Seek the tiger, find the jungle
-
Tom Parson
Recently, my partner and I took a trip to India, and part of the experience was a tiger safari in Corbett National Park.
On our first day of safari, we awoke at 5am and, after a quick breakfast and coffee, we were huddled in our jeep. It was a cold morning, and we clutched our hot water bottles and blankets the guide had thought to provide.
As we set off to the entrance of the forest, the guide began managing our expectations. Explaining that even though this is billed as a tiger safari, they can't guarantee that we will see tigers - Mother Nature often has her own plans.
But he stressed that even if we didn't see tigers, there was so much for us to behold! He urged us not to spend the whole safari with eyes peeled for a flash of orange, as it would mean we would miss out on the abundance of wonders all around us.
He recounted with woe tales of tourists who had spent safaris on their phone, or otherwise killing time, only paying attention at the announcement of jungle royalty.
He referred to the slogan we'd seen on his t-shirt: "Seek the tiger, find the jungle."
A new world
Soon after we got through the gates and into the national park, I understood what he meant.
Just being in the park felt other-worldly. The twilight glow casting everything in a mysterious grey. The birdsong above us, the rustling around us. The taste of the crisp, clean air - a far cry from smoggy Delhi a few days earlier. My senses awoke. For someone so used to busy urban life, I relished the feeling of calm and wonder that began to grow inside me.
Over the next 4 hours, we explored the jungle. Being jostled around as we navigated the dirt roads, carefully steering around other jeeps, or waiting while the drivers, stopped, spoke Hindi to one another, discussing any wildlife sightings or hot spots of the day.
This was interspersed by plenty of time parked up sitting in silence, listening out for any cues. Sometimes with kathi rolls and masala chai from a thermos. This gave plenty of time to absorb the jungle ambience.
We saw several types of eagle, vultures, hornbill birds, jungle fowl, jackals, parakeets, deer, woodpeckers pecking, even a family of elephants... Not to mention the myriad plant life, and evidence of sloth bears and leopards. I even recorded some ambient jungle sounds and used them in my music.
As we headed back to the resort, we reflected on what we'd been witness to with excitement. It felt like such a privilege to see things I remembered only from watching Disney's Jungle Book as a child!
This was safari one of three for us - with two more planned over the next 24 hours. We were actually lucky enough to go on to see 2 separate tigresses over those next safaris (they just walked across the road less than 10 feet from us! paying us no mind), but that first outing really made me reflect on what the guide had said.
Opportunity cost
In business, we talk about the opportunity cost of something. That is, even if something doesn't seem to be costing you anything directly, there is always an opportunity cost - the other things you're missing out on, because we're so 'in the zone'.
So why do we stick with things if they're causing us to miss out?
I see this a lot when small business owners begin to approach innovation or new ways of working. First, they start with a solution:
"We need an app - then we'll be forward-thinking"
"We need to use AI to work faster"
"We need an online platform, it'll differentiate us"
They start to take the necessary steps and before long it becomes more about finishing the project than it does about solving a real problem. Once we start a project, it can be difficult to stop. The sunk cost fallacy is very real - that an idea is worth persevering with simply because we've already spent so much time on it already.
Hold problems tightly, hold solutions loosely
These may well all be good ideas - the point is not that they should be thrown out and we should go back to the drawing board.
By all means: pursue the idea of an app - start to use AI automation - explore how you can digitise the customer experience.
But embark on that journey with an open mind. Rather than speeding to the end with tunnel vision just to get the project finished, make sure you keep an eye out for other opportunities that may reveal themselves along the way.
In digital product management, a common mantra is to "hold problems tightly, hold solutions loosely." Be mindful that the problem you're solving is the real focus, not your specific solution.
Accidental innovations
There are countless examples of inventions throughout history that came about by sheer accident. Or rather, that came about on a project not by doubling down when faced with challenging results - but by taking a step back and reconsidering what success meant.
The list is long:
- Penicillin - while studying bacteria, Alexander Fleming noticed that a stray contaminating mould had killed the surrounding bacteria, prompting him to investigate rather than discard the experiment.
- Microwaves - while working on radar technology, engineer Percy Spencer noticed that a chocolate bar in his pocket had melted near a magnetron, leading him to explore how the same radiation could cook food.
- Post-it notes - while trying to invent a super-strong adhesive at 3M, scientist Spencer Silver accidentally created a very weak adhesive, perfect for bookmarks that could stick and peel without damage.
- Velcro - after a walk in the countryside, engineer George de Mestral examined the plants stuck to his dog’s fur under a microscope and noticed their tiny hooks, inspiring him to replicate the mechanism as a fastening system.
- X-rays - while experimenting with cathode ray tubes, physicist Wilhelm Röntgen noticed a fluorescent screen glowing across the room and realised an unknown form of radiation was passing through solid objects.
- Cornflakes - while experimenting with foods for patients at their health sanitarium, John Harvey Kellogg and Will Keith Kellogg accidentally left cooked wheat sitting too long, which later became the famous cereal.
Going further, when following even your strategic goals it is advantageous to keep one ear to the ground, open minded to new technologies and ideas. Products such as Gmail and ChatGPT were both created in this "20% time" of free innovation, adjacent to the company's main offering.
What to look out for
While you're exploring a new idea or implementing a new project, new opportunities can emerge in a number of ways. Here are the things to look out for:
- Other applications for your idea - potential new markets
- New problems that you notice - write them down for later
- Team misalignment - what do conflicts reveal about your culture?
- New learnings about your customer - did they surprise you?
Often we can’t predict how innovation will materialise for us.
The key is to pick a direction and start moving - but pay attention to your surroundings along the way.
You may explore innovation seeking a tiger, but discover the wonders of the jungle instead.
