BUILDING SUCCESS THROUGH CREATIVITY
10 reasons why businesses can't ignore it in the creative economy
by Lewis Evans
Published in Canada in 2012 by Inside Out Media at Smashwords
Copyright © 2012 Lewis Evans
Smashwords edition, Licence notes
All rights reserved. No parts of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into, a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means (mechanical, electronic, photocopying, recording or otherwise) without the prior permission of the author or publisher.
ISBN: 978-0-9879291-0-5
Discover other titles by Lewis Evans here.
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Cover design by Lewis Evans
“Creativity is contagious. Pass it on.” — Albert Einstein
“If the pace of change inside your organization is greater than outside, you will survive.” — Brian Tracey
Every business and organization is born out of a spark of inspiration, a passion, a desire to do something better. That's right-brain, creative thinking. Yet traditional business practices are logical and analytical, which is left-brain, linear thinking. Our education promotes the left-brain approach as being 'serious' and reliable, and it therefore tends to predominate in our work activities, to the exclusion of our intuitive, creative faculties.
However, the creative qualities that give birth to organizations are the most powerful ones to use to sustain and grow it. Every single aspect of business—relationship dynamics, product development, operational processes, management practices, marketing, emotional/mental health, and customer relations—work better where there is a vibrant creative culture.
The best way to achieve sustainable growth in the creative economy is to build a strong creative culture at the core of your organization. Here are 10 compelling reasons why.
1. A creative culture is the best insurance against irrelevance and failure.
Having a creative culture builds confidence and security, keeps you ahead of the competition, makes your work more interesting, and keeps your enterprise evolving.
We live in a constant state of flux. Times change, markets change, technology changes, the world changes. Businesses and people must be dynamically creative or they die. Solutions that worked yesterday won’t necessarily work today, and those we devise today will have a limited life. The creative spark that prompts an entrepreneur to start a business must be sustained to make the business sustainable. The best way to do this is to ensure that a creative culture is welcomed and nurtured in your company and in the psyche of every employee. Rather than trying to build safety or security by keeping things the same, it’s far healthier to embrace ongoing change and create a dynamic, adaptable environment that ensures continued progress.
“Around here, we don’t look backwards for very long. We keep moving forward, opening up new doors and doing new things, because we’re curious… and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.” —Walt Disney
5 key actions for success:
• Be proactive in stimulating a creative culture.
• Ensure open communication throughout your business.
• Create a safe, non-judgemental environment where anyone can suggest ideas and be respectfully considered.
• Periodically question everything – whether it appears to be working or not.
• Provide time, space and financial resources for discovery and learning.
2. Creative investigations reveal opportunities for savings, improvements in efficiency and the discovery of new directions.
They create a better business, which means that:
• new opportunities can be identified;
• new discoveries can be made;
• ‘dead wood’ can be removed;
• a culture of positivity is promoted;
• the workforce is happier, focused and loyal.
They are an opportunity to focus, analyze fresh ways forward, stop you getting stuck, and define a practical and achievable end game. While they are important aspects of any business, if people get too focused on its day-to-day management, procedures and production, without giving airtime to creativity, the business can become a millstone – a machine to be fed – rather than something that improves the lives of those working within it and operates efficiently and profitably. When faces are close to the grindstone, not only is it uncomfortable, but the business perspective narrows to a point where only incremental changes and improvements become possible. By maintaining a broader perspective, a clear overall vision that is owned by everyone in the company, and the active and authentic encouragement of creative involvement, fundamental and powerful shifts and transformations are possible.
“Held in the palms of thousands of disgruntled people over the centuries have been ideas worth millions – if they only had taken the first step and then followed through.” ―Robert M. Hayes
Creative investigation means:
• looking at how the business is structured, what is working and what is not working;
• gaining a full understanding of the purpose/mission of the company or organization;
• interviewing staff and workers at all levels to assess human dynamics, processes, procedures, use of time and space;
• discovering the level of creativity in the organization and how effective it is;
• identifying opportunities for creativity and where it would have value;
• researching the effectiveness of outside agencies/consultants and weighing costs against results;
• discovering and highlighting unnecessary costs;
• carrying out a media audit to assess effectiveness of marketing and communications;
• identifying organizational values and checking for alignment with authenticity and integrity;
• investigating environmental issues that may need to be creatively addressed;
• regularly organizing brainstorming sessions, investigating and addressing ongoing resistance to change (using exercises and processes to get people ‘unstuck’ or identifying appropriate personal growth programmes)
3. Creative management builds and sustains strong teams.
For a team to be coherent and excel in its performance, its members must feel engaged, relevant and valued. Engagement is best stimulated by clear, creative ideas, and a safe environment where they can be expressed without fear of negative judgment. This is nothing new. Open office environments were developed to encourage this way of working. However, if a company’s management is not operating on those same principles, the open office can have the opposite effect on employees, making them feel unsafe and exposed in an unfriendly environment. Good creative management can generate a supportive environment for all – including the manager, who will be supported by his team in equally creative ways. This can also lead to the discovery of hidden gems where they are least expected. All team members gain strength and independence of mind from a creative approach to business and life.
“Listen to anyone with an original idea, no matter how absurd it may sound at first. If you put fences around people, you get sheep. Give people the room they need.” —William McKnight, 3M President
Key advantages of creative management:
• Creative engagement promotes cohesion.
• Practising creativity builds individuals’ confidence.
• Creative management keeps people out of a rut: they stay alert and vital in their work.
• Practising creativity builds trust and collaboration within a team.
4. Creativity brings fresh opportunities to old markets and brings back lost customers.
Without creativity, suppliers and markets can quickly fall out of step with each other. While products and services may retain their relevance and appeal, it is well known that it’s far easier to retain a customer than it is to get a new one. For many companies, creativity is focused on the attraction of new customers. Equal effort applied to existing and lapsed customers can generate more bang for every buck spent — and with less effort. All too often, price reductions or special offers drive the retention of customers. In many instances, however, cost isn’t the main factor in customer losses. Creative investigation can identify changes that can add value –in the product/service or in the approach/handling of the customer – and improvements that re-engage customers and build brand loyalty.
“I can’t understand why people are frightened of new ideas. I’m frightened of the old ones.” —John Cage
Creativity can improve the bottom line by:
• creating/renewing customer interest, engagement and retention;
• maximizing the potential of, or adding value to, existing products/services;
• revealing new possibilities in existing and old markets;
• building customer loyalty and referrals;
• improving corporate image.
5. Creativity is the most powerful underlying driver for changing loss to profit.
All too often, businesses fail when their products or services fail to attract customers. The process of business failure is painful. Tightening money supply, tension, negativity and fear stifle the clear thinking that’s needed to pull the business back from the brink. SMEs are as vulnerable as large companies, but the pain is often much closer to home, and the sense of failure is all the more acute. In many companies that try to find ways to ride out a storm, the first budget to be cut is the marketing or ‘creative’ budget. This is often the worst thing to do, as it’s in times of crisis that creativity is most needed. Creativity is the quality that can most powerfully engage people to change their circumstances. Firefighting can only hope to contain a worsening situation —and often cannot even succeed at that. Thorough application of creative thinking throughout the company inevitably leads to inspiration and a way forward – often in completely unexpected ways — whereas superficial treatments or left-brain, logic-driven strategizing simply paper over the cracks.
Creative processes facilitate the re-alignment of businesses with future demands and opportunities.
“Creativity can solve almost any problem. The creative act, the defeat of habit by originality, overcomes everything.” —George Lois
True creativity drives profits by:
• providing inspiration to move forward;
• turning a bleak situation into a fertile and abundant opportunity;
• lifting spirits and ‘allowing’ solutions in;
• galvanizing and focusing the workforce with an edgy and exciting entrepreneurial spirit;
• addressing problems at their root and providing fresh, solid, sustainable solutions.
6. Creativity inspires interest and engagement, cultivating brand loyalty.
We are bombarded with messages every moment of every day. We actively and subconsciously filter them – deleting spam emails, bypassing uninteresting tweets, or deciding whether or not to take the trouble to read a billboard or an advertisement. Yet to communicate more successfully, we don’t necessarily need to become more sophisticated. It’s clear that simply produced YouTube videos can capture the imagination, even though they’re not carefully crafted advertising campaigns — just authentic, often humorous, usually personal home videos relating to everyday events and the human condition. They’re usually insightful, simple messages. As we filter the deluge of data and images, we’re always looking for something new and attractive. We’re becoming increasingly cynical and discerning, watchful for untruths and scams. Ironically, as we develop this sophistication, our sensors are being tuned to our most basic emotional responses. We want to be loved, feel worthy and be valued. In all our human complexity, we want simple communications that engender these qualities in us. Creativity is the key. Creative communication/messaging that fosters these qualities in appropriate ways inspires customers, creates confidence and builds loyalty.
“An invasion of armies can be resisted, but not an idea whose time has come.” —Victor Hugo
Key qualities for successful creative engagement:
• authenticity
• integrity
• truthfulness/transparency
• value
• clarity
• humour
7. Creative evolution keeps you ahead of the game.
Commercial evolution is driven by creative evolution—and cannot exist without it. However, creativity can make us feel uncomfortable, because when a new concept is presented, it can be so far outside our realm of familiarity that we cannot see its real value. Creative concepts are sometimes the butt of jokes and judgement—even fear. That’s because, in our heads, we are creatures of habit—comfortable with the familiar. But our hearts (and those of our customers) yearn to move on. Had it not been for creative people who persisted in presenting and actualizing their ideas, where would we be now? Those who embrace creativity are the ones who move life forward and foster an environment of commercial success. They make great strides and command attention. We live in a world where change is accelerating at an alarming rate. This has led to a situation where creative appeal has overtaken commercial considerations as the primary attractor for new business—as evidenced, for instance, by online services such as Twitter that are now becoming commercially viable after years of loss-making activity. The first step in driving change, then, is to nurture the inspiration that leads to a creative idea.
“As competition intensifies, the need for creative thinking increases. It is no longer enough to do the same thing better…no longer enough to be efficient and solve problems” —Edward de Bono
Embracing creative evolution means:
• generating or adopting new ideas that can be used in/by your company to ensure future relevance and success;
• being aware of future trends and shifting markets;
• keeping abreast of new technologies, manufacturing techniques, service requirements etc, that you can use;
• constantly being on the lookout for win-win joint venture opportunities;
• staying lean and flexible, alert and focused, while maintaining a broad perspective on your business potential as new opportunities are recognized.
8. Creative processes can re-ignite passion―for life and for business―that may have been stifled by routine or problems.
How we feel when we get up in the morning can define how we operate during the day, how well we perform, how much money we make, and how much fulfillment we attract. We are generally enthused if we know that we’re going to have a successful day. What are the factors that define success? Research shows that while money is important, it’s not the main factor. Money is a tool. Success is more often defined as the feeling that comes from making a positive difference. Creativity is an essential part of that process. After all, making a difference means doing something differently. Life and business are a lot more personally and financially rewarding when they’re infused with creativity. Creativity feels good. Routine (while appearing safe and sensible) dulls minds and can lead to tension, resentment and boredom. When that happens, the individual and the business are going nowhere.
“When we engage in what we are naturally suited to do, our work takes on the quality of play and it is play that stimulates creativity.” ―Linda Naiman
Key factors in re-igniting passion, feeling good and engendering creativity:
• relaxation/downtime
• aerobic movement
• good diet
• yoga/meditation
• personal engagement in creative activities outside the workplace
• team-building processes
• brain-storming activities
9. Creativity is a natural human state. People are inherently creative and perform better in a creative environment.
A business is only as good as its people, and people are not machines. Contentment and personal empowerment are key factors in good performance. A creative ethos cross-fertilizes business and personal lives in positive ways. Because of the pressures that many businesses work under, those who work in them often park the creative part of themselves while they get on with the ‘serious’ stuff of business. They are therefore only working with part of themselves engaged, while some of their best, natural qualities are sidelined or suppressed. They become unbalanced. Left brain takes precedence over right brain. ‘Softer’ essential qualities that may have been identified during recruitment as making the person a good candidate for the job may not be encouraged when working under pressure. This can lead to frustration, a lack of job satisfaction, lower performance and dejection. The tunnel vision of chasing profits, working on rails and applying penalties for under-performing may produce short-term gains, but at the expense of long-term stability and growth―and a loyal, contented workforce who are happy to pull out the stops when times are tough. Create an environment where creativity can flourish naturally, and so will the staff and the profits.
“The creative is the place where no one else has ever been. You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition. What you’ll discover will be wonderful. What you’ll discover is yourself.” —Alan Alda
Key actions for promoting creativity in the workplace:
• Facilitate regular brainstorming meetings where ideas and problems can be discussed in an open, safe, respectful and non-judgemental environment.
• Encourage all staff to take part in the creative process and step outside their comfort zones.
• Maintain an ‘open door’ culture that welcomes all those who wish to engage in discussions on problem-solving and generating new ideas.
• Acknowledge and validate all contributions.
• Reward those who contribute to progress.
• Communicate all achievements throughout the organization.
• Set aside budget and time for creative endeavours/interests outside company time, and acknowledge achievements.
10. Creativity exercises the mind, keeps you young and builds strong character.
In taking you outside your comfort zone, creativity provides the opportunity for a fresh perspective on what you are doing. In all areas of business―strategy, marketing, finance, product development, problem-solving etc―a creative approach is always more valuable than a learned approach. This is particularly so when it comes to personal well-being and empowerment. Striving to meet the challenges of true creativity exercises parts of the brain that, when not used over a period of time, become dormant. Like any ‘muscle’, our creativity needs to be exercised, or eventually the ability to think creatively is curtailed. Suppression of creativity can lead to premature aging and dysfunctional behaviour, even causing mental illness. Encouraging and cultivating it builds a sense of empowerment: Anything is possible and I can make it happen!
“Because of their courage, their lack of fear, they [creative people] are willing to make silly mistakes. The truly creative person is one who can think crazy; such a person knows full well that many of his great ideas will prove to be worthless. The creative person is flexible; he is able to change as the situation changes, to break habits, to face indecision and changes in conditions without undue stress. He is not threatened by the unexpected, as rigid, inflexible people are.” —Frank Goble
Key benefits of creative engagement:
• the ability to think outside the box
• enhanced intuition
• the ability to make empowered choices/decisions
• the ability to think on your feet
• loss of attachment to fixed and/or old ideas
• flexibility, agility and confidence in adapting to change
• fresh, inspiring perspectives on personal and professional life
• the ability to handle stress better
• less fear and more confidence
• a sense of empowerment in making change happen.
My promise
“The stone age didn’t end because they ran out of stones.” – unknown
Your business shouldn’t end because you run out of ideas.
Companies can miss creative opportunities to significantly enhance their bottom line, often with little or no infrastructure investment, by working in their business rather than on it. By engaging in innovative activities, rather than trying to beat the competition, they can more powerfully circumvent, neutralize or remove obstacles.
I facilitate compelling, measureable and significant advantage for any business through the Creative COGS process.
More about Lewis Evans
"The creative economy opens up fantastic opportunities for those who know how to work with it and are seeking a more balanced and fulfilling work environment."
Lewis Evans is the founder of Creative COGS, which provides transformational guidance, inspirational consultancy and practical processes. The Conscious Organic Growth System is a unique approach that drills down to fundamental business and organizational issues and addresses them in sustainable and innovative ways. It also provides a solid platform for moving forward with fresh thinking, responsiveness and adaptability.
Lewis leads a diverse life, mixing creativity with sound commercial realism. He has coached and provided consultancy to individuals and organizations worldwide. His 30+ years in marketing communications have been complemented by a wide range of 'extra-curricular' activities such as acting, meditation, personal development work, yoga and attempting to play his saxophone. He is currently based in Vancouver, Canada.
• Lewis is a prolific professional artist who exhibits internationally and also helps artistic communities effectively promote their work (click here for more information).
• He has invented, designed and commercialized several innovative products.
• He discovered a new way to trade currencies and has been teaching his unique methodology since 2005 (click here for more information).
• In 2011, he published his first novel—a fast-paced geopolitical thriller that raises important questions about our existence on this planet ...and provides disarmingly simple answers (click here for more information).
• He regularly mentors startups and small businesses in Europe and North America.
• He provides complete marketing communications packages for companies/organizations of all shapes and sizes.
• He runs art-based creativity holiday courses in sunny locations.