Criticize, but Also Search for Potential

Pharma blogger Derek Lowe offers good advice regarding a trap that many with experience in their professions can fall into.

In "How Not to Be That Chemist," Lowe cautions against being too biased towards shooting new ideas down, a hazard common in his field, where "you will have seen your ideas shot down in more ways than you can even count:"

[I]f you're that person who sits over by the wall in the conference room and comes up with reasons why this idea, that idea, and those ideas over there aren't going to work, then you should re-evaluate your approach to your work and your place in the organization. Sure, you're right most of the time - maybe damn near all of the time - but what good does that do anyone? You could write an app for your phone that would just say "I don't think that's going to work" every time you hit a button, and it would be just as correct and do just as much for everyone. Most things don't work. You're far better off if you can jump in when you see something interesting that you have some reason to believe has a better chance than usual, and especially if it has a better chance than the other people around the table might realize. [bold added]

The old saw that It's easy to be a critic jumped into my mind after reading this, but this is accurate only in the sense that tearing things down is easy to do.

It's hard to be a constructive critic, which is what I believe Lowe is aiming at.

To borrow an apt golf metaphor about value vs threat orientation: Sure, watch out for the sand traps and water hazards; but don't forget that there are holes to shoot for.

-- CAV