and succeed with new ideas. But of course, this comes at a cost. You will be seen to be different by others. This may lead to some unwelcome attention or focus on what you are doing.
As well as surrounding yourself with positive people, think about using an external guide โ a mentor or coach โ who is not subject to the same pressures, as someone to talk through good and bad times. Make sure you are always well planned, and you always do what you say you will do. Stick to your values and be as assertive as you can be. However, remember that assertive people, while always expressing their own views and opinions, will always give time to others to express theirs and will be interested in what they have to say. Assertive behaviour is a two-way process โ a win-win arrangement which will often help the dream takers to understand that their behaviour is unhelpful and unnecessary and not good for them.
There will always be challenges and as you face them, one at a time, you will become more confident and more able to withstand what others are throwing at you.
Next week I continue to look at other challenges and risks that will have to be dealt with. I hope you are enjoying this series all about ideas. Please send me feedback and if you have any other suggestions or any questions or comments, please contact me.
๐ต๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ข๐๐ก ๐ถ๐๐๐ ๐ข๐๐ก๐๐๐ (๐ค๐ค๐ค.๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ข๐๐ก๐๐๐๐ ๐ข๐๐ก๐๐๐.๐๐๐) ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐ข๐๐ก๐ข-๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐๐๐, ๐ก๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐๐โ๐๐๐, ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ก๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ก๐ ๐๐ข๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐ ๐กโ๐๐๐ข๐โ๐๐ข๐ก ๐กโ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ . ๐ต๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ข๐๐ก ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ก ๐๐๐ก๐๐ฃ๐๐ก๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ข๐๐๐๐ โ๐๐ข๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐ก๐๐๐ข๐๐ก๐ฆ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ก๐๐๐โ, โ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐ ๐ก๐ ๐ ๐ข๐๐ฃ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ , ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ก๐๐๐ก๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ค, ๐ ๐ข๐ ๐ก๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐ . ๐ถ๐๐๐ก๐๐๐ก ๐โ๐๐๐ @๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ข๐๐ก๐๐๐๐ ๐ข๐๐ก๐๐๐.๐๐๐ ๐๐ โ๐๐ง๐๐@๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ข๐๐ก๐๐๐๐ ๐ข๐๐ก๐๐๐.๐๐๐
