Catch flack from the purists? 3 tips to keep you on your path.

Innovation isn't easy. 

Your first clue that you're really onto something new is when the purists speak up, to defend the pure, gold-standard that you’ve clearly, in their eyes, diluted or polluted.

• "How could you create something so [short, long, big, or small]? Everyone knows that's too [short, long, big, or small] to get the job done.”
• “How could you have combined pure-X with (non-pure) Y? You should know better.
• “Really—you think it’s ok to deliver this kind of service or expertise that way?”
• “Why did you think you could offer that here?"

You likely have seen this dynamic at work, either as an innovator (trying to do something new) or as a bystander.  In fact, this idea of “catching flack from the purists” is lifted straight out of a client conversation from last week.

So today, here are 3 tips on how to use this uncomfortable moment to keep you on your path and improve your innovation.

1. Be grateful—genuinely grateful—for the feedback. It lets you know that you have managed to create a signal in the noise, and thus stand-out. A key step for getting traction on any endeavor.

2. Then, use this feedback as an opportunity to reflect—on two things. 
First, gut-check how invested you are in what you’re creating. Often, the flack is just what you need to hear to commit to your (beautiful) idea. 

Then, take a few moments to reflect on what specifically about the flack gets you riled, out-of-sorts, or discouraged. Was it a specific word? or phrase? tone? assumption? line of attack? Write it all down, and then respond to yourself—either in an evernote or voice memo—or to a good friend, without trashing those who told you how they felt. Focus on the actual feedback, one word and idea at a time. It helps you articulate what part of your idea (or endeavor) you care the most about.

And if you think it may be helpful to you...

3. Reach out to have a conversation with the flack-ster(s). Not for approval, but actually to find out more. Ask them to elaborate on their criticism. Ask them why it’s so upsetting to them. Here you can find out some good stuff—even grasp the part of the feedback with merit that was lost on your bruised ego. While this step isn’t easy, it’s often worth your effort.

Then take in all these inputs, use what’s useful, and keep going on your path.

Your turn.
Tell me about a time when you were trying out something new, and caught flack from the purists, in work or life? 
What did you hear?
What did you do? 
What did you learn?

Next week, from the purist’s perspective--how to stay on your “pure” path when you see it being “diluted" or “cheapened" by others.