While great ideas can happen from both expected and unexpected places (and times), they in most cases, fall through the cracks, without even seeing its day light, partly because, most people never bother to act on them (i.e. write them down and/or post it in a platform like MIX). Sure enough, there exist many reasons for this behavior, however, here are top 3 reasons, I have heard from few people in my network 1. Not sure, if it is worthy of an idea, as someone might have already thought about it, much before me, and so, I am not going to take the pain of writing them down. 2. I have other pressing things in my plate, and so, acting on this idea is not high in my list of priorities (i.e. to write them down etc) 3. Why bother- No matter how good my ideas are (or how much ever I try), my ideas do not get recognized, as one must have some connections, to get one’s idea recognized. So why bother? Although most of us can relate to these reasons in one way or the other, as I look at these 3 reasons (and perhaps all the other reasons as well) with a root cause analysis lens, it all comes down to lack of proper motivation. In other words, people are not motivated enough, to change their preconceived beliefs (like the 3 reasons identified earlier) so that, they can take the leap of faith and act on them, with their first step i.e. posting it on MIX. Simply put, here is my hypothesis - • To increase the quantity and quality of ideas, we need to make ALL people from every category of life to ACT on ideas • To make people to act, we need to first change their preconceived BELIEF systems (good or bad). • To change their belief systems, we need to provide positive MOTIVATORS With this framing, here is my idea to increase the quantity and quality of ideas, using this Motivation, Belief and Action (MBA) framework. The crux of my idea, in a way, lynches on a century old argument – • Is there such thing called originality in this world? The key implication from this debate is – “we humans, in general, by and large, come up with a new insight or story, only by leveraging an existing thinking and/or insight, but with some value-add”. In other words, the value-add piece, is the one that makes the new thinking, relevant or impactful for the current business context, without overriding or eclipsing the original thinking. If we do not go with this type of framing, I am sure someone else will come up with the “pre-original insight/idea” and another one with a “pre-pre original insight/idea” and yet another with a “pre-pre-pre original insight/idea” & so on and so forth - and finally we will end up with an indefinite loop of “chicken and egg debate”. On the other hand, if we go with this value-add framing, we all will come to some kind of agreement on a hypothesis that “original and the value-add piece together, is the one that makes the insight or an idea relevant and impactful within the current context”. What am I saying? When we go with this framing, it will motivate people to put their brain power on the value-add part, even if they had derived their ideas on someone else’s idea, as value-add at the end of the day is what counts! Without going too much into the details, if I may explain it further, with a help of my TIP/VOS hacks(http://www.managementexchange.com/hack/innovating-innovation-triune-insu...), I had submitted earlier- • Strategy under VOS is all about creating value, by just predicting insights (or ENERGY), first in TIME dimension, as foresights, and then shifting those foresights as choices in SPACE dimension, and if so, then o What happens when we PREDICT & SHIFT those insights in reverse? Isn’t it goes back to the source (creator), and so, the question is – is there any such thing called originality under heaven? o If the answer is no, then isn’t VALUE just comes from PREDICT and SHIFT steps of VOS only? o Put otherwise, when we PREDICT insights forward we get value-added foresights and when SHIFT those foresights we get value-add strategic choices. Under this framing, while insights are valuable, what is relevant to the business is foresights and strategic choices and not just the raw insights. With all the explanations aside, let me present my larger idea under this MBA framework or framing • Motivation: Every idea counts , regardless of how small it is, and so, put your brain power on the value-add part (even if you had derived it from someone else’s idea), as value-add, at the end of the day is, what counts! • Belief: o First part for the MIX’ers: There is no such thing called originality under heaven as all things originate from the original energy source, the creator. o Then to MIX leaders: Value-add is more relevant to the current business context than the so called precursors, and so, honor value-add ideas, which will eventually increase the quantity and quality of ideas! • Action: Value-add is what counts, and so, take time to refine the value-add and don’t forget it to post it in MIX site.