Creativity – the last competitive advantage
Last week we were fortunate enough to take our clients, also known as friends happily, to a Business Chicks breakfast where Todd Sampson was speaking.
If you don’t know Business Chicks, you should. It’s a business created by women for women, although men are more than welcome too. They believe that wonderful things can happen when women come together to uplift and inspire each other. When we stop competing, and start lending a hand. When we give of our expertise and ourselves so that others can benefit from it. They imagine a world where women feel part of something bigger than themselves, and a world where we feel safe to give anything a go. Sounds good? We think so!
Business Chicks regularly hold breakfasts with inspiring speakers. Todd Sampson was no exception so I was keen to share my favourite take aways:
- Creativity is the last competitive advantage. In today’s marketplace, regardless of industry, it’s the only thing that allows you to differentiate. It must be present across all departments and employees, not just reserved for the marketing or ‘creative’ teams.
- The best leaders balance creativity and fear. Fear can so often confine you and your business. Creative courage is paramount.
- Be braver than yourself or your competition for just 5 seconds longer. If you can push through your natural reaction to err on the side of caution and the tried and tested route, you’ll find a whole new set of options and possibilities open up to you.
- Gaming is arguably the final frontier of advertising. With $1.6 billion spent on virtual games last year this is one of the last spaces that holds people’s attention for extended periods of time.
- Practice these following techniques for problem solving and creativity boosting:
REVERSING – Write all assumptions you know on the left hand side. Write the opposite on the right hand side and brainstorm in that space.
RENT A HEAD – Think about the problem from another perspective. How would Apple approach this problem? What would McDonalds do? How would TopShop react to this?
WHAT IF – Identify the problem you need to solve and the outcome you want in just one question and answer. Simplify, simplify, simplify.
You can follow Todd on Twitter @toddsampsonOz
Written by: Jo Whelan
Published: May 14, 2014
HDW