Taking Initiative: Ideas

 

Brainstorming is where more than two museum professionals gather and discuss ways to save the world one public program and social media campaign at a time. It is such a great way to keep things fresh in an institution and to foster creativity among a team. The issue with brainstorming is it is not productive if a solid idea is not formed and action is not taken. In fact, for me personally, it is counterproductive. I get stressed when I think about amazing ideas floating in my head that are not coming to fruition. Then I feel bad about myself and that, my friend, is no good.

The problem with ideas is that too often they stay where they are – living in someone’s head. It is so important to translate the idea into something tangible. One must transfer what is in one’s own brain to someone else’s eyes. This is the key to getting stuff done. At least in my opinion. It also helps you figure out if your idea is feasible and if it is a good one. Some ideas are not good or are not good for right now, but you might not know this until you go for it.

The challenge, and often the scary part, is initiating. Taking that initial or first step. For that, I have no tricks or tips for you other than this: do it. Rip off the band-aid and do it. Disclaimer – if it’s a big change or alteration in how your museum does things, run it past your boss first and make sure you have the green light. Also, simply asking if you are permitted to start taking action is an initial step of initiating. Boom. You took initiative.

You might be thinking, “So, my boss already said to come up with an idea or said yes to my idea, how do I take this further?” Here is where things must get tangible. This could mean committing your idea to paper or even an email. If you need to come up with a tour, write the script. If you need to come up with a program, write a proposal. I find that writing my ideas brings clarity and organization to what is in my head. Writing your idea can serve as the scaffolding for building on your idea further late, whether it be with adding content research or visitor data.

“Help!” you say, “I know my idea is awesome but no one seems to understand it.” Here’s where you should consider a mock-up. Humans are visual and sometimes need to see what things will look like. Make a chart to demonstrate what your needs are for your project. Make a prototype of an interactive that you think would be perfect for a new exhibit. These do not have to be perfect – sometimes all you need is a hot glue gun and cardstock. We should remember that like our visitors, our colleagues also have varying learning and communication styles. Presenting your information in an accessible way is extremely important to encouraging productivity.

Being an initiator takes global guts. You can do it because you are amazing. Remember a first step is not the completed journey. You still have a few steps to go and might trip on your own shoes once. Your first draft or prototype for any idea will be imperfect and that’s okay. Not everyone will like every idea you present all the time and that’s okay too. The important thing is that you are taking initiative and moving forward with making your institution as amazing as you are.