At our daughter’s new house in Portland, they have a gas stove. Cooking on it during a recent visit was a delight, especially since we’ve had an electric cooktop for decades. One evening, while preparing dinner, I was instructed to move a pot to the literal back burner. This got me thinking about how often we hear the phrase “let’s put it on the back burner” in the context of ideas and projects.
That night, the tasty back burner side dish—let’s go with rice, I think it was rice—ended up being a hit at the dinner table. However, in the workplace, those concepts we put on the back burner rarely make it to the main course. Why is that?
Let’s boil it down:
- Polite Procrastination: Saying “let’s put it on the back burner” is often a polite way of avoiding a hard yes or no. It’s a slow maybe—a way to delay a decision without outright rejecting the idea. But, unlike a simmering pot, these ideas tend to cool down and get forgotten.
- Lack of Commitment: Sometimes, putting something on the back burner is a way of admitting we can’t commit to it right now. It’s a placeholder, a way to keep the idea in the periphery without giving it the attention it needs.
- False Hope: There’s also a belief that the idea will eventually make it to the forefront. However, unless there’s a clear plan for when and how to revisit it, this shift seldom happens. (I just got away with saying shift happens!)
In marketing, just like in cooking, the back burner can serve a purpose. But for an idea to truly succeed, it needs to move forward. So, next time you’re tempted to put an idea on the back burner, ask yourself: What’s the real reason for the delay? Is it worth letting it simmer, or is it time to turn up the heat and bring it to the forefront?
By addressing these questions, you can avoid letting promising ideas go cold and instead, serve up innovative, well-cooked strategies. See you in the kitchen …