Creating Those Dollars
Our fourth segment on the value of a recession-busting mindset focuses on creativity. Look closely at this Oxford definition:
the use of the imagination or original ideas, especially in the production of an artistic work
"firms are keen to encourage creativity"
Isn’t it interesting that business lives on an almost even par with traditional artistic work like painting or sculpting? In this post-COVID world and current recession it is proving true indeed. Challenge #7 facing small business today, as listed in our Entrepreneur article for the month, is lacking creativity. Many have noticed that Zoom conferences lacked the energy, connectivity and spark of in-person meetings, but coming back has not proven to be the panacea we had hoped to receive. It has taken a while to pick back up and get into prior rhythms…and now this mini (we hope) recession. How are we to cope?
It's all well and good to talk about preventing the effects of a recession, but once we find ourselves in one, we also need to employ creative measures for offsetting this new wrinkle in our worlds. And that’s what we need. We have to paddle through it, and it will be easier when we knead a little creativity into the recipe.
Begin with setting the scene. Here are five tips from Right Hat to help you do just that:
Start the meeting before the meeting starts. It takes time for great ideas to percolate and reach the stage of easy sharing. Send out an agenda. Post questions to consider. Share all the information folks need to know to offer creative solutions.
Have a structure. You aren’t cracking a whip, you’re inserting some trail markers to be sure the group stays on task. It’s okay to be spontaneous, but don’t wander off the path and down a rabbit hole. Strive to make your structure seamless for best results.
Break the ice. Having been heavily invested in youth work for many years, I know kids and all the kids at heart groan every time mixers are fatally breathed from a leader’s lips. Invent a new name. Think of fun Q & A exercises. Get the blood moving. Offer ways to earn refreshments. Make it fun to get the most out of the meeting.
Think outside the industry. Whether you sell cinnamon rolls or houses, top leaders in other fields have a lot to offer. Look at other kinds of methodology, and ask yourself, “How could this work for us? What would it look like?” Off the wall ideas often lead to flickers of life-saving inspiration in the person sitting in the seat next to you.
Speak out of turn. Don other hats and let your janitor think like a marketer. Let your secretary think like the head of HR. Build empathy, but more importantly, what if you also build a great idea long squashed down in the heart of someone else on your team?
Move it. Change things up when you need really big solutions. Of course you can move the site of the meeting, rent a room or host a picnic…but move the order of business or inject something new as well. Change things so it doesn’t feel like the same group or the same place or the same problem. Change offers room for new ideas.
Stop and regroup. Sometimes you need to take a break, look at where you’re getting stuck, and hit it again from a different angle. Bring in someone to watch and make suggestions. Invite someone else to lead part of the meeting. Walk around and change places. Give minds time to see a great idea forming in the back of the mind’s eye. It’s hard to see it when everyone is talking.
This is the time to get creative and think of new ways to achieve the most basic goal: survive and grow. Doing that requires a healthy dose of creativity.