The Idea Hunter

These people are expected (and trained) to look for fresh ideas about how to cater to each guest as an individual customer. They do so, first of all, by noticing things; the word “idea,” in fact, is culled from the Greek idein, “to see

In addition to paying attention to the world around them, all Idea Hunters need to observe themselves. Personal experiences—likes and dislikes, to start with—are a potential source of professional ideas

Pixar, physical space is only part of what puts people in the stream of ideas

What have you observed about how others manage their idea sources

What critical sources are absent or underrepresented

Another possibility is that you’re not involved in enough interpersonal conversations, whether face to face or through all the other means (phone, e-mail, GoogleTalk, and so on). As we’ll see further in Chapter Six, conversations play a critical role in generating the insights and experiences that bring about real innovations

The assessment includes asking yourself questions such as these:
• Where and how am I getting ideas?
• What magazines, journals, and papers do I use regularly?
• What useful books have I read recently?
• What web sites do I visit on a regular basis?
• With whom do I converse in order to find ideas?
• Who challenges my ideas and, by doing so, makes me think more effectively?
• Am I interacting with the same people day after day, or am I making new contacts, finding people outside my usual circle and field of expertise?
• Where, if at all, have I missed opportunities for idea exchanges

Start by taking stock of your current sources

Assembling an Idea Portfolio

. For now, it’s worthwhile to take a clear-eyed look at these factors:
1. Your level of curiosity—whether you’re interested in both the substance of your work and other people’s work.
2. Your breadth—whether you’re consulting a wide diversity of sources.
3. Your habits—whether your idea search is steady rather than sporadic.
4. Your positioning—whether you’re putting yourself in the line of fire of great ideas and building these ideas as you go along. (Such agility will be the focus of the next chapter