“Creativity is thinking up new things. Innovation is doing new things.”
— Theodore Levitt, American Economist
What an interesting phenomenon it is when we are asked to get ‘creative’. It is at that moment that most brains freeze up and say, “I am not a creative person”. A prime example of this is when I’m tasked with writing—in fact, this article about using creativity caused me brain freeze. Creativity, or ideation, is often stifled by the limitations we place on ourselves. We tend to get into ruts and ‘edit’ out ideas we think won’t work. With businesses having to face new circumstances and with barriers to change low, it is time to get creative and then to innovate. Google calls it “10X thinking”, the thing that will produce more than incremental, business-as-usual results. In this next installment in the series of The Essentials: A CEO’s Guide to Emerging Stronger from the Crisis, we will explore how to put creativity to work as you look at your business with fresh eyes.
Our guide to creativity starts with a strong true north, the thing that is your organization’s key priority. From there, you need to collaborate more not less—this is the time to accelerate your pace of change and to stay aligned through well-designed meetings. Next, it is a great time to take stock of the resources you have and what you need to fuel your growth—this does not just have to be capital, but it can be talent, assets and structures in place within the company that can deploy resources fast. Third, pull together your thought leaders in the company and have them start generating some BIG ideas that you can put into action quickly and efficiently. Finally, play the long game—now may be the ideal time to invest in people, assets and ideas. It is time to get creative!
- Seriously, more meetings? YES! While it seems that we have piles of work to ‘get done’, things are done most efficiently when your team is meeting frequently. The world is changing quickly, and the team needs to align and stay focused on the most important priorities. Meetings are also a great forum for vetting new ideas, collaborating and getting clarity.
Tip: Make sure you are over-communicating the outcomes of your meetings to your organization. - Time to take stock. Remember when COVID-19 first appeared in the US—we were all running around to see if we had the tools and resources to run our companies and our homes/home offices? The same principles apply here. It is time to marshal your resources, which starts with assessing your company’s resources and ensuring you are using them to your best advantage. Cut out the non-essentials and focus on the value-creating people, tools and resources that will help you leverage your best ideas. You may have structures already in place to help with this effort, such as innovation groups.
Tip: Bring your employees into the conversation about what you can stop, start, and continue to get the ideas flowing. - Gather your thought leaders. Find the folks in your organization who are big thinkers and then give them the mandate to come together and brainstorm new ways of approaching your business. Have the group assume that they are unencumbered by constraints and generate some big ideas about how your business can grow exponentially. Most importantly, try not to shoot them down, even if the idea seems improbable or bad. “A new idea is delicate. It can be killed by a sneer or a yawn; it can be stabbed to death by a quip and worried to death by a frown on the right man’s brow.” — Charles Brower.
Now is the time to avoid incremental thinking—you have an opportunity to look to the future and pivot your approach if it’s not working.
Tip: Have the leader of the group be someone who is open-minded and creative—or, bring in someone to help the group shift perspective. - Play the long game. Some health experts have likened where we are with COVID-19 to be the 1st inning of the baseball game. We are going to be adjusting to these new circumstances, but that doesn’t mean you should sit still. Now is the time to bring new talent to the team, invest in new assets, develop your people, and experiment with new ideas. The point is, there are opportunities available to your business even when it seems that the deck is stacked against you.
Tip: Stay true to your vision, take the time to breathe, and manage your corporate energy.
In sum, this is “go-time” for your company. Being aligned, being creative and being smart with your resources will help you to win. To share your ideas of how you are winning, contact us at info@trinitasadvisors.com.