CircaSpecting: People, Tech, and Business

Life is Complicated

The most creative people I know are also the most optimistic people I know.  It takes optimism to embrace a really new project -- whether that's a new painting or a new building or a new process or a new product.  The need for optimism probably stems from the fact that you are exposing yourself to criticism, since we all regard the creation as a manifestation of the creator.

I think that is why so many creative people have a tendency to overstuff their creations: they want everyone to see the full breadth and depth of their genius; they don't want to be judged on a stripped-down version of their vision.  Even when the first few elements of the project represent 70-80% of the potential value, we often insist that "75% is a C."

This is a mistake.

Life is full of the unforeseen, and there's plenty of the unforeseeable, too.  Whether you can see the challenges or not, they are still there -- licking their chops to get a shot at your project.  And, like a pack of coyotes, they grow exponentially more devastating as their numbers grow.  One coyote or problem is basically a lonely puppy.  Ten coyotes or problems is a buffet, and you are the entree.

The reality of creativity is that it faces 2 exponential functions, both of which are related to complexity.  Marginal utility is declining with complexity, while marginal risk is increasing.  Multiplying these two curves yields the green line in the chart below: expected value.

The creative brain does not want  to see the reality of the green line.  We must discipline ourselves to see it; and, we must discipline ourselves to act accordingly.  So, here is a good exercise.  Ask yourself the following question:

What is the simplest, most basic version of my project which anyone could possibly consider good?

This is probably the only version of your project that is worth your time.  And, before you start calling this a cop-out strategy, remember: Life is FAR more complicated than you think.

Art is the Signature of Man

I've been reading The Everlasting Man, by G.K. Chesterton.  It's one of those wonderful books you roll around in your mind savoring like you would a fine piece of dark chocolate in your mouth.  His splendid thinking and clear writing combine  to strip away mental inertia and allow me to see things afresh and simply -- as a child would.  And, one of those "things" is a human being.

One of the discussions in the book relates to the uniqueness of the human being among Earth's menagerie.  His central argument relates to man's penchants for representation and creation.  Something lurks in our minds that is unwilling to settle merely for rearranging the materials in front of us; we are happiest when we can synthesize and create.  At the same time, something else calls us to see behind the obvious and to deal with metaphor, symbol, system, and theme.

"Art is the signature of man."  G.K. Chesterton

Which left me wondering ...

• In what areas are we passively assuming that what is in front of us is all that is  -- or can be made -- available?
• In what areas are we overly focused on parts, ignoring the reason, cause, or pattern that transcends or connects them?
• In what ways can we do a better job with management practices (culture, process, tools, training, etc.) so that we better allow our people to be fully creative, fully representative, fully human?

A dozen artful quants or a dozen philosophical engineers will blow your mind. And blow away the competition.  But, you have to allow them room to be.  And, that's true whether you're running a software company or a power company.