No one in this world really needs a drill. Ever.
Usually I find absolute statements inherently false, but I
stand by this one. It’s not the drill that is needed, what is needed is a ¼” hole (or whatever size the job
entails). A carpenter only needs a drill
because it creates what is really needed—the hole.
How often do people or corporations focus on the drill instead
of the hole? Remembering to view the end goal as the hole can change everything, yet even with this
knowledge, it is often easier to focus on making a better drill.
We can find positive examples of "the hole as the goal" in industry. For example, a
company called Tennant (primarily a commercial floor cleaning business) realized
a focus on stronger chemicals wasn’t the answer. They get floors cleaner in
less time using a chemical-free machine that ionizes water, which is not only
better than chemicals at destroying bacteria and viruses, it lowers both
liabilities and cost.
You can call it good strategy, or being green, or socially
responsible. You can also call it
profitable. Or, you could recognize that
focusing on that ¼” hole rather than the drill provides the perspective to
discover game-changers. Most of these
new approaches fit in more than one category. A solution that addresses the
primary goal and meets several tertiary goals is a strong indicator that you
are on the right path.
In this world we also have pollution-eating concrete, dance
floors that run the sound system, and mushrooms that break down non-recyclable
plastic. Airships have been designed that don’t need airports or runways, and
they have 10 times the cargo space and 1/10th the fuel needs of a Boeing
747. We don’t need to spend billions on biodiesel R&D for incremental improvement
when there are solutions that address the real issue.
I’m always surprised to hear about infrastructure and
charging station concerns when people discuss electric cars. I lived in Canada.
Cars there have heaters to keep the engine block from freezing and the fluids
from gelling—electrical outlets for these are ubiquitous in parking lots. Grocery stores, malls, and coffee shops
provide the electricity knowing that their customers will stay longer if the cars
are plugged in. Stores in the mall vie
for the charging stations to be close to their storefronts to capture the
increased traffic. Why do we imagine charging stations as gas stations when we
have so many existing parking spaces in places where people want you to stay a while? If you can charge your car while you grocery
shop, buy shoes, or get a latte and you get the benefit of charging your car
away from home, the store gets the business revenue and the community gets less
pollution and increased health.
Hermann Miller, inspired by biomimicry, asked an interesting
question. Do we need chemicals to dye our products when we could have structure
and light interact the way it does in nature? Why not mimic how nature creates vivid
color and take the added costs and liabilities out of the equation for our
products?
A true look at sustainability focuses on the ¼” hole and
considers a wide variety of solutions that were not originally on the table
because the focus has been traditionally on the drill. True innovation and
“blue ocean” game changers are realized by a focus on the ¼” hole.
Full disclosure: the
author of this article still has a drill kit in the garage…. but also has a
power actuated nail gun to use instead of the drill whenever possible because
it meets the need and is a lot more fun.
_____
Kerrie Aman Carfagno
is pursuing her Ph.D. in values-driven leadership at Benedictine University.
She teaches environmental management and marketing classes as an adjunct
lecturer for John Carroll University’s MBA program.
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