All posts tagged creative

The Infectious Smile

Heike

Wow…..that was a great smile I told myself when receiving my coffee in the cafe! When this woman smiled, I, and everyone else she met just had to smile back. Her smile was genuine, natural, unforced and infectious.

This got me thinking….

How many people in your office “really smile”? Every business needs a “smiler” to initiate that human touch, to let people know that they are important and not just another employee number in the corporate organisation.

A “smiler” is like a little heat spot in the building that generates and radiates warmth that people are attracted to when needing a motivational uplift.

So why don’t we formalise the role of the “smiler” in the organisation chart? Those with the recognised “smiling skill” could list this attribute on their CV, and for those that are deemed “Masters of Smiling”, there would be a large salary increase entitlement to entice them to stay in the business! After all, these prized “smilers” would be the target of many a head-hunter (or smile-hunter)!

I also would suggest that each work department needs at least one accredited “smiler” to raise morale. For those working in the more dull work teams (eg accounting – apologies to any accountants that might be reading), a second “smiler” may be required!

So next time you see a person with a magnificent smile, please savour the moment and try to learn from the experience with the view of embellishing your own smile in the direction of “smiling grandness”!

 

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by Steven Cramer on August 12, 2013  •  Permalink
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Posted by Steven Cramer on August 12, 2013

https://thinkingfuturethoughts.com/2013/08/12/the-infectious-smile/

Timing your “pop” just right!

281/365 - pop the bubbly.

Consider the champagne bottle from an anticipation perspective and I think you will agree that it is a world recognised winner on all fronts! So what is the key to its success?

The Shape
It is an impressive design that is bold at the base and sleek at the top that commands a prestigious occupation position when situated on the shelf with less humble bottles.

The Wrapping
The combination of a sophisticated bottle label with a wired opening mechanism is an engineering masterpiece.

The Cork
The unleashing of this pressurised stopper announces the progression of a carbonised fluid stream of enticing drinking refreshment culminating in a distinctive and highly audible popping sound!

So, when the champagne bottle that is characterised by its shape, wrapping and cork, is introduced into any party or special occasion, it is always greeted with an air of rapture and excitement!

But once it is opened and all the contents have been consumed, the bottle is now viewed with a past sense of occasion and one now spent. It can only be popped once, so the moment is eagerly cherished by all beholders.

In the corporate environment we can learn a lot from the champagne bottle when making any strategic announcements as you only get one chance to get the impact of the “pop” just right! Get it wrong and your important message becomes a fizzle.

The key is to gradually build and promote the anticipation via a combination of carefully scheduled pre-positioning communication snippets so when the time is optimum, your message goes off with an impressive “pop” and is immediately appreciated by all employees.

So focus on the timing and make sure that you get that “pop”……just right!

Cheers!

 

4 Comments
by Steven Cramer on August 3, 2013  •  Permalink
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Posted by Steven Cramer on August 3, 2013

https://thinkingfuturethoughts.com/2013/08/03/timing-your-pop-just-right/

Your Masterpiece Signature

June 2 2010 - Paint Brushes

I recently had the good fortune to visit an art exhibition highlighting the impressionist painting works of the master artist Monet. It was just awe inspiring how Monet worked with various paint colours which when viewed from a short distance looked like discrete paint brush strokes, however when observed from a few paces away, the colours merged to form a stunning homogenous landscape.

With this in mind, let us consider the vast and complex array of personal and professional skills, together with the unique attributes which we have developed during the various stages of our lives and working careers. These are like Monet’s individual colour brush strokes on the painter’s canvas. The masterpiece is created when they are merged and utilised creatively with that touch of innovation!

The opportunity to mix these individual “paint” skills is unlimited and they can be applied to numerous personal and business endeavours characterised with your own “painting signature”, just like those of Monet.

The key is not to focus on the detail, but to behold the bigger picture. After all, we are all priceless works of art!

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by Steven Cramer on July 24, 2013  •  Permalink
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Posted by Steven Cramer on July 24, 2013

https://thinkingfuturethoughts.com/2013/07/24/your-masterpiece-signature/

Chatter Vocabulary in the Air

Leather Seats

For those of you who travel regularly by plane, you will know the “joy” of being strapped into your allocated seat for a few hours. You have the smallest possible personal space, and those sitting next to you can be riveting company and fun to be with, or exceptionally dull – unfortunately the later being most common!

This got me thinking…how could we make this journey of travel more interesting and utilize the many creative skills of the passengers who are getting a tad bored?

One possible solution is to invite passengers to participate in an anonymous “chatter” group discussion on a selected brainstorming topic during the flight. To be included, they would press a special “call button” which adds their seat number into the discussion. A Flight Attendant then provides them with an electronic writing tablet that allows communication with the other interested passengers.

Chatter Texts with impressive vocabulary would be then start to quickly permeate through the cabin during the flight, for example:

Seat 12A:   “Oh yes, I agree with you, but have you considered….”
Seat 29D:   “Thank you 12A, but I think it should be expanded to include…”
Seat 1F:      “Interesting concept, particularly if you consider the habitat of the West Australian wombat…”
Etc, etc…

At the conclusion of the flight, those involved could elect to have a copy of the transcript E-mailed to them, just in case there were any creative gems of inspiration written!

To me, this would be a much better use of people’s travel time and would make the total plane experience much more interesting and potentially productive.

4 Comments
by Steven Cramer on July 9, 2013  •  Permalink
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Posted by Steven Cramer on July 9, 2013

https://thinkingfuturethoughts.com/2013/07/09/chatter-vocabulary-in-the-air/

Mannequin Motivation

Interview Series, Arlington Street between Boylston and Newbury Streets, Store Window Displays, Ida Claire and Esther Dorothy, Inc.

When walking past any clothing department store, you will typically observe a mannequin in the shop window parading the latest fashions and accessories.

The purpose of this promotional activity is to attract your attention and to entice you into thinking about how those clothes may look on you. As part of this process, you may visualize where you could wear these exciting items of clothing, and also the reaction you may receive from your friends, family and work colleagues. Your thoughts are no longer standing in front of the shop window, they are now travelling to various geographic locations and different emotional states via the use of your imagination.

What about using the motivational benefits derived from these mannequins in the corporate office?

Just imagine having a mannequin strategically positioned in the office foyer as you enter the building. Each Monday morning, the attire of the mannequin would change to provide a theme for the week and to act as a thought provoker. Some potential clothing options:

Personal Wellbeing: sporting clothes (eg tennis outfit)
Creative Thinking: 1960s “flower power” clothes
Watch out for the competition: a suit of armor
New Business Development: a mountain explorer
Appraisal Time: a corporate suit
Holidays: swimwear

The mannequin could also hold message signs to highlight specific business events and communications. For instance, if it was the boss’s birthday, a sign stating “It’s my birthday today, so please enjoy a longer lunch break to celebrate!”….the possibilities are endless!

So next time you walk past that clothing store, think about the “motivational mannequin” and how it could improve the morale in your business.

3 Comments
by Steven Cramer on July 5, 2013  •  Permalink
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Posted by Steven Cramer on July 5, 2013

https://thinkingfuturethoughts.com/2013/07/05/mannequin-motivation/

The Importance of the Joker

The Jokers of the Pack

In a pack of playing cards, there is the Ace, King, Queen, Jack and the other numbered cards which comprise the full set of 52. These cards have a different value, suit or family, and can be utilized in a variety of permutations in the construction of numerous games.

There is an interesting comparison here with the corporate organizational structure where there is the CEO, General Managers, middle management and the workers. Each business uses their “cards” to differentiate their “playing hand” to try and achieve a competitive advantage. However, with many companies using similar cards, the game can be tough unless one player has a trump card which can provide a winning move.

This unique and powerful trump card is typically the Joker which has the ability to transform into any other card in the pack. In business, the “Joker” accepts no assigned job title or limitation and readily takes on any senior or junior role that is required to win the game.

In business we need more “Jokers”. These are employees that are not intimidated by the existing organization chart, nor the other players, and are prepared to provide the required strategic and timely moves into the business game to achieve success. They play within the rules, but they think creatively and with purpose.

So, to ensure that your house of business cards does not crumble under external stress, I encourage you to make sure that you have a good supply of Jokers in your deck!

4 Comments
by Steven Cramer on July 3, 2013  •  Permalink
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Posted by Steven Cramer on July 3, 2013

https://thinkingfuturethoughts.com/2013/07/03/the-importance-of-the-joker/

Change your Label

Shoebox with Business Cards

When you meet someone new in the work environment there is usually an exchange of business cards.

On the presentation of this card, your eyes immediately glance at the person’s name and their job title where you typically place a “label” on their rank in the organization, their skill set and their personality traits.

The person portrayed on the business card also tends to accept this “label” and modifies their personal behavior to be consistent with their job title.

Why not change the “label” and therefore allow the person to be more innovative and creative in their behavior and in the way that they perform their job role?

Let’s explore some examples:

Accountant:  “Numerical Creativity Genius”
Personal Assistant:  “Controller of the Individual”
HR:  “Body Optimization Expert”
Engineer:  “Process Enhancement Consolidator”
Marketer:  “Idea Instigator”
Others….!

Why not get some new business cards printed with your “alternative job title” and see the effect on your new business acquaintances, and how it influences your persona? It could be rather interesting…..?

 

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by Steven Cramer on June 29, 2013  •  Permalink
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Posted by Steven Cramer on June 29, 2013

https://thinkingfuturethoughts.com/2013/06/29/change-your-label/

An improved CV

Caught in the Cube

I don’t think that the traditional Curriculum Vitae (CV) does justice for the person it is trying to represent, I believe that it is time for an improved version that I will call the “Creative Visualization”. So what is this new “CV” you may ask?

This “CV” would be interactive and would provide the following key attributes:

– A 3D representation of the person. The reader could see their face, facial expressions, head, body and how they would look in various clothing (eg suit, work uniform, etc)

– Conversation. The reader could ask a limited range of questions and get answers on the person’s work experience and other qualifications. Similarly, the person could ask the reader a selection of basic questions about their organisation and management style so see how this would suit their work style.

– References. These would be visual testimonials from other employers or key people that would provide real situational examples to support the person’s work style and experience.

– Next steps. There would be links to both the reader and the person’s diaries to lock in a meeting date which could be done via Skype, FaceTime, or in person.

Now this to me is a much better “CV”!

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by Steven Cramer on June 15, 2013  •  Permalink
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Posted by Steven Cramer on June 15, 2013

https://thinkingfuturethoughts.com/2013/06/15/an-improved-cv/

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