Problem with EXPERIENCE.
- What experience do you have ??
- Have You implemented or done this elsewhere? OR
- We have 20 years of experience.
Most of us face/use these questions/statement when we start or wanting to do something new and for the first time or want to capitalise on our experience.
Fact is Experience Kills INNOVATION (Fresh Approach & Different Angle) .
Experience means I know HOW it can be done and have done it too.
Experience defies change, Experience blocks mind, Experience brings EGO, Experience means Routine, Experience means my way is the only way and the right way.
However companies are always looking for experienced guys. In rarely any organisation experience is at discount and innovation , new ways, vibrancy, tolerance to failure is at premium.
Entrepreneurs are basically risk takers but companies are run by employees who are risk averse by nature { there are always exception everywhere } . Like everything else tone and the top and culture top-man breeds will percolate down.
Yes experience is critical in life threatening situation or when the stakes are huge, everywhere else, innovation and fresh approach MUST be encouraged.
" Success Immortalises the way things are done " statement
equally applies to experience.
Go for thinking people , experience can be costly { Well
it can be opportunity cost!!! }. Tatas have brigade of
experienced people. Who is selected??? Cyrus Mistry
age 43. Therefore Can do is greater than have done.
Richard Branson's View on d subject.
Richard Branson on When Inexperience Is an Advantage
http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/220789 (published on 29/11 , posted later on this blog)
Bucks start & stop at the TOP.
Posted on Linkedin by sujay muluskar
ReplyDeleteliasione officer/ manager at Shree Tirupati Developers Mumbai Area
experience teach us a lot from our mistakes and every one want back or utilize it in a monitory way means i tried my mistakes to be capitalized for myself and assume thereis no mistake its a experience. any way i like to share with you. thanks
Appreciate. Though Experience alone should not be a qualifier. How else than inexperienced people with can do attitude will get a chance. In most cases experience means repeatedly doing d same things.Fresh approach and can do attitude matters MOST.
ReplyDeletePosted-on Linkedin by Dr.Shalini Ratan,
ReplyDeleteFounder and Chief Knowledge Facilitator at NIRVAN Life Sciences Pvt. Ltd.Mumbai Area, India
I differ in saying that experience kills innovation. It might happen but is not a fact. Usually experience is related to being cynical or with rigid ideas. But this is not always the case. Innovation is more related to one's thought process and personality than age and experience.
The book : "Breakthrough innovations in India" narrates 11 innovations which were not Enterprises started only by young Enterpreneurs.
Posted-on Linkedin by Manjula D.,
ReplyDeleteIndeprndant Health Care consultant
Chennai Area, India
How pray will you find the spark for innovation unless you get experience first? I think you are confusing experienced people with set ideas rather than experience per se. Innovation requires a spark that is not found in the majority of people. Learning from experience for such people is not a bad thing
Posted-on Linkedin by Ian Bruggemann
ReplyDeleteConsultant ,Sydney Area, Australia
Interesting comment Sunil.
Throughout my career in retail I have operated in all facets of the industry to gain experience so I can understand the thought processes and objectives within in each area and therefore encourage collaboration between all areas thereby increasing productivity and reducing interdepartmental friction
In most enterprises I worked in I found that people who are so engrossed and focused on their particular area that they loose sight of the fact that what they are doing is in fact detrimental to other areas of the business as well as the business as a whole.
True. We do need innovation and new ideas to survive in an ever changing world. We cannot believe that we can do the same thing today in 20 years time and expect the same results.
In every organisation there will be innovators but the innovation needs to be linked with experience to achieve a successful outcome rather than inventing the wheel every time and making costly mistakes.
I would hate to think that I would be rejected when applying for a position based on the fact that I have too much experience and would stifle innovation.
I might add that I have been rejected for positions I have applied for because of my experience. Not because I would stifle innovation but because "I know too much" and would expect a higher rate of remuneration based on my experience and knowledge.
Posted-on linkedin by Saurabh V. ,
ReplyDeleteTrainer at Haier Appliances India Pvt. Ltd.
India
Nice article there Sunil,
I could agree with the points, but I get a feeling its a little bit of over kill. Experience can never kill innovation :) In fact if you see the other perspective experience can give rise to more innovations as well as provide solidarity to the work up that includes newer services as well as products... you might like to call it improvising on mistakes, I would say again, not necessarily. Experience brings in structured approach yep I would agree that slows the process of decision making but empowers both short term as well as long term growth for any industry.
It does mean I know how it can be done and have done it, on the other hand it also means I know how it can not be done so lets try a newer way...
Experience in the right sense would always embrace change rather than defying it, or else the mistake is of the people who manage change not the people who've got experience :)
As I wrote above experience brings in structured approach it can never block minds.All experienced people ain't egotists you'll find quite a few who are way down to earth then the usual wannabe's, if ego takes over experience then I would definitely never call experience ever existed.
And well all this comes from an INEXPERIENCED fellow :)
Posted-on linkedin by suzan B. ,
ReplyDeleteOwner, http://swallowhousetrading.com
Bali Province, Indonesia
``Believe in - Net Happiness is greater than Networth``
Yes, in Bali, I`m surrounded by people who live according to Karma.
We must not forget the importance of outwards goodness without expectations of receiving in return! Our guests experience just that:
http://swallowhousetrading.com
Posted-on linkedin by Juan Carlos R. ,
ReplyDeleteSouth East Regional Controller at Panalpina Inc.
Miami/Fort Lauderdale Area
Fresh approach from experience professionals come from constant preparation, actualization, goal oriented attitude and always be one step ahead of the game.
Posted-on linkedin by Parag Bhise
ReplyDeleteBusiness Analyst - Business Analyst -Merchandising, Mumbai Area, India
Experience enriches INNOVATION!
Be positive.
Praising and promoting new is good.
Innovation is good.
Do not try to rediscover wheel.
Old has to make way for new, it is handing over the batten.
One need to strike balance between Freshers & experienced may be 80:20?
HAPPY RETAILING!
Posted on linkedin by Arif Khair
ReplyDeleteSr. Consultant, Content at NIS Sparta Ltd.
South Delhi, Delhi, India Broadcast Media
So much emphasis on experience! So much time and money is spent on the all too familiar. Organisations play safe, when it comes to recruiting people for any assignment. They want people with 'N' no. of years of experience.
How does that help? These people continue to do the same things, in the same manner.
There are no additions or no fresh perpectives. People just love the familiar. Anything outside of it, makes them very uncomfortable. This approach can only bring in stagnancy.
Why is there a hype on experience? We all know, that most of the things that need to be known about any particular domain and industry, is learnt within a month. How much more do you add to your knowledge, skills. It is very miniscule. Nothing that is done in the various fields, sectors, domains is 'Einstein material'.
This whole 'experience' thing has been inflated out of proportion, by unimaginative people, so that they get to hold fort. And like attracts like...
Hi sir, another interesting post, but rather a controversial one!
ReplyDeleteI agree to the point that experience is like "doing the same thing for years" and "know how to do it" and "need not think in new ways".. But then i certainly cannot agree to the fact that experience kills innovation.
Take an example of Apple, Microsoft, Google, Facebook.. What people do there is innovation, they launch "new" products to the market. They "experienced in innovating". Now according to you which category do they belong to?
According to me, a company should innovate, not each and every employee of it. The employee team should be a combination of Innovators and Executors. Innovators who can think of new things and generate ideas.. and executors who form a higher level group and experienced and know how to execute the ideas and put them in the market. And Experience certainly doesn't kill innovation.
In a different perspective, consider yourself.. you are very well experienced in the business world and know a lot of stuff. And still you know the importance of Innovation. That certainly proves that Experience and Innovation are two different things.
posted today 29/11 by Richard Branson on When Inexperience Is an Advantage
ReplyDeletehttp://www.entrepreneur.com/article/220789
Posted-on linkedin by Sheikh Wahid Baagwaan
ReplyDeleteOwner @ NEW INDIA PROPERTIES,Mumbai Area, India
Sharing my experience of the term - EXPERIENCE means -
While trying hard to gain success, people do make mistakes & learn from their & others mistakes - that leads to success |
There's saying - You cannot make every mistake by your self so learn from others mistakes too |
Mistake : MIS in TAKE or miss in learning = MISTAKE |
Mistake : MI = MY self @ STAKE |
Every human - Being successful become possessive of his achievements & do not measure or share his success in terms of what he has achieved but take more pride in sharing experience of what he achieved this success & NEVER HOW he has achieved this success. This is his experience & his own right. AGREED |
I think it's our conscious mind that tells us to learn quickly in short period from these successful (so called experienced people of mistakes) & understand how they became successful in a period of time. But the fact is success is also about - Persistence, Patience, Positive, Passionate, Pleasant & Purpose |
EXPERIENCE IS NOT WHAT YOU GET IN LIFE BUT - EXPERIENCE IS WHAT YOU DON'T GET WHAT YOU WANT |
WHEN YOU LOSE DO NOT LOSE LESSON |
ATTITUDE = 1+20+20+9+20+21+4+5 = 100 % |
Posted-on LinkedIn by Stirling S. , Project Manager at ANZ Bank,New Zealand
ReplyDeleteMany companies claim to want innovation but actually stable operation is the real target and innovation may be seen to disrupt this stability. What people want and what they think they want are often different. I do agree with your post.