Many organizations do not fail due to a lack of ideas; rather, they struggle because they cannot effectively process the ideas they already possess. This observation resonates particularly well with numerous startups. When I established Maxwell Investments Group (MIG), I was overwhelmed with ideas, and I still find myself in that position. Each concept seemed urgent—ranging from technology ventures to sustainability initiatives, social enterprises, financial products, and tourism collaborations. All of these were viable, but pursuing every single idea simultaneously would have led to the collapse of MIG under its own aspirations.
Consequently, I made the challenging decision to focus our efforts. I chose to temporarily set aside the majority of these ideas, not to discard them completely, but to document them and revisit them when the company could better absorb and implement them. We dedicated ourselves to agribusiness, which was practical, closely tied to community livelihoods, and provided a solid foundation for growth.
Even today, I continue to draft plans for new ventures and explore side projects, but I have learned to introduce them gradually, at a pace manageable for the organization. This approach does not hinder creativity; instead, it safeguards our current operational capabilities.
Having a plethora of ideas does not guarantee advancement; it is the execution of well-processed ideas that truly matters. The efficiency of an organization in absorbing and implementing these ideas is what ultimately influences its survival. The equilibrium between creativity and capacity is crucial.
The Paradox of Plenty
The “Paradox of Plenty” can derail your startup regardless of how favorably it begins. While numerous factors need to align for success, this discussion will specifically address the flow of ideas.
In the formative years of MIG, I mistakenly believed that mere creativity equated to progress. Our mantra was “NO LIMITATIONS.” However, unchecked creativity can be detrimental. It is akin to running too many devices on a single power source; the result is diminished output, leading to flickering performance.
Every organization operates at a specific rhythm, a natural capacity for absorbing new ideas and transforming them into tangible outcomes. Surpassing this rhythm results in stagnation. I now refer to this capacity as the throughput of ideas. In manufacturing, throughput indicates how effectively raw materials are processed into finished products, and the same principles apply to strategy and innovation. Each new idea competes for time, attention, and energy, and an overload of ideas can lead to stagnation rather than acceleration.
Ironically, this overload may masquerade as productivity. Teams may appear busy with whiteboards filled and meetings abuzz with potential. However, this busyness often conceals the reality that little substantial work is being accomplished. The real challenge for most organizations lies in their absorption capacity—the ability to convert intentions into actions, rather than merely imagining possibilities.
Understanding Organizational Capacity
Consider your organization as a production line where the raw material is human attention. Every new project demands a share of this limited resource. While increasing staff may be an option, the capacity for focused attention cannot be infinitely multiplied. Leadership attention is frequently the most significant bottleneck. If too many projects are launched simultaneously, the decision-makers may be spread too thin to act effectively.
Systems thinkers describe this phenomenon as a capacity constraint. When a system exceeds its processing capacity, each additional input slows down the entire operation. This is why larger institutions often appear sluggish; they are not devoid of ideas but are simply overwhelmed by their internal processes.
True strategic focus involves aligning ambition with available capacity, not merely scaling back aspirations. Completing three robust initiatives is wiser than juggling thirty half-finished projects. At MIG, I now pose a straightforward question before endorsing any new initiative: “Can we realistically absorb this without hindering our core operations?” If the answer is no, the idea is placed in what I refer to as the “cooler.” It remains on hold until the organization is ready to address it.
Timing also plays a critical role in innovation. A brilliant idea can fail simply because it is introduced prematurely. I have come to understand that innovation hinges on timing as much as it does on ideas and effort. The right concept, when released too soon, can be as detrimental as a flawed one.
Each organization has a maximum rate of change. If the pace exceeds what people can manage, even beneficial initiatives may face pushback. The key is to unveil ideas only at a rate that the organization can effectively absorb. This principle, which I call cadence, reflects the rhythm that harmonizes creative systems.
In agriculture, we recognize the seasons: planting, growth, harvesting, and resting. The same cyclical process applies in business. Yet, many leaders, eager to produce results, ignore the necessary resting phase and attempt to launch new initiatives before the existing ones have established themselves.
Furthermore, pacing innovation is also a form of stewardship. It provides space for learning, feedback, and adaptation. A well-timed idea can take root effectively, gain momentum, and yield compounded benefits. Perhaps, patience is one of the most undervalued strategies in innovation.
Creating an Idea-Ready Organization
If pacing ideas is essential, the next logical inquiry is how to enhance an organization”s capacity to absorb them. At MIG, I have learned that growth is not solely about expanding departments or increasing budgets. Instead, it involves constructing systems and teams capable of functioning semi-independently. When decision-making is decentralized, new initiatives do not have to wait on a single executive, minimizing bottlenecks.
I have found it beneficial to take a step back, allowing my team to implement what we call The MIG Way, stepping in only when necessary. This approach fosters an idea-ready organization—one designed for learning and experimentation without losing its coherence.
Toyota refers to this methodology as “Kaizen,” which emphasizes continuous, incremental improvements embedded across the organization. Rather than imposing top-down innovation initiatives, every team is encouraged to contribute small enhancements on a daily basis. Similarly, 3M and Google have established principles that allow employees to spend a portion of their time exploring new ideas within set boundaries.
Innovation flourishes best when structure and culture are in alignment. Our systems must provide clarity, while our culture should nurture curiosity. A lack of either can lead to chaos or stagnation. I apply theories from my studies in Leadership and Management to my role as CEO of MIG, where the organization serves as both my experimental platform and proof of concept. Theory becomes valuable only when it withstands real-world application, and MIG has become a living laboratory for this.
What I implement involves applying insights from systems thinking, adaptive leadership, and organizational psychology to how we grow and expand our ventures. We are learning to balance clarity with curiosity, establishing clear structures that anchor our work, while fostering a culture that persistently seeks improvement. Achieving this balance is delicate; excessive structure stifles innovation, while too much curiosity can lead to a loss of focus.
Consequently, we strive to achieve equilibrium. Each business within our ecosystem, from agribusiness to technology, is encouraged to experiment within defined parameters and to consider improvement as part of everyday responsibilities rather than episodic campaigns. Over time, this discipline has evolved into our interpretation of Kaizen: a continuous, subtle progression woven into daily operations rather than sporadic disruptive changes.
Moreover, public institutions also stand to benefit from this approach. Many are inundated with overlapping reforms and donor-driven projects. Each new initiative adds additional processes without retiring old ones. The outcome is not innovation, but administrative fatigue. Sometimes, the boldest reform is to pause and complete ongoing projects.
Adopting the Throughput Mindset
Ultimately, this discussion boils down to one fundamental principle: ideas are akin to inventory. Until they are processed through human effort, systems, and execution, they remain merely aesthetic clutter. The throughput mindset necessitates four disciplines: limit work in progress and complete tasks before starting new ones; respect attention, recognizing that leadership focus is a limited resource; design rhythm, creating intentional cycles of planning, executing, and reflecting; and reward absorption, valuing completion alongside initiation.
This mindset nurtures imagination and channels raw energy into productive outcomes. Ideas, much like water, generate power only when directed through turbines. The organizations that endure are not necessarily the most creative but are the most coordinated, understanding precisely when to accelerate, pause, or await the opportune moment.
After years of development and refinement, I have come to view innovation as a function of throughput rather than sheer volume. Organizations that thrive are those disciplined enough to process ideas in harmony with their capacity, rather than merely overflowing with ideas at all times. While creativity is vital, an excess of it can be stifling. This is a reality that can be researched; it is known as “oxygen toxicity.” When the body receives too much pure oxygen over extended periods, it can begin to cause harm. Cells may become overstimulated, tissues may inflame, and the balance necessary for life can be disrupted.
The challenge lies in maintaining a flow, releasing just enough to sustain the system. Too much and you risk suffocation; too little and you may fade away. Leadership involves consistently maintaining this rhythm, allowing ideas to circulate at a pace that the organization can sustain. This is how creativity transforms into progress rather than mere noise.
I hope you found this article both insightful and engaging. Your feedback is immensely valued and appreciated. I welcome any suggestions for topics you would like me to discuss or provide insights on. You can schedule a meeting with me through my Calendly at www.calendly.com/maxwellampong. Alternatively, connect with me through my various channels on my Linktree page at www.linktr.ee/themax. Subscribe to the “Entrepreneur In You” newsletter here: https://lnkd.in/d-hgCVPy. Wishing you a highly productive and successful week ahead!
