#47: Seeing differently creates insight
November is still Peter Drucker month, so here is a typical Drucker statement: Selling refrigerators to the Eskimos to keep food cold is one thing. But selling refrigerators to the Eskimos to keep food from freezing is creative.
The point? Unless you see the relationship between the objects involved, (the fridge, the food, the climate and the Eskimo), you will only see the functionality of the fridge and decide that Eskimos do not need fridges. And yet, Eskimos could use something which will prevent food from freezing while keeping it fresh.
A long, long time ago two shoe-salesmen went to Africa. Soon the one wrote to his boss, “Coming home. People don’t wear shoes.” The other telegraphed his office, “Urgent. Send shoes. Huge untapped market.”
Both were looking at the same market, but seeing it differently. Seeing differently creates insight.
I’m james@nonsenseatwork.com
Copyright: 2006 James Henry McIntosh
The point? Unless you see the relationship between the objects involved, (the fridge, the food, the climate and the Eskimo), you will only see the functionality of the fridge and decide that Eskimos do not need fridges. And yet, Eskimos could use something which will prevent food from freezing while keeping it fresh.
A long, long time ago two shoe-salesmen went to Africa. Soon the one wrote to his boss, “Coming home. People don’t wear shoes.” The other telegraphed his office, “Urgent. Send shoes. Huge untapped market.”
Both were looking at the same market, but seeing it differently. Seeing differently creates insight.
I’m james@nonsenseatwork.com
Copyright: 2006 James Henry McIntosh
posted by James Henry McIntosh at
7:20 AM
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