Think local, act global
25 years ago a couple of my fellow Rhode Islanders were discussing the fate of ocean life due to pollution and over fishing. One was scientist, Ken Sherman, with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the other, his neighbor, Lewis Alexander, a geographer at our state university.
These two diverse backgrounds led to a joint perspective that has changed the way the world looks at managing ocean life. A quarter of a century, and some three billion dollars later our global waters are beginning to be managed, not along political boundaries as in the past, but by ecological definitions of space.
Sometimes it takes a unique blend of personalities, past experiences and mindsets to create the condition for a certain great idea. When these two open minded individuals made their seemingly absurd insight, that fish don’t carry passports, that fresh perspective led to sea change, if you’ll allow me such a pun, that will likely benefit you and I at the dinner table for years, not to mention our children and their children.
When wrestling with a big problem or looking for new ideas to attack a great opportunity we most often seek the advice of someone who has been there. But when you tap into a mind that is unencumbered by “what is” in any field, those who don’t know what can’t be done, there is a potential for great ideas that usually doesn’t happen when people close to a topic think it through.
Napoleon Hill, in one of the best selling books of all time, Think and Grow Rich, first published in 1937, speaks of the “master mind” that most high achieving people of his era maintained. A diverse “psychic board of directors” as I like to think of them, who’s wisdom and fresh perspective on your field expand your own possibilities.
You may have seen the photographs from even before Hill’s time of Tom Edison, George Eastman, Henry Ford and Harvey Firestone. Great minds sharing? Or great minds because they shared? Maybe both.
Of course, you don’t even have to be in the room with others to pick their brains. Actually almost every thing we know others knew before us. We’re picking brains all the time. Do we do it consciously? Concertedly? Particularly when we’re stuck or looking for inspiration? [In DIY Lobotomy terms we call it Intergalactic Thinking™ or Collaborate with Genius.]
Remember in the mid ‘90’s the controversy around the, then, three living Beatles adding vocal and instrument tracks to John Lennon’s demo tapes to create “Free as a Bird” and other material for the Beatles Anthology recordings.
Some people thought it was sacrilegious that Paul, George and Ringo would even try to collaborate with their former band mate. But didn’t John Lennon use concepts and musical sensibilities from the deceased Buddy Holly and other early rockers living and dead?
In the text of the Beatles Anthology book, taken from an interview with John Lennon years before, the bespeckled Beatle explains how he wanted to write a Roy Obrison song using a “please” lyric from a Bing Crosby song.
Beatles fans, try singing a few lines of “Please, please me.” Go ahead. “Last night I said these words to my girl. Why do you always have to try girl?” Is this not a Roy Orbison melody? Roy was evidently part of Lennon’s mastermind, to use Napoleon Hill’s expression. Would that particular song ever have happened if Lennon hadn’t consciously “collaborated” with Orbison? I don’t think so. (Actually, as Beatles historians tell it, the original version of “Please, Please me” was slower and more dramatic, very close to Orbison’s style. But it was producer, George Martin, who sped the song up, inserting the harmonica riff and gave the recording it’s final form. Another mind in the mix.)
Incidentally, the Beatles/Crosby collaboration worked both ways. Bing Crosby went on to record The Beatles Hey Jude in a 1968 album called Hey Jude, Hey Bing. A version that certainly had a lot of Bing in it, as the song stylist put his own mark on the composition.
Diverse minds. Diverse ideas.
Just like the concept that will clean up our international waters and put millions of fish on future tables may not have happened if the two diverse perspectives of my fellow Rhode Islanders hadn’t had their own jam session of sorts 25 years ago.
© 2006 Tom Monahan, all rights reserved.
