Nothing particularly profound about this old sign I saw this morning in a bakery in Hudson, WI.
We all know the difference between cooks and bakers.
Both are creative acts that require following processes and using proven techniques to yield desired results. Improv vs precision. Art and science.
Cooking appeals to the intuitive and carefree, baking to the deliberate and strict.
I’m fortunate. I like to cook. Baking not so much, except for bread and pizza dough.
I can’t think of anything that can enrich your life, increase your happiness and improve your health like cooking delicious and nutritious food. You can do it every day and it saves you money.
In business, this metaphor is useful when thinking about your innovation efforts.
What are your processes for developing and improving products? Are you cooking or baking? Do you create new ideas to your taste and find customers who like them, or do you test and refine ideas to make products to your customer’s tastes?
Maybe your innovation program is like baking; copying what works and putting your own sprinkles on top. You follow directions and make sure everything is accurate and consistent.
Do you have a good mix of cooks and bakers on your team? Do you let the cooks cook and the bakers bake? Or do you ask the cooks to follow a rigid recipe and make the bakers fly by the strings of their aprons?
Cooking/baking is a simplistic bifurcation. For a more granular framework look at the Working Genius model. Working Genius divides projects into six categories: Wonder, Invention, Discernment, Galvanizing, Enablement, and Tenacity. A mix of geniuses will most certainly provide a mix of cooks and bakers.
Do you know who on your team are cooks, who likes to bake, and who only come around when it’s time to eat?