Page 41 - THE DO-IT-YOURSELF LOBOTOMY Open Your Mind to Greater Creative Thinking

The Consequences of

a Bad Idea

It has often been said that a bad idea is like a virus. It lives. It grows. It
sustains. It spreads.
When you execute a bad idea it can be like taking the lid off that
potent alien virus vial; once it’s out, there’s little hope for those who
come in contact with it.

Bad ideas can spread even faster than good ideas. Their ramifications
to the people involved can spread even faster in the ultracompetitive
corporate world, where the grapevine often makes the news services
look like the pony express.

Does the saying, “Distance yourself from the stench,” sound famil-
iar? No longer is the problem the thing that smells; it’s the stink left
behind that is the problem.
As for all those philosophers who say, “There’s no such thing as a
bad idea,” I invite them to see how long they can stick around without
holding their noses when some of these whoppers hit the fan.
Elsewhere in this book I talk about the fact that a bad idea—even
one that’s as bad as bad can be—cannot hurt anyone, that is, until it is
executed. Well, in this section we’re talking about executing bad ideas,
not just thinking of them.
A bad idea can derail the best-laid plans of any group. It can put a
good company out of business. It can take away people’s jobs, cause
empires to fall, and cost a lot of people a ton of money.