CHANGE THINGS TO CLIMB SUCCESS LADDER

Why modern organisations hae a hard time trans!orming themse"es is that "eaders
are haing a di!!i#$"t time trans!orming themse"es% Un!ort$nate"y& a!ter many years o!
'or( they )egin to )e"iee in their o'n in!a""i)i"ity% A!ter a""& they are the e*+erts%
In s$#h a mindset& they !orget that the e*+ert o! today is the giant o! tomorro'% To
)e#ome s$##ess!$" "eaders today& 'ho 'i"" #ontin$e to )e s$##ess!$" tomorro'& 'e
m$st )e#ome )eginners,
Ha)it$a" thin(ing tends to get in the 'ay 'hen 'e 'ant to #reate ne' ideas% Many o!
$s 'ant to r$n o!! the edge o! a #"i!!% Ho' do yo$ dea" 'ith a ha)it not +rod$#tie !or
yo$- a ha)it that.s not 'or(ing !or yo$/ The )est 'ay to dea" 'ith s$#h a ha)it is to
re+"a#e it 'ith a ha)it that is 'or(ing !or yo$% So the ne*t time yo$ hae a to$gh
+ro)"em to so"e& #onsider some #reatiity ha)its%
As( yo$rse"!0 1Ho' e"se #an I do this/2 So#rates says 1When yo$ a"'ays do 'hat yo$
do& yo$ a"'ays get no'%2/B$t i! yo$ 'ant to ma(e some #hanges in 'hat is going on
in yo$r organisation& that.s good reason to )egin $sing some no' #reatiity ha)its%
By the 'ay& i! the So#rates +hrase doesn.t 'or( !or yo$ try this one0 Insanity is doing
the same thing oer and oer 'hi"e e*+e#ting di!!erent res$"ts%2
3ren#h 'riter 4o"taire& on#e said& 15$dge a +erson )y his 6$estions rather than his
ans'ers%2
Ado+t 'ays to get ne' ideas that #ome 1!ree2% Leaders get their good ideas
'hi"e driing& ta(ing a sho'er or as they do nothing, Cat#h those ideas 'hen they
a++ear% 7ee+ a +ie#e o! +a+er& a note +ad to +a#(et the ne' insights% A !riend o! mine
$ses his oi#e re#order to store his ne' ideas so he #an "isten to them% Use 'hateer
method 'or(s !or yo$%
When yo$ are on a#ation yo$ #hange yo$r ro$tine% 8o$ are not in !ami"iar
s$rro$ndings% Dr Gerard 9$##io says there is a dire#t re"ationshi+ )et'een the
distan#e he is a'ay !rom home and the n$m)ers o! ne' ideas he generates% 3or
Gerard& the !arther a'ay !rom home& the more ideas he #reates,
Vacation
Instead o! thin(ing a)o$t 'hat is going to ha++en at o!!i#e& !o#$s on the 'or"d aro$nd
yo$% Ta(e a mini:a#ation on the 'ay to 'or(, Try a di!!erent 'ay or get o!! the
e*+ress'ay and ta(e the s#eni# ro$te )y e*+osing yo$rse"! to some di!!erent s#enery
and yo$ are "i(e"y to get some ne' in+$t% Loo( o$t o! the 'indo' instead o! )$rying
yo$r nose in the morning +a+er%
5ohn Gardner& in his )oo( On Leadership& interie'ed a n$m)er o! "eaders and noted
that most o! their so"$tions !or rene'a" #o$"d )e s$mmed $+ in )rie! "ine o! adi#e0 1Do
something non:er)a"%2 M$si#& nat$re& sensory en;oyment& gardening& or s+ort o+en
ne' +ossi)i"ities%
One st$dy !o$nd that 1s"$gs2 read a"most nothing& the 1+rod$#tie2 read a"most
e*#"$sie"y in their !ie"d& 'hi"e the 1innoatie2 read in a ariety o! !ie"ds% In !a#t& a
great dea" o! +eo+"e read eerything& !rom s#ien#e !i#tion to te#hni#a" ;o$rna"s& !rom
+o+$"ar me#hani#s to +sy#ho"ogy& and there!ore en;oy a m$#h ri#her storeho$se% Th$s&
they generate more ne' ideas%
A tea#her in a !ood seri#e organisation te""s yo$ng grad$ates 1I! yo$ 'ant to !ind o$t
'hat is going on in the !ood seri#e ind$stry today& read Instit$tiona" Management or
Resta$rant Ne's% B$t i! yo$ 'ant to !ind o$t 'hat is going to in this !ie"d in the !$t$re&
read 9sy#ho"ogy Today%2
To s+ot the trends o! the !$t$re and to get ne' in!ormation yo$ need to read o$tside
o! yo$r area%
Interaction
It is im+ortant to intera#t 'ith +eo+"e !rom arying )a#(gro$nds 'ho hae a ariety o!
interests% This may not )e easy& !or 'e !ind it more #om!orta)"e to s+end time 'ith
+eo+"e !ami"iar to $s%
The )est so$r#e o! ne' in!ormation is not !rom the +eo+"e yo$ see reg$"ar"y% They
$s$a""y hae the same in!ormation as yo$ hae% The )est so$r#e o! ne' in!ormation is
!rom other net'or(s<+eo+"e 'ho r$n in #ir#"es di!!erent !rom yo$r o'n%
To s+$r yo$r #reatiity& it is im+ortant to ta+ into gro$+s o! +eo+"e 'ith 'hom yo$
$s$a""y don.t intera#t% 3ind those ne' net'or(s and +"$g into them% It is #r$#ia" to
hae +ersona" and +ro!essiona" re"ationshi+ that #an +roide yo$ 'ith a s$++ort
system 'hen the going gets to$gh%
A##ording to Dr 9erry B$!!ington& media +ersona"ity& the o"d saying 1It.s "one"y at the
to+2 is a h$ge $nderstatement% A##ording to B$!!ington& 'hen yo$ start rea#hing o$t
to others& yo$ start trying to so"e h$man +ro)"ems% 8o$ )egin to do #reatie +ro)"em
so"ing%
Environment that Encourages Creativity
Hae yo$ eer 'a"(ed into a +"a#e& r$))ed yo$r hands together& and said to yo$rse"!&
1I #o$"d rea""y do some great 'or( here/2
Artists and m$si#ians hae st$dios& #ra!tsmen hae 'or(sho+s& +ro!essors hae
st$dies& and s#ientists hae "a)oratories% Where is yo$r #reatie s+a#e/ Where do yo$
go to do yo$r )est 'or(/
S#hi""er "oed the sme"" o! a++"es& so he !i""ed his des( 'ith rotten ones% 9ro$st 'or(ed
in a #or(:"ined room% Mo=art #om+osed a"ter e*er#ise% 3rost 'o$"d 'rite on"y at night%
Dr 5ohnson s$rro$nded himse"! 'ith a +$rring #at& orange +ee"& and tea% Hart Crane
+"ayed ;a== "o$d"y on a 4i#toria%
The e*treme #ase 'as the +hi"oso+her 7ant& 'ho 'o$"d 'or( in )ed at #ertain times o!
the day 'ith the )"an(ets arranged aro$nd him in a s+e#i!i# !ashion<'hi"e 'riting 7ant
'o$"d #on#entrate on a to'er isi)"e !rom his 'indo'% When some trees gre' $+ to
hide the to'er& he )e#ame !r$strated and the #ity !athers #$t do'n the trees so that
he #o$"d #ontin$e his 'or(,
No'& 'e are not ado#ating that yo$ sto#( yo$r des( 'ith de#aying !r$it or #$t the
trees in yo$r neigh)o$rhood% B$t thin( a)o$t it !or a min$te- 'hat are the attri)$tes o!
yo$r o+tima" 'or(ing enironment/
Do yo$ do yo$r )est 'or( 'ith m$si# +"aying or in si"en#e/ Are yo$ a morning +erson
or an eening +erson/ Is yo$ s+a#e !i""ed 'ith "ight& or is it dim/ Is it #oo" or 'arm/ Do
yo$ si+ #o!!ees or sna#( 'hi"e yo$ 'or(/ Is yo$r idea" 'or( enironment !orma" or
in!orma"/ Do yo$ hae des(s and ta)"es neat"y arranged in yo$r s+a#e& or is yo$r area
in!orma" 'ith +i""o's and #$shions s#attered a)o$t the +"a#e/
What is yo$r +re!erred 'or(ing enironment/ What enironment he"+s yo$ )e#ome the
most #om!orta)"e and +rod$#tie/
When yo$ )egin to more #"ose"y e*amine yo$r 'or(ing sty"e +re!eren#es and #hange
yo$r enironment to s$++ort yo$r +re!eren#es& yo$ 'i"" not on"y in#rease yo$r
#reatiity& )$t 'i"" in#rease yo$r +rod$#tiity as 'e""%