The world is divided between soothsayers and naysayers. Visionaries and reactionaries. Agents of change and keepers of the peace. Clairvoyants gazing into crystal balls and collectors lovingly rearranging mementos in curio cabinets.

While it takes all types to make the world go around, I know which I’d rather have in charge of my organization’s business transformation, innovation initiatives, or even the entire strategic planning process. Which would you?

The distinction between the two—and for me, the advantage of one over the other—comes down to a simple matter of perspective. But this simple shift in perspective truly makes a world of difference.

Naysayers See Problems from the Standpoint of the Present

At best, their focus is on improving upon the current state. These are the people who build their plans around safe, incremental growth (10% growth never got anyone fired, right? Ahem…); that eschew the truly new for a bit more of the same. At worst, they simply aim to maintain the status quo. These are the folks who ignore new competitors, balk at disruptors, and deny that the assumptions upon which their businesses are built have become the quicksand that threatens to suck their businesses under.

When faced with radical innovations or unconventional ideas, all they see are obstacles. They’re very good at explaining why breakthrough ideas won’t work, can’t work. They don’t just believe this. They know it. And they’re more than happy to prove it to you.

Soothsayers Solve Problems from the Perspective of the Future

Rather than starting with an understanding of the current state, they begin with a vision for a preferred future state. They go beyond what they know to be true to consider what they imagine to be possible. When facing radical innovations and unconventional ideas, they don’t see obstacles. They see opportunities.

Soothsayers do more than just maintain the business they have. They create the business they want. They’re very good at determining how breakthrough ideas could work, should work, will work. And they’re more than happy to show you.

Now, some might say that any good business needs a healthy blend of both: hard-nosed realists to balance out the starry-eyed visionaries. Maybe that’s true. Who am I to say no? But when the naysayers outweigh and outvote the soothsayers in any organization, the result isn’t safety. It’s stasis. And that’s the riskiest position of all.

September 17, 2013