Do you have Enough Dots to Connect?
In his famous commencement address at Stanford, Steve Jobs shared a story about how he had attended (uninvited) a college course on calligraphy and the influence the learning had on how Apple designed very attractive typography in the graphic interface. He also said that it is not possible to connect the dots forward; one can only make these connections in hindsight.
Similarly, there is the other popular story about how Ratan Tata observed a family of four struggling on a two-wheeler on a rainy day, and that set him thinking about creating a vehicle that would be more convenient and safer than a two-wheeler. This chain of thought eventually led to the Tata Nano.
What I found most striking about these stories (and many others like them) of innovation, is that while a lot of creativity is unplanned, it is not just a matter of luck or chance either. What is common, however, to these stories is that successful leaders are able to connect (apparently) unconnected ideas. Critical to the concept of connecting such dots is that you must have enough dots to connect!
When it comes to connecting dots, I believe we have to focus on two attributes:
1. Quantity: “Dots” are nothing but fragments of experiences, learning or observations. Most people, as they age, collect quite a few dots but do you want to just leave it to time? Can we not proactively pursue the creation of more such experiences or learning? Are we doing enough to actively observe what is happening around us?
Earlier, when we travelled to a new city for a business meeting, we would spend our spare time meeting people or understanding local practices. Today, in our connected world, most managers head back to their hotel rooms to finish their email or get on to a conference call. Fewer dots.
This is true even for something as trivial as the commute to work. How much time do you see what is happening around you or observing people or behaviour? I am not suggesting that checking your Facebook timeline during that hour is not useful, but it is for you to figure out if you are adding enough dots that you can connect in future.
2. Diversity: More than the volume of dots, the real value is in how diverse your experiences or observations are. Remember, innovation or strategy is about creating something distinct; if all your dots are of a similar nature (and no different from those that your peers/competitors are collecting), how likely are you to create a pattern that nobody else can?
If you build your entire career in the same industry / location / function, you are likely to have a less eclectic collection of dots than someone who has experimented with new ideas. More you challenge yourself with unfamiliar situations, more likely are you to develop an insight that is unique. If Steve Jobs hadn’t wandered into the calligraphy class, he might not have had the same appreciation for beautiful fonts on the personal computer.
Diversity of experiences is not just about your professional activities. It could be about your personal explorations too: the hobbies you pursue, the languages you learn or the vacations you take.
I have found that less than a quarter of the participants in my executive programs pursue an active hobby of any kind, even though most of them had strong interest in one or more hobbies in their school or college days.
Some of the most successful and capable leaders systematically add more dots to their experiences and learning portfolio. This includes formal executive education, coaching, travelling, business conferences, industry associations, active hobbies, and many more. So, what is your system for having enough dots to connect?
FAQ SECTION
1. What does Steve Jobs’s calligraphy class story illustrate about innovation?
Jobs attended a calligraphy course uninvited during college, which later shaped Apple’s attention to typography — illustrating his point that creative connections can only be understood in hindsight, not planned in advance.
2. How did a personal observation lead Ratan Tata to create the Tata Nano?
Seeing a family of four struggling on a two-wheeler in the rain sparked the thought that led to designing a safer, more affordable car alternative — an example of connecting an everyday observation to an entrepreneurial insight.
3. What are the two key attributes the article says you need to “connect the dots” for innovation?
Quantity (actively collecting more experiences and observations, rather than leaving it to chance) and Diversity (making sure those experiences differ from what peers and competitors are also collecting).
4. Why does modern digital habits reduce the number of “dots” people collect while travelling for work?
Where managers once used spare time in a new city to meet people and observe local practices, many now retreat to hotel rooms to handle email or calls — resulting in fewer novel, unplanned observations.
5. Why does diversity of experience matter more than volume alone for building unique insight?
If everyone collects similar experiences to their peers and competitors, the resulting ideas tend to converge — genuinely unique insight is more likely to come from experiences (hobbies, travel, unfamiliar situations) that others in your field haven’t had.
Srinivasa is the Founder and CEO of GlobalGyan Leadership Academy and a business strategy and leadership development expert with over two decades of experience across telecommunications, consulting, and management education. He spent close to a decade at Tata Communications as Chief Strategy Officer, leading corporate strategy, M&A and investments, and was earlier with Tata Strategic Management Group and the Tata Group's telecom entities, where he executed acquisitions including Tyco Global Network and Teleglobe. An engineering graduate from SVNIT Surat with an MBA from IIM Ahmedabad, Srinivasa is visiting faculty at IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Nagpur, IIT Hyderabad, NMIMS, and TAPMI, and an award-winning case author whose case on business ethics was the overall winner at the ISB-Ivey Global Case Competition 2014. He brings deep expertise in strategy, business acumen, innovation, and leadership communication.
View LinkedIn Profile
GlobalGyan Leadership Academy 