Ideas Guys Vs. Execution Guys

Great ideas are the key to any great business. There are creative geniuses around the world who can pop off new business ideas and venture opportunities as easily as others can add 2+2=4. There is something exciting and energizing about being around big ideas and people who are thinking of ways to break the mold. Here in Indianapolis, where we are based, local start-up club Verge thrives on this very principal of encouraging people to share their ideas and building a community around it.

I had coffee the other day with entrepreneur and technology executive Brian Wolff. Brian is a seasoned business executive who is co-founder of BlueLock a leading IaaS (infrastructure-as-a-service) provider for virtual cloud computing. Throughout our conversation appeared this concept of “idea guys” and “execution guys” and the value of each in contributing to a successful venture.

Being in the idea and innovation business, I am always seeking ways to emphasize to our clients that great ideas need execution or they are worthless. This  is particularly important when companies go through a strategic planning effort, launch an innovation team or attempt to go from concept to implementation of a new venture or product.

Idea Guys Are Key to Developing the Concept

When it comes to your innovation team or strategic planning group, the “idea guys” (gals included!) are critical to the critical thinking and disruption mindset that is needed to go from the current approach to a new initiative.

The creative folks who are willing to propose and conceptualize new, often risky thoughts are what define innovative companies. Steve Jobs was undoubtedly an idea guy who was obsessed the idea to “think differently” and build solutions that forced competitors to change course. He hired creative talent who had a track record of pushing the envelope and quickly fired individuals who failed to create products whose design and model weren’t groundbreaking.

Execution Guys Are Key To Making Ideas Successful

Apple’s success didn’t just come from Jobs’ focus on creating dramatically different products, it was also in the execution of bringing those ideas to market.  There’s a reason that Jobs’ appointed his COO, Tim Cook, as the new CEO of the firm, Jobs understood it was leadership of the execution that resulted in the success of Jobs creative vision for products and services. Cook is often credited and praised for cleaning up Apple’s supply chain that has enabled it to grow the business in a scalable, profitable way.

As your company considers how to build your innovation or strategic team, keep in mind that those who are best as ideation, may not also be the best at execution. You must marry together both skills by building a team who can leverage both skills at a high level.