The unreasonable man

For all the processes, software applications, communication devices and modern office tools we've got, what does it actually take to move an idea forward?  Is productivity driven by improved processes and methodologies, or are many decisions driven by a true believer who is willing to push any button to get what he wants?

I was thinking about this "nature vs nurture" type of question after reading a blog post of Shaw's quote on progress. 
    "A reasonable man adapts himself to his environment.  An unreasonable man persists in attempting to adapt his environment to suit himself.  Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable man."

How do we attempt to reconcile this approach with the thinking that improved collaboration, communication and management tools will help improve effectiveness, efficiency and productivity in our daily business lives?

I think most day to day activities can be contained, controlled and accelerated through processes and methodologies that help us become more effective.  However, I think real breakthroughs do not come from small, incremental changes.  Instead they come from a person or a group who finally demands change - radical change - in a culture, a society or a way of working.  If reasonable people consistently adapt to their environment, the only changes that will occur are those which are thrust upon them.  This is like the old (and not true) story of the frog in the pot of water.  The story goes that if you put a frog in a pot of water and slowly heat the water, the frog adjusts to the heat and becomes accustomed to the temperature of the water and slowly boils to death.  This isn't true - the frog will hop out given a chance.  But this apocryphal story is used in many instances to illustrate how "reasonable" people will attune themselves to their environment and ignore the changes around them.

Within the bounds of your everyday existence, it's fine, right and good to be reasonable.  You control your destiny within the confines of your desk.  But working in and with a team of people means influencing the way they work individually and collectively.  Sometimes an unreasonable approach is the only one that shakes people out of their drowsy existence.  By unreasonable, I mean expecting more and demanding more from people, organizations and cultures who haven't thought that way in a long time.   This can be a very lonely approach at first, but if your vision is right and your commitment is firm, you will attract a team that believes in you.

Individually I can be exceptionally productive but not very effective. Collectively, we may all be productive but not working on the things that really matter.  The real difference between personal productivity and team productivity?  It's not tools, it's not process, it's not even motivation.  In many cases it's one unreasonable person.