How Fred Knows He's Really Onto Something

My buddy Fred comes up with a lot of ideas, some of which are frankly, quite dubious.  I had to talk him out of the Buro-crapper (a combination toilet-desk chair that would allow the busy executive to multi-task in a very basic way).  But I've also tried to talk Fred out of some really good ideas, the genius of which was just beyond me.  On those occasions Fred would just smile and say, "thanks for your input Dredd, but I think we'll just press forward on this."  

I know I'm not the only guy off of whom Fred bounces his ideas.  He believes that a good plan requires many counselors, and has a kind of crazy-quilt board that he runs things by, one director at a  time.  Fred told me that the men on this eclectic board of his come from different and extreme parts of the personal, business and faith aspects of his life, but they all share one thing:  they all mean him well.  Fred has chosen his board members carefully so get can get opinions un-corrupted by self-interest, fear and jealousy.  So, when Fred gets a wide range of feedback from his board he is able to balance it all out without worrying about the externalities of personal animus.  

But a resounding YES from his board is not what convinces Fred that he is onto something.  He is only sure that The Idea is unique (rather than derivative), clearly defined (rather than too murky to execute) and substantive (rather than just another slogan to rally around for a season) when he encounters The Three Amigos of Objection from the people from whom his idea will require change.  He calls these objections "The Amigos" because none of them are directed substantively at The Idea, but rather come at him like a guy sidling out of a dark alley in Tijuana whispering raspingly "hey Amigo, where do you think you're going?"  

AMIGO ONE:  "Gee Fred, we like The Idea but we are not sure we can support it with (whatever)."  This is the logistical objection.  According to Fred, it always comes first, before The Idea is substantively evaluated, and always offers up practical sounding hurdles that do not withstand much real scrutiny--leading to Amigo Two.

AMIGO TWO:  "Gee Fred, I guess we can support The Idea after all, but we've been kicking it around up here and think you need to consider (watering it down so drastically that it is just like everything we have always been doing around here already)."  Fred compares this effort to co-opt The Idea by burrowing out its essence to the way pop culture embraces and guts everything at the edge.  Like how rap was fresh and scary until it started turning up in commercial jingles.  Fred says that nothing can remain scary (or useful) after it obtains a commercial sponsor.  But what if Fred is not willing to sell out The Idea to Amigo Two?  Then he grits his teeth for Amigo Three.

AMIGO THREE:  "Gee Fred, I guess we can support The Idea, and we get it that you aren't willing to make these small changes we shared with you, so we got to kicking The Idea around up here and realized that you are kind of a (racist, homophobic, pedophile hypocrite--or whatever other personal attack that seems like it might crush Fred's emotional windpipe)."  Fred told me that he was only shocked by Amigo Three the first 50 or so times he heard it.  Now, it's sweet music baby, because it means his idea has elements so unique and valuable that those affected have pulled out the last stop to try to stop it from being fully formed.  

Now Fred is not crushed, dissuaded or even distracted when something about The Idea is so confrontational that the Three Amigos of Objection are sent out to divert it. In fact, it is only then that Fred Knows He's Really Onto Something.