Cross Pollinate Your Ideas

Dear lovely people,

I loved my biology classes back in secondary school where I came across the concept of Cross pollination for the first time. Imagine that we admire the abundance of forests, for short nature all because one plant pollinates a plant of another variety such that the two plants’ genetic material combines and the resulting seeds from that pollination have characteristics of both varieties and is a new variety. I learned that sometimes cross pollinating is used intentionally to create new varieties. For example, cross pollinating tomato varieties to attempt to create new, better varieties. Cross pollination in plants sometimes occurs when outside influences, like the wind or bees, carry pollen from one variety to another.

Imagine what happens if this technique is applied to human relations, wouldn’t it be great if you could cross pollinate your ideas with those of others? Some of the times, your ideas alone don’t take you to your dreams no matter how well you cut them out. I equally know that sometimes, even when your ideas have the greatest merit, it is hard to get others to see it. But because you know the value their ideas will bring to your quest for success, you find the best strategies to get them to contribute.

Unfortunately sometimes, it is so difficult to get others to jump on board when you want them to buy into a decision or reinforce your thinking. There are a number of reasons that prevent others from giving their full commitment, including the other parties’ feeling excluded or undervalued; unmet self-interests; fears and concerns; not enough information; and actions occurring too quickly.

James was off the next morning to pick Janto up. When they arrived James’ Office, he was met with resistance, both from Janto his future partner, who had just learned of the investment opportunity and had not given enough time to fully buy into the idea without throwing in one or two ideas of his own to orient the concept, and from his Deputy, Aisha, who felt completely left out of the entire decision. And frankly, they were right. James was so overtaken by his idea to provide needed social services in the target community that he failed to cross pollinate this idea with others and actually caused unnecessary stress and tension by not including his close associates in a thorough discussion and analysis of their options that would lead to a mutual commitment.

It’s important to realize that firstly, the more good advice and review you get from supportive people, the better you will shape your original idea for the better. When you have to partner with others for your dreams to come true, people won’t buy in if they do not feel they have had some say in the decision-making process. We humans need to feel valued and included. If we ignore that need, we’re asking for trouble!

Let it not sound as if all will just go well and easy each time you need advice or to sell your ideas to others. A fact is that you can’t always control what other people think of you. I came to the realization that we all live in different worlds, a different reality for each and every one of us, reality that was built based on our thoughts, beliefs, experiences, based on what we were taught while growing up. What I might see as being right, other people might see as being wrong, and what I might see as being beautiful other people might see as being ugly.

Sharing ideas and observations with others will help you to build your cross-functional excellence, to broaden your perspective in a complex environment, and keep solutions on-target. Exchange of ideas among peers, is not only useful within your field but also a means of learning about best practices in related fields. Sharing information once protected as proprietary has become a common practice – in strategic alliances, partnerships, joint ventures and other linkages that may involve even your competitors. Today, it is difficult for an individual or one business to have all answers, but when you network and link with multiple companies to bring total solution to your customers, you become a much more valuable supplier.