In many areas of life, responsibility is something obvious and tangible. We take responsibility for the completion of the projects we run, for the well-being of the family, for the payment of the bills and for the functioning of relationships. This responsibility is often linked to direct consequences. If we fail to deliver on time, make a living or fulfill promises, there are noticeable consequences. But there is another form of responsibility that is more invisible and rarely held to the surface. The responsibility for ideas.
Taking responsibility for ideas is not about waiting for the perfect inspiration or only working with ideas that feel ready. It is about consciously choosing to take an unclear, incomplete thought and work with it until it becomes clearer, more relevant and more feasible. It is a work that requires both patience and curiosity.
Ideas are often left to their fate
Most people are happy to take responsibility for the implementation of a finished idea. When the direction is set, the plan is in place, and the resources are allocated, it’s easy to roll up your sleeves and get started. The problem is that very few people take responsibility for the idea development phase. The early, often unclear, and sometimes frustrating process when an idea is still half-formed.
In that phase, it’s common for people to dismiss ideas quickly. They say the idea doesn’t feel right, that it’s not the right time, or that they don’t know how to proceed. Instead, they direct their energy toward tasks that have clear start and end points. This is understandable, as it’s psychologically easier to take responsibility for something that already has a defined path forward.
But this is where the greatest waste of potential often occurs. Ideas that could have developed into something valuable are left there. When no one steps up to take responsibility for the idea’s development, it dies out.
Idea development and idea realization are two different responsibilities
One of the most important insights is that idea development and idea realization should be seen as two separate phases with two separate responsibilities. Idea development is about exploring, testing, improving and reshaping an idea until it has been given a clearer form and concrete content. Idea realization is about taking the finished idea and actually implementing it.
In many organizations, there are detailed processes and project plans for implementation, but very few have structures, culture or working methods that reward and protect idea development. This means that you risk becoming very efficient at implementing, but on fewer and fewer ideas. The result is a reduced ability to innovate over time.
A good metaphor is gardening. Idea development is like planting seeds, watering and weeding before the plant has grown. Idea realization is harvesting and cooking the food. If we only want to harvest but never plant, we will quickly be left empty-handed.
Why Idea Generation Makes You More Creative
Taking responsibility for idea generation is not only important for generating better ideas, it’s one of the most effective ways to become more creative over time. The brain is amazing at connecting seemingly unrelated thoughts in its attempts to understand the world.
When we practice developing ideas, even ones that may not be implemented, we build a mental habit of seeing connections, finding patterns, and quickly shaping something useful from a loose thought. Just as a muscle gets stronger with exercise, the brain’s ability to generate and shape ideas becomes sharper the more often we work with them.
A person who actively works on idea generation also gets a faster start when new ideas arise. It becomes easier to identify the next step, to see potential obstacles, and to think about different scenarios. It is this speed and flexibility that often separates a creative person from someone who relies on spontaneous ideas.
An example
Imagine a product developer who receives a suggestion from a colleague about a new feature in an app. The proposal is vague: “What if we could make it more social.” In most organizations, this would be at the bottom of the list because it’s not concrete enough to act on.
But if the product developer takes responsibility for the idea development, they start to explore what “more social” might mean. This can lead to a series of follow-up questions: Should users be able to create profiles? Should they be able to chat? Should the app have a shared view for shared projects? After a few conversations, sketches, and tests, the proposal grows into a clear feature that can actually be implemented.
If the idea had stayed in its first, vague stage, it would probably have died.
Start taking responsibility for ideas
One way to practice taking responsibility for idea development is to use a method I call “Three Next Steps.” It works like this:
Every time you come across an idea that’s too vague to implement, force yourself to formulate three small, concrete things you can do to develop it. It could be asking a specific question, doing some quick research, sketching a prototype, or talking to a user. The point is to move the idea forward, albeit in small steps.
If you consistently do this, it will help you both clarify ideas and identify what is needed to take them forward.
A conscious choice
Becoming creative requires that you consciously choose to take responsibility for idea development. It is a responsibility that no one else will demand of you, but which can change both your creative capacity and your ability to create future opportunities.
It is about making room for half-finished thoughts, even when they feel uncertain. To see idea development as a craft, where you gradually shape and hone something valuable. And perhaps most importantly: to understand that creative ability grows not when we wait for the right idea, but when we take responsibility for creating it.
