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Have you ever faced a difficult problem? A problem that you just couldn't solve no matter how hard you tried? A problem that was crucial to
the success or failure of your business at that point in time?
If you have (haven't we all?), you have probably also faced the temptation of what I call 'spinovation'. Spinovation is a light-hearted
term I use for the process of interpreting new information and then using it in an innovative and totally untested way that you have just invented.
Here’s an example. Let's say you've faced a crucial business problem for a few weeks now, and it's driving you crazy. Then, as if by
magic, you come across a water-tight solution to that very problem.
And not just any solution! A proven, black and white, completely self-contained and self-explanatory solution. A solution where literally
anyone could follow the steps and overcome the problem you currently have. (I'm exaggerating somewhat, but you get the point).
BUT you don't follow the steps, do you? Instead, it's highly likely that you'll spinovate. You will read the instructions and then,
before following them, interpret them in your own special way. You will change things slightly, and in the process, put your own bias, opinion or ‘spin’ on them. (Even when,
<ahem>, you have very little experience!).
That's spinovation, not innovation. And it brings workable solutions to a screeching halt.
Most research shows that men are more prone to spinovation that women, but I've found it to be pervasive among both genders. In fact,
temptation to spinovate seems to be most rife among passionate, intelligent, self-aware people. The very people that society thinks are most likely to succeed. Hmmm…
You see, every day we are bombarded with new information that we sift through. In order to cope, our brain must decide what to
concentrate on at any given moment. We can't work with everything we come across (at least not without losing our marbles!)
There are three main ways that the filtering mechanism in our brain works. First, it deletes information. When you focus on what you do
want, you automatically delete the things you don’t want from your attention. That makes sense.
Some people filter similarities, noticing things that are the same as things they have noticed before. For example, when they go to the
movies, they notice how this movie is similar to other movies they liked.
Still others practice a combination; first noticing what is the same, then noticing a few differences, and so on. These and countless
other internal ways of sorting have a huge impact on our life experiences and potential.
Each of these three processes determines how, and to what extent, you are likely to spinovate when faced with new information. They
directly determine how much you will be tempted to distort new information as it passes through your particular filter.
Personal opinions are a terrific example of this. Many people delete information that doesn't conform to their preconceived ideas. If you
believe something new, isn't it also highly likely that you will distort reality to support your belief, at least to some degree?
And that's why the water-tight solution to your mission-critical problem doesn't always get followed. As we're reading the instructions
with bated breath, we’re already anticipating what is coming next. Page by page, even the clearest instructions stimulate thoughts and feelings in our heads.
We automatically respond to those feelings while we're reading. These feelings not only influence us, they possibly distract us and cloud
our judgment. At the same time, we're thinking creatively, exploring tangents, and perhaps even reading ahead.
To allow all these different processes to occur, it's even more necessary for our brains to generalise, and these generalisations
determine our level of success at following the instructions. Is it any wonder that language barriers and cultural biases are so difficult to overcome?!
So how do you know if you’re spinovating? If you've ever followed a new recipe that didn't turn out the way you expected, chances are
you spinovated and cut corners (assuming, of course, that there were no typos in the recipe!). As always, your results tell the story…
If your deletions, distortions, and generalisations are creating the outcomes you want, that's great. If not, then some new strategies
might be in order. Think about previous issues of this newsletter, in particular the issues containing lists of instructions of various kinds.
Have you followed these instructions to the letter, or have you interpreted them, selected what you thought were the best points, or
scanned them quickly and half-heartedly? What were your results like? They may well have been less than you were capable of.
My idea has always been that everyone can succeed beyond their wildest dreams when the right information is provided in the right way, at
the right time, and for the right reasons. When all of these criteria are satisfied, spinovation is not a problem.
Until the time is right for you, you might like to challenge your spinovation abilities. Why not read one paragraph of a particularly
choice book (a dry text-book is usually the worst possible choice) to yourself every single day. Then make some notes about what you read.
When the notes are consistently similar every day, you are learning to spinovate less and less. Not only is new information sinking in
faster, you are training yourself to be more objective more often. And objectivity in business is more valuable than gold.
The bottom line is, innovation comes after education, just don't try to mix the two.
To your success!
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