Comments on: Stealing Good Ideas From Others vs. Bad Ideas Of Your Own

By: Wesley McCants

Wesley McCants — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 20:30:54 +0000

Someone once asked me if I had a choice between a woman and my ideas, which would I sacrifice permanently. I considered diligently what my inquisitor wanted to know. And when I’d weighed all my options I answered, the woman. Taken aback he responded, “This means as a heterosexual you would rather live a life entirely alone?” I nodded. He shook his head in absolute dismay. I smiled then we parted company.

By: Thomas

Thomas — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 11:12:50 +0000

“Beter goed gejat dan slecht bedacht” It sounds better in Dutch.
The saying is used a lot by game journalists. They use the saying to indicate that gameplay elements from other games have been integrated into the game they are reviewing.
In my current profesion, web design, it’s not uncommon to take pieces of code from other websites and tune them to work on your own. In fact, many web designers share these things on their blogs.

By: Jodi

Jodi — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 19:14:48 +0000

Yeah, sorry, couldn’t get past the multiple misuse of “site.” Hard to sound like an expert when you don’t use a proofreader. Sorry, dude.

By: Yiftach

Yiftach — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 17:43:43 +0000

It’s “Out of SIGHT, out of mind” (not “site”).
/pet peeve

By: Tom Wanek

Tom Wanek — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 11:32:14 +0000

Brilliant point. Look at the topology of an outside industry with similar defining characteristics and apply their solutions to your own industry.
For example, Clockwork Home Services, Inc. is taking this approach with several of its in-home services franchises (One Hour Heating, Mr. Sparky and Ben Franklin Plumbing) The company has identified a savings of the customer’s time as a felt need and promises on time service or your money back – guaranteed. Plumbing, HVAC, electrician… it doesn’t matter, they are all in-home service companies and have the same defining characteristics, so the strategy works.
Heck, they could have gotten this idea from FedEx or Domino’s Pizza.

By: Matthew T. Grant

Matthew T. Grant — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 20:50:36 +0000

I appreciate you making the distinction between ideas, which can legitimately be borrowed, appropriated, and used by others, and intellectual property which can, at least from a legal perspective, be stolen.
But in either case, I believe we as a culture have an overly individualistic notion of ideas. To the extent that ideas are generated by a complex amalgam of language, education, experience, and genetic chance, I think of them as a collective good, the value of which is measured not by priority of occurrence but by the ingenuity of application.

By: Barbara Phillips Long

Barbara Phillips Long — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 01:10:44 +0000

Incinerators may not have caught on in the United States because the waste stream might be different (more plastics, for instance). Harrisburg, Pa., has an incinerator that has been costly and has not worked efficiently.
You mention how Starbucks tracks what you purchase, and you suggest they could tailor offers to your tastes.
One of the things I don’t understand is why clothing manufacturers who have large direct retail operations don’t ask customers what they want to buy for next season and sift through those ideas. Or, why not create some limited edition clothing that will only be made for orders placed in advance?
Some manufacturers limit the color selection in plus sizes but have a wide color selection in misses’ sizes for a particular garment. By allowing customers to order in advance, women who wear plus sizes could choose colors from the whole range (in textiles the company already has contracts for) instead of facing more limited choices. And the company would have new data about the color preferences of these customers and could serve them better.

By: Mailing Lists

Mailing Lists — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 19:36:38 +0000

I completely agree, it’s not about stealing a specific idea, but using obvious ideas or improving an idea and cultivating it into your own concept. In the end if you steal an idea it will come back to bite you, but if you use a concept and make it your own you can create a market share for your business.

By: Cathy

Cathy — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 02:41:43 +0000

Awesome Paul! I share the same sentiment to the teachers at my school. Don’t reinvent the wheel, just design the wheel to fit your specific classroom! If someone else/group has a great idea that you can customize to benifit your students…use it with confidence and energy. Best practices in education should reflect hardwork and the intiative to do what is best for students. Your insights for business continue to feed my colleagues for educational excellence. Thank you.

By: Elaine Fogel

Elaine Fogel — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 22:47:29 +0000

I like the way you took a Dutch cultural attitude and expression and interpreted it for us, Paul. We can call it best practices or “borrowing” and it’s the same thing. Why re-invent the wheel on the basics that produce results?
Personally I’d like to borrow a concept that works for many other businesses. It’s not very novel, but it sure is a good objective. It’s called generating a profit.