Never underestimate the value of the capacity to relate with others.  In the absence of some form of a functional relationship, only a diminished form of the potential value will ever be derived.  There are a great number of brilliant ideas, innovations, strategies and plausible solutions that never came to be anything other than unvalidated thought.

Brilliant strategists or product designers with ideas that would dramatically improve an organization are often discarded as a result of their inability to relate these ideas or products effectively.  Garages and home offices are littered with brilliance that will never be discovered. 

Invest as much time planning how you will relate your idea as you do in developing the idea, innovation and/or strategy itself.  Start by asking yourself these questions:

• Who is your audience and what is their motivation?
• Why is this an incredible idea?
• Whom should I approach first to build credibility with the idea?
• How will I engage others in this way of thinking?
• What questions might I ask to gather advice?
• What shared value is there for others as accomplices?

Relating isn’t manipulating others.  Manipulation is worse than complete detachment.  Relating is an interaction or a dialogue with others to influence and engage to be better and to make a funtionally greater difference with others.

“There is no enjoying the possession of anything valuable unless one has someone to share it with.   —  Seneca —

MITM