Sparking Creativity in the Workplace

Officer Chief Star Pop

It starts off with a slow annoyed tap of the foot. A few seconds later, your receptionist has locked herself in the storage closet, your accountant is missing in action, 2 of your project coordinators are missing limbs and stumbling around like zombies, all the while you are struggling to put your intestines back into the gaping hole in your stomach. Mediocrity is a merciless monster that will ravage your office and leave nothing but destruction in its path. Luckily, you have been blessed with the gift of reading and this isn’t your everyday typical “how do I get my employees to be more creative” half assed, cookie cutter, bullshit article. This my friends, is pure gold. If you were to print this out and take it to the bank, the teller would hand you a check with more zeroes than a Google, I mean googol.

Anxiety is the number one killer of Creativity

The creature lurks on the shoulders of your employees, ever so often gnarling and scratching at their heads. This beast keeps creativity from ever entering their thoughts. If productivity was a pie; anxiety would come stick its finger in it, grab the tray its sitting in, slam it into your face then jump into its Monte Carlo and laugh while giving you the finger. Obviously, anxiety is an asshole. As luck would have it, there is a cure for anxiety. Ironically, its more anxiety. Well, not necessarily about causing more anxiety as it is about focusing that anxiety into one central concern that can mask all other problems your employees might be facing. For instance, everybody worries about their family, money issues, what they’re going to eat for dinner, that relative that is going through that court issue or dying of some cancer, etc… Your job as a leader is to concentrate those worries and to bring about a fear so powerful that it masks all other concerns. Hang a banner (preferably covered in blood), that reads, “Work or I will kill you”. Now this alone, may be brushed off as some sort of sick joke. Stand your ground. Walk in to the office with a Jason mask and chainsaw and rev it in front of your employee’s faces. Sit in front of their desks and just stare at them through the mask while breathing heavily. Answer all questions by revving the chainsaw. If James the intern starts to laugh and thinks this is just some ploy then proceed to kick him in the mouth and saw his arm off. Nothing says, “Oh shit, this is actually real”, like making an example out of someone. If you are too much of a pansy because of the legal technicalities that this method might bring then obviously you might not have the brass balls it takes to be a leader. Retire your title and go back to handing out free massage coupons for your mother’s home business.

Being Creative doesn’t mean ditching the Formula but making a few minor changes.

Ever started to pour of a bowl of cereal then realized there wasn’t any milk so you decided to just eat oatmeal? Screw that noise. I once substituted that puny vitamin D weak sauce for some manly freshly squeezed orange juice. Let’s just say that calling my breakfast “complete” would be an understatement. My breakfast went on to get a PHD in delicious. The variable in this example is simply replacing milk with orange juice. In the workplace the processes that you have set up are probably wack-tacular and only worked before because you were still living in the 80’s and were listening to Twisted Sister. Don’t worry. The process doesn’t need to be replaced, just tweaked to accommodate changing times.
Take a good hard look at the beginning, middle and end of your product. How many hands does it go through? The more hands that mess with the product, the more you can guarantee it’s probably going to end up with a venereal disease (and not the good kind). Follow the process, tweak it, oil the gears, remove some cogs that don’t need to be there then stand back. When that baby hits 88 mph, you’re going to see some serious productivity.

Spontaneity is to Creativity what Johnson and Johnson Shampoo is to your kids eyes. Magical.

Your employees have gotten use to their 8-5 work schedule. Sweet. They log in, load up with work then begin to spit out results like a well oiled machine. Everything is as it should be. Nothing moves faster than the slowest press of a key. Creativity is nowhere to be seen. Everyone is comfortable as they are lost in monotony. Fortunately, you’ve left a surprise for them in the form of a timed explosive device in the thermostat. The explosive starts a fire in the corner of the office. Your working drones are now active, have become self aware and their need for survival sparks the fuel for creativity. Sam, the new hire, throws his monitor through the window close to his desk to escape the flames. Sandra, a very intelligent and dutiful staff member who has shown a lot of promise over the years and that you’ve been considering for a promotion, grabs the fire extinguisher and throws it into the flames. The sales executive Conrad, looks over at her while his mouth mimics the words, “what the eff?”. Seconds later the extinguisher explodes and half of the roof collapses. You stand out in the parking lot with your vice president and share a “herb cigarette”, laughing at the chaos. Creativity rises from the ashes like a phoenix. It is present, it has been activated and it is beautiful. Create obstacles, challenge your employees, challenge yourself and the reward will be creativity. It may sound stupid, funny, frightening at times, etc… but in all seriousness, Creativity is thinking outside the norm, being called stupid, funny and scary while you attempt it. When the rewards begin to present themselves, all of those titles are masked by one word. That’s pretty eff-ing Creative.



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Chapter 4

Live to Sell vs. Sell to Live

Excerpt from Chapter 2 “Manage Your Environment – Go First Class”
Right then, I made a decision – I vowed I would never allow myself to get caught up amongst individuals who represented mediocrity.

My plan was to always be better today than I was yesterday.

In order to dramatically increase my knowledge, I knew I must only learn from successful individuals – nothing less.

“Manage your environment. Learn from the best. ALWAYS GO FIRST CLASS!”

The vast majority of people I associate with in the business world, both past present, all tend to possess the same philosophy.

Money is not ultimately what motivates us – Winning is!

A favorite read of mine ‘Psycho-Cybernetics’ by Maxwell Maltz MD, conveys this message unequivocally;

”What you succeed in is not as important as the feeling of success which attended it”

Ding! Personally, the money has always been an afterthought, an added bonus. The gravy on top of the accomplishment of success! It’s that winning feeling that contributes to the driving force required in life’s challenges. And oh boy – it’s worth the battle!

Granted, sales people do not have a reputation for selling from the good of their heart. But they certainly have a reputation for possessing big egos! Nevertheless, the vast majority of worker bees don’t see their ‘jobs’ as anything but a daily requirement, a duty, a method of providing for themselves and their family, a repetitive task that keeps the debt collectors at bay. Or as my first sales manager used to reference it “Making the donuts”.

Yikes! What an uninspiring, soul destroying existence. This all resonates with mediocrity – one of my ultimate pet hates.

I have always found it astonishing observing the behavior patterns of those that suffer from mediocrity. No ambition, no spark, no desire to evolve. I say suffer, as I truly perceive it as a disease. A disease that not only kills passion and the ability to achieve greatness, but much more dangerous – the inevitable power it has to infect and spread throughout a company and leave dead bodies in its trail.

Interestingly, in the past, I used to identify these types of individuals that evidently continue to dominate the corporate world, as more of an advantage for those whom possessed substantially more ambition and determination.

Let’s face it, if the world was overrun with brilliance, it would be almost impossible to shine. In fact, those who fell into a slightly lesser standard of brilliance – would be classed as mediocre.  Think of the mere thousands (not bazillions) of geniuses, thought leaders, legends and revolutionaries that have made a significant and everlasting impact on this planet. Che Guevara, Ghandi, Martin Luther King, Bill Gates, The Beatles, William Wallace (my last blog).

Rocky

These legends symbolize evolution.   Accompanied by the aggressive mentality to ensure they reached great heights, and never stopped climbing!

“What you have learned is never enough.” – Cher Wang, founder of HTC.

This is still a strong heartfelt belief of mine. Yet, I have learned that when thrown into a situation of which teamwork and multiple talents are a necessity, the results can be outstanding. Admittedly, I was never a fan of working as part of a team. Growing up as a loner and travelling the world solo, independence and self teaching and the tenacity to learn became one of my biggest strengths. What amazed me is that combining the art of one’s craft with the art of another’s, not only reinforces your opportunities in business, but leverages your skill set to a whole new level.

All this said, your life should always be on a track leading to greatness. In many cases, not seeking evolutionary greatness, but greatness that resembles a life laced with that winning feeling.

“Our thoughts create our reality — where we put our focus is the direction we tend to go” – McWilliams.

Victoria

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Some resumes speak a thousand words. Or in this case, professions. I have met a number of individuals who historically spend their entire professional life jumping from one job to the next. The hummingbirds of this world never really become

Mel Gibson as William Wallace

knowledgeable about anything, let alone experts. Granted, they may have a breadth of experience over hundreds of different industries – but they are only able to preach to the top layer, since whenever they begin to build upon their knowledge in one field – doh, they jump ship and eagerly search for the grass that’s always so much greener.

The key is to plant seeds, nourish and grow within the industry you are passionate about. Once you make the decision (if ever), use that passion to your advantage and begin to penetrate deep roots for yourself in the form of knowledge, contacts, and smarts. I’m not saying stay in the same job forever, hell no! I’m saying recognize what your strengths are, combined with what you are passionate about, and seek to become an expert in the industry/field you believe in. It’s in your best interest to change job roles. How else does one improve other than to move up the ladder or move on to a higher role, whether it’s in the same company or not is moot. Continuous evolution in yourself and your craft is paramount.

It’s acceptable for the younger generation to waver. Damn, the majority are still trying to fathom the survival of puberty. It’s these 30 plus year old magpies who constantly bounce around from one bright and shiny thing to the next. Seriously! How is anyone likely to create a personal/professional brand when you have no handle on your personal/professional life!

It’s also interesting to observe these types of folks when they are on the brink of their latest world changing venture of the month. Typically they go charging full steam ahead, all guns blazing, optimistic, bursting at the seams with enthusiasm, and the determination of William Wallace. Evidently, in most cases they become their own advocates (as they rarely have built a following. Hmmmm I wonder why?) and begin screaming their latest craze to the entire world. To the point where it becomes irritating! Why? Because subsequently, nobody shares their belief. Why? Because, they built nothing to believe in. Why? They don’t believe it themselves.

So why should anyone else..?

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