THE BIG IDEA: Certain businesses excel at fostering undying, cult-like following among their customers. Our study of Cult Brands reveals seven rules any business can follow to attract loyal customers. ______________ Some customers have a religious devotion to a particular brand. They may go so far as...
The media industry is bifurcated into two distinct worlds: the struggling traditional segment that longs for a simple, more profitable past that will never return; and the vibrant entrepreneurial segment that is reinventing commerce before our eyes. Justin Smith, CEO Bloomberg Media Group, 2013 memo It‘s true:...
I’m a big fan of the “Freakonomics Radio” podcast. I highly recommend it, in particular an episode titled “What does a CEO actually do?” I love the question because it’s cheeky and because I’m sure many people wonder the same thing but are afraid to...
How do you put archetypes to work? Start at the center. The center is unique for each organization. Your strengths hint at it. Your organization’s passions point you in the right direction. The forces that drive your customers to do business with you provide invaluable clues. This center should be expressed...
When you uncover your business’s archetypes you get to know the DNA of your organization. It is from these fundamental symbolic images that all of the desired behavior for employees and customers spring. When you know your archetypes, you can ensure consistency in your culture and your...
THE BIG IDEA: There are seven behavioral patterns that characterize distinct leadership styles. Becoming aware of all seven will help inspired leaders identify their strengths and provide additional options based on the context of the situation. __________________ You don’t have to spend much time in executive meetings...
Creativity can solve almost any problem. The creative act, the defeat of habit by originality, overcomes everything.George Lois, Damn Good AdviceWhen Leon Battista Alberti declared, “A man can do all things if he will,” he condensed the ideals of the Renaissance into the figure of the Renaissance Man—a person with knowledge of a wide range of subjects. Since then, knowledge has become very specialized and having the breadth of knowledge in the wide range of subjects embraced by Renaissance Men is impossible. The Renaissance man still walks among us, but we now call him groups. A group can have a collective knowledge that far exceeds the knowledge of any individual. Brainstorming, invented by advertising executive Alex Osborn, was designed to maximize effective and creative group problem-solving. Research on brainstorming initially failed to show an increase in the number and quality of ideas when compared to individuals working alone; but in the last two decades, research has revealed that brainstorming can be productive if the procedures guard against impediments that naturally occur like conversation being controlled by a limited number of individuals and shared data being disproportionately represented. When small groups of individuals attempt to collectively arrive at a solution through discussion, great solutions can be uncovered.
Being creative is essential to business: it provides the edge to beat the competition. In an increasingly competitive market, creative thinking is no longer solely the function of departments like advertising and product development; it is now necessary for everyone in the organization.
By following these ten tips derived from our creativity workshop, you will increase your creativity and help your company get ahead.
THE BIG IDEA: Creativity doesn’t happen in a flash of insight; it’s the result of a lifetime of learning.
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Most businesses isolate creativity to specific parts of the organization; they treat it as if only a chosen few can tap into the mystical force of creativity. Part of this stems from a belief that only some departments can benefit from creative thinking. But, great businesses know that creative solutions can come from anywhere within the organization. The other part is the result of the way we believe creativity happens: in a flash of insight that only happens to a chosen few.Breaking down silos can spark innovation in unexpected ways. Gillian Tett, The Silo Effect You’ve seen it before: team members thinking about themselves more than the team; Every man and woman for themselves; a business composed of silos rather than being a cohesive organization. Silos create inefficiency, waste...