Here’s to the crazy ones

Here’s to the crazy ones.
The misfits.
The rebels.
The troublemakers.
The round pegs in the square holes.
The ones who see things differently.
They’re not fond of rules.
And they have no respect for the status quo.
You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them.
About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them.
Because they change things.
They push the human race forward.
Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.

Source - Apple Inc.

I read this script in an Ashish’s office in Hyderabad, India a week ago. While I had seen the Apple video on a web, the written version had more impact.  My colleague and I like to consider ourselves the “crazy ones.”  It then made us think, do all managers consider themselves a “crazy one?” Has crazy now become baseline self opinion? Would some admit to not being crazy in this context?

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Wind in your sails

This is a replay of a story I heard last week.

Sean was complaining about his boss.  It was one thing after another.  Bottom line, Sean could not find much positive in the situation.  Sean shared this with his mentor and he was told to save his energy.  “You should not try sailing when there is no wind” the mentor told him. 

Sean did not have the power or audience for his concerns.  He was basically campaigning to himself.  If he just waited, the wind would return and others would understand the situation.  As a leader, we must consider the same idea.  Sometimes it is our job to create wind.  We see a need and we must create change.  Other times, we must observe there is no audience for our concern and we should hold the idea for a better time.  It is our job to figure out which is which.

Have you had a great idea at the wrong time?  Did you ever wait for the right time and find more success?

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