That ALMOST looks like nail. Doesn't it? Image courtesy of Justin Baeder

In 1966 Abraham Maslow said, “I suppose it is tempting, if the only tool you have is a hammer, to treat everything as if it were a nail.” Maslow gave us all too much credit. When we have a hammer and know how great it is, we not only treat everything as a nail, we actually perceive everything to be a nail. One develops a blindness to “non-nail” problems and creative problem solving takes a back seat to picking up that hammer and smashing the problem.

For those of us in the tool-making business, this blindness can be our greatest weakness. We know our tools extremely well, and know how to bend them to purposes outside their sweet-spot. When Continue reading →