The Brainzooming Group

Creative Instigation

As someone described it to me last night, the much hyped “Creative Instigation” session for the Kansas City PRSA took place Tuesday afternoon.

Thanks to Tracy Richardson from Barkley and PRSA for hosting “Creative Instigation” yesterday. Several people were instrumental in helping the presentation and workbook come together, including regular readers Leslie Adams and Cory Christensen. Thanks to both of them as well!

We haven’t had a chance to go back through the comments forms to identify questions and points to clarify, but as we do, they’ll get covered here and on Jan’s “Creative Instigation” blog.

“Ain’t It Time We Said Goodbye”

I talked previously about the feedback approach we tend to use in meetings where the junior most person starts with the first comment, and we sequence through by seniority and title. In that way each person conveys their point of view free of undue influence from a boss or senior team members.

It’s been a great benefit for most of the past 8 ½ years that I’ve been able to respond after Angie Davids. Doing so has always prompted new insights that I wouldn’t have gotten to on my own without her perspective and expertise. Angie is one of the smartest strategic thinkers I’ve worked with in my career.

She’s moving to a new position at the end of this week and will be missed tremendously. And beyond being a great strategic thinker, she also has a wonderful sense of humor. So if I start sounding dumber or not as funny, you’ll know what has happened! Best wishes Angie!

Mike Brown

Founder of The Brainzooming Group, and a huge fan of strategy, creativity, and innovation. Mike is a frequent speaker on innovation, strategic thinking, and social media.

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Liz Phair did an “iTunes Original” session in 2005 that features an interview. An art history major at Oberlin College, she talks about the expectations that were in place for her art; it had to be of a certain form, subject matter, and caliber to be considered valid by those that would view and judge it.

When creating music early on, however, she felt no such expectations, thinking no one would hear it. To her, music was a “playful expression” with tremendous freedom and opportunity to express herself. She does cite the irony in that music, and not art, became her career.

Do you harbor the same challenge AND the same opportunity? Do you have a creative outlet that is tremendously freeing and fulfilling because you’re the only audience for it?

If this is your situation, think about how you can transfer that sense of freedom into the more visible areas of your work, family life, and other outlets. This can’t help but make your efforts more creative and alive. And you can still decide whether you want to express your playful creativity more broadly or keep it to yourself.

Mike Brown

Founder of The Brainzooming Group, and a huge fan of strategy, creativity, and innovation. Mike is a frequent speaker on innovation, strategic thinking, and social media.

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When you’re at a conference, take notes along with the presentations. But also keep a separate sheet where you write down cool ideas triggered by presentations and anything else that happens at the conference. This list will be a great source for:

• Conversation starters during networking periods
• Writing a report out when you get back to work
• Creating an idea pool that you can use for strategic inspiration
  

Final Days – If you haven’t already, be sure and answer the question today on the upper left of mikebrownspeaks about creativity at work. It’s input for an upcoming “Creative Instigation” presentation on August 12. Thanks!

Mike Brown

Founder of The Brainzooming Group, and a huge fan of strategy, creativity, and innovation. Mike is a frequent speaker on innovation, strategic thinking, and social media.

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Pick your favorite creative talent and figure out 5 ways you can share the talent to benefit younger people this week. It may be your kids, junior people at work, or a church youth group.

Just make sure that at least once a day all week you’re opening up your creative talents to help at least one person, whether they realize it or not.

You’ll both be better for it!

Mike Brown

Founder of The Brainzooming Group, and a huge fan of strategy, creativity, and innovation. Mike is a frequent speaker on innovation, strategic thinking, and social media.

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My dad managed the TV station in Hays, KS where I grew up. His job was the source of an amazing number of cool experiences. One of the best was in 1975 when Topps sent him 3 cases of baseball cards. So what did I do all summer? I opened pack after pack of baseball cards. And 1975 happened to be a year with two rookie cards for future Hall of Famers – George Brett and Robin Yount. I still have 6 or 7 each of these cards!

Another very cool experience was getting a copy of an audio cassette called “Creative Freakout.” All I knew until recently was that it was done by the Heller Corporation in L.A., and that it has a hilarious story line right out of the late 1960’s, featuring some of the most memorable advertising jingles I’ve ever heard.

Poking around on the web, I found this link with more background on the recording and an audio file that contains (unfortunately) only the first half of the program. Take a listen, and you’ll find that it lives up to its title – prepare to freakout at these advertising protest songs!

BTW – For whatever reason, when somebody else has already answered a question for which you’re seeking an answer, it’s called secondary research, as if it’s less important or relevant than “primary” research. To someone who started life as a “secondary” researcher (me), it feels like a huge disservice (okay, it really feels like b.s.) since the knowledge and skills to be successful may be different, but are just as demanding as “primary” research.

So the mini-rant is in tribute to secondary researchers everywhere, but one in particular, who’s leaving our staff today to move to a really cool new project that’s at the heart of bringing online access to communities across the US.

Deb – you’re truly a unique talent, and it’s been an honor to work with and learn from you! The best of everything! And let’s do Crave, home of grilled cheese and tomato soup – a real creative freakout!

Mike Brown

Founder of The Brainzooming Group, and a huge fan of strategy, creativity, and innovation. Mike is a frequent speaker on innovation, strategic thinking, and social media.

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A comment from Tiger Woods prior to a June U.S. Open round was very telling relative to language and how it affects actions.

While most athletes talk about warming up, preparing, or getting ready, Tiger described his pre-round activities as “rehearsal.” And rather than simply hitting golf balls, he rehearses specific shots he expects to face during the course of a round. That’s a far cry from warming up, and his results obviously reflect that.

Take a lesson here and let’s all ask ourselves – How do I get ready for the important activities (both personal and professional) in my life? Do I warm up or do I rehearse?

Mike Brown

Founder of The Brainzooming Group, and a huge fan of strategy, creativity, and innovation. Mike is a frequent speaker on innovation, strategic thinking, and social media.

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I saw this phrase in a magazine ad recently: “It’s time to let nothing contain you.”

So what contains you – creatively, mentally, spiritually, physically, geographically, financially, or some other important way?

Spend 5 minutes to list these things out. Take 15 minutes imagining what you can do to break the containment and reap the benefits. Then take action to get outside the walls that hold you in!

Mike Brown

Founder of The Brainzooming Group, and a huge fan of strategy, creativity, and innovation. Mike is a frequent speaker on innovation, strategic thinking, and social media.

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