Everyone’s heard that 90 percent of all new product ideas fail. But, do you know the real reason why? The only reason 90 percent fail is that corporations get committees together who water down the original creator’s vision until it becomes lifeless and useless.

Likewise, of my business ventures of the past that have failed, without fail the cause has been too many cooks in the kitchen. In the history of branding, great creative elements have never been improved by the addition of filter after filter of accommodating layer after layer of input. All you get is a big blender. Unfortunately, everyone feels they have to get credit for adding something to be relevant. Fixing and futzing until the real idea has been beaten to death under the weight of the convolution… or at the least on life support.

If you’re in the position to influence the process in your company, do everything in your power not to kill it with too much consensus, especially during the creative stages. Keep the idea originator group small and give them the most “votes” when it comes to edits and changes. Subject the ideas to the larger group for feedback and constructive comments, but NOT for change, unless the originators agree that an adjustment will indeed move the ball forward, not set it back.