Recommended reading from 'Blogging Innovation'

By Kamal Hassan, President and CEO of Innovation 360 Institute,

20 Phrases That Kill Ideas and Innovation

Look out for killer phrases that start with “That’s a good idea, but…”

1. It’s against company policy
2. It’s not practical
3. It’s not necessary
4. We don’t have the resources
5. It will cost too much
6. We’ve never done it that way
7. Our customers (or vendors) won’t like it
8. It needs more study
9. It’s not part of your job
10. Let’s make a survey first
11. Let’s sit on it for a while
12. That’s not our problem
13. The boss won’t go for it
14. The old timers won’t use it
15. It’s too hard to administer
16. Why hasn’t someone else suggested it before?
17. Let’s form a committee
18. We should wait until the economy improves
19. Who else has tried it?
20. Is it best practice?

When you are hit with one of these killer phrases, see if you can get to the bottom of it. Is the person simply afraid of change, or do they have data to back up their objection? Has something similar been tried in the past? If so, why did it fail?