I used to work in a place with a Motivational Poster like this on the wall:
I know what they’re trying to suggest – one bright idea can be communicated to others. But there are several things wrong with this. If they follow the dynamics of a “Newton’s Cradle”, what’ll happen after impact is that the bulb at the other end goes flying off, lit up, and all the others hang down motionless and dark.
A more likely outcome, though, is that at least two, and probably more bulbs end up broken, with none lit up.
I’m not trying to be difficult, but when I look at that poster I don’t see Spreading of Ideas. I see Looming Disaster.
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Another image I saw looks like this one:
It’s meant to communicate “cooperation and synergy”, as one of those links calls it.
But to any mechanical engineer, it’s simply a gear system that won’t work. Meshing three gears together like that means that none of them can turn.
I’ve actually seen this image up in a company that prides itself on its engineering.
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The “Fouled Anchor” is a Navy image, used as the badge of a USN Chief Petty Officer and the UK Lord High Admiral.
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I can understand its use – the line coiling gracefully around the rigid form of the anchor looks elegant and pleasing. But, in practical terms, it’s an error that ought not to be encouraged, because it means the anchor is entangled and likely to tumble and not behave properly.