Imagine that you are in a group that is lost in the woods and night is approaching. It’s getting cold and it is clear that you need a fire.

Your first job is to identify your FireStarters. These are the people in your group that will find a way to make a spark. They generally will have an urgent intensity to them. They won’t be married to any particular method of creating the spark or the exact place to start the fire. They will rub sticks together, strike steel to flint, or empty their pockets in search of a lone match. They are exciting and tireless.

Once the spark is found and the tinder lit with a small flame you need FireTenders. These are people in your group who will coax the flame. They will generally have a calm methodical energy. They will cup their hands around the flame and carefully place each twig. They will try to understand all of the characteristics of the flame and the fuel. They will avoid changing too much in how they work and will just focus on the steady growth of the fire.

When the fire is of a certain size you need FireDancers. These are people in your group that are obsessed with what the fire illuminates, and less with the fire itself. They may not be fully interested in the fire, but they will use the heat and light from the fire to draw others in closer, to feed them, entertain them and keep them warm.

I created the above analogy to help think about the challenges of managing throughout the stages of innovation. I’ve noticed that there are different types of energy and focus required at each stage. Not making the transitions as you grow can lead to challenges. FireStarters continue to create new sparks and can extinguish the small flame they just lit. FireTenders can keep obsessing about the nature of the fire even after it’s raging and may struggle to see the opportunities the fire brings. FireDancers are so focused on the opportunity that they may add big logs to the flame too early, or diminish the importance and mystery of the spark.

This analogy has been helpful at aligning people to the phases of growth that best correspond to their natural strengths. I think it is possible for all of these roles to exist in a single leader, but it isn’t always easy for one person to make these shifts.



