Failure to Launch
When you were nine, what did you want to be? If the answer is full-stack web developer, please email me, I would like to hire you. For the rest of us, this example should illustrate the risk of get married to an early judgment (thanks to the Anthony Kennedy, this is now legal in all states). You probably don’t know what’s right for you, let alone others. So let the people speak (even if you don’t listen to it all) and update your product to suit their needs, not your imagination.
Jordan
says...
"My Baby" Complex
Entrepreneurs, and mothers probably, often suffer from a disease called mybabius complexius, or in non-clinical terms, my baby complex (MBC). If affected by this devastating illness, founders become deeply connected to their original vision for the company. Side effects include:
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Irrationality
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Utter inability to listen to others' opinions
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(Justified) lack of effort from undervalued team members
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Failure to launch
Over the course of the project, I progressed from Stage 1 MBC (very treatable) in July to Stage 4 (terminal) by December. Unsurprisingly, December is about when things started to fall apart. Our team had no cohesion, enthusiasm, or collective belief that UpGrade was gonna happen...and it didn't.
Diagnosis
MBC most commonly manifests during team meetings. The infected individual will propose an idea, but this idea is more so in the form of a mandate than a proposition. Situations like these can be disastrous. Fortunately, a simple approach makes them easily avoidable.
Take the tone that your idea is a single brick and you’re relying on your teammates to contribute other bricks as to collectively build a house. Do NOT start by proposing a house. Sure there’s a chance your team will love your house and this would be great, but what if they don’t and would rather find a different house? You get angry! No one wants their house to be torn down! If this happens, there's a significant possibility you leave the meeting without a house, or possibly even a brick. This doesn't happen when you start by contributing a brick. Bricks are easy to throw away, but more importantly, meant to be built upon.
If you're more of a visual learner, the following infographic may be useful:
