random tots

Have you seen the nine dots before? Ever tried connecting them with four straight lines without lifting up your pencil? I did and sadly, my mind added an invisible framework that said “within the square formed by the outer dots” when in fact this was not required.

In ‘The Art of Possibility’, the authors provide practices that help to transform our attitudes and encourage a view of the endless possibilities. To apply what I learned from this week’s reading (Chapters 1 and 2), I will use the example of my attempts to keep fit.

What assumption(s) am I making?

What do you do when things don’t go right, whether in your personal life or at work? Do you get frustrated? Do you despair? Or do you stay calm and regroup?

Although fear can sometimes be the source of adrenalin that creates success, it is also a feeling that may cloud your judgement. In an episode of Arrested Development (season 1), Michael was working overtime on a weekend because he was worried about being unable to pay off the construction workers. Lindsay, his sister, told him to take a break because she was having fun working in the office and proving herself to him. He ended up at the beach still worrying over the project. However, he decided to take a break and started working on building sandcastles. It was at this point that he realized he should change the idea of having individual swimming pools to a single community pool to save costs.

In fact, this fear is a frequently used tool by the Voice of Judgement (VOJ) in our heads. We are afraid of failure or of the perceptions of ourselves. Yet “Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently” (Henry Ford).

When Thomas Edison was intent upon creating incandescent light, he went through more than nine thousand experiements in an attempt to produce the bulb. Finally one of his associates walked up to him and asked, “Why do you persist in this folly? You have failed more than nine thousand times.” Edison looked at him incredulously and said, “I haven’t event failed once; nine thousand times I have learned what doesn’t work.”
- Creativity in Business, p54

This VOJ that beats down on our ideas severely hampers creativity and must be destroyed at all costs. One example is that trip around the world that you’ve always talked about. If you break it down and list all the fears (money, job, hassle of packing/unpacking, etc) perhaps you could figure out a way to save up and take that trip in the near future. Or perhaps you may even realize that it is not a top priority and merely a method of escaping current problems by the mere thought of it.

In 1878 Western Union rejected the rights to the telephone with the statement, “What use could the company make of an electrical toy?”
In 1958 British astronomer Dr. R. Woolsey pronounced, “Space travel is utter bilge.”
- Creativity in Business, p51

So tell that VOJ in your head to “Shut the hell up!” and with time, you might actually be able to hear your creative voice more clearly.

…… Of The Creative Hero/Heroine

ONE: “Have faith in your own creativity”
Having faith even when others think you are unrealistic. However, there is a point when practicality must be observed. Faith can only be justified if research has been done so that one has clear understanding of his/her options and consequences.
I know of someone who was constantly going to his relatives for money to fund his next big thing. But sadly, none of the next big things ever played out and instead of reviewing the failures, he would turn around to accuse the relatives of not supporting him with enough funds.

TWO: “Suspend negative judgement”
Negative judgement kills creativity, whether it is negative judgement of others or oneself. That doesn’t mean that judgement can be left in the back room because ‘penetrating questions’ (see Tool Four) can only be asked with an analytical mind. However emphasis must be placed on avoiding negative judgement.

THREE: “Practice precise observation”
Be constantly observant because observations can be accumulated to provide linkages and provide inspiration. Even observing mundane things with fresh eyes can bring about a creative outburst.
The creator of 3M PostIts was walking around the office and noticed that all the secretaries had paper nailed to a corkboard. He recalled that they had a sticky product that was not working well on tape so he linked that idea with this situation and Voila! he came up with PostIts.

FOUR: “Ask penetrating questions”
Ask questions that are based on clear analytical thought. Questions that may challenge or bring about a new perspective of the idea, without putting it down and discouraging the presenter.
According to Right Management Consultants, the No. 1 skill companies seek in managers is the ‘ability to motivate and engage others’…. a close second is ability to communicate. The new managerial style for running a company is someone who asks probing questions that force the team to think and find the right answers.

source:
1. Michael Ray and Rochelle Myers, Creativity in Business
2. Geoffrey Colvin, “Catch a Rising Star”, Fortune vol. 153 no. 2 February 6 2006, p50

ONE: PREPARATION
When an idea is just beginning to germinate with the where, what and when. One seems to have an initial boundless confidence and passion in the new idea.

TWO: FRUSTRATION
When some information is available and a catch, an unexpected set of roadblocks, in the creative process is revealed. This stage challenges one to seek alternatives and even consider quitting.

THREE: INCUBATION
When there is a pause, a creative sigh, because persistence in the idea may instead produce something substandard. The idea should be left to simmer over slow heat while attention is turned to something totally unrelated.

FOUR: STRATEGIZING
When a number of new objectives and strategies are developed or brainstormed after the idea has been allowed to simmer.

FIVE: ILLUMINATION
When one of the strategies stand out and things that seemed problematic before suddenly seem obvious. The Eureka!

SIX: VERIFICATION
When the idea is presented to the audience for feedback and critique. At this stage, one must have the courage to accept criticism and be prepared to return to the Frustration or Incubation phases to restrategize if necessary.

Some people feel obliged to hammer through the idea or even give up at phase two. However, going away to doing something even as mundane as household chores, can really help to open up the creative channels again. Personally, I am probably guilty of both options because I tend to be very impatient about seeing results. I need to learn when to take a step backwards to incubate the idea and have the dourage to accept criticism at the verification phase.

One personal experience comes to mind.

I took on the project of simultaneously redeveloping the company’s website and updating the product catalogue (over 3,000 SKUs) at my previous job. They were exciting projects because the older versions had so much to improve on. Unfortunately, it wasn’t long before I reached the frustration stage.

At this point, the best thing to do would have been to turn my attention to something else. And I did try to but I was still too agitated about not meeting the deadlines that the ’something else’ failed to take away that feeling of dread in the back of my mind. On top of that, I had the added pressure/desire to prove myself because this was my largest project.

Finally, I broke down when my boss talked to me and after some advise on his part, I realized that all I needed to do was to ask him for help because my coworkers needed to know from him that they could redirect their limited time/energies to my projects and would not be penalized for setting aside their regular work. I failed to identify the root of the problem because I was too absorbed in trying to prove myself in the family business.

source: Creativity in Business, Michael Ray & Rochelle Myers

According to ‘Creativity in Business’ by Michael Ray and Rochelle Myers, creativity is an Essence found in every individual. This ‘essence’ consists of five qualities. Namely, ‘infinite intuition, complete will, absolute shimmering joy, overwhelming strength, and boundless compassion‘. Every individual should be able to express consistent creativity and failure to do so is often because of ‘fear, negative personal judgement, and the chattering of your mind’ (p9).

I believe that creativity and innovation are the cornerstones of an adaptable businessperson. Learning to adapt to changing environments requires a person to constantly seek creativity and innovation in his or her life. Being a perfectionist and judgemental person, on the other hand, will certainly create barriers to consistent creativity. After all, a creation or innovation is seldom at its best when it is first formulated. Further development is almost always necessary.

Unfortunately, that is precisely what I hope to unlearn - my perfectionistic and judgemental tendencies. Much like the name of this site, the ‘bochup’ is there to remind me to be bochup.

I have a couple other blogs and I find that Blogsome has got one of the best features around, especially for a free blog service *cough*typepad’s great but not free*cough*. The only unfortunate thing is that it still is somewhat buggy and takes a while for the post to be refreshed on the site after it’s been published. And during that time, all the other posts disappear along with it, leaving the blog owner in a panic. (hence my distressed post ‘test’)

Hopefully this gets fixed soon because I really don’t think I can take the stress of seeing an empty blog in place of all my previous posts.

Attended a meeting today with an Associate Professor (pioneering the discussion), the Director Entrepreneurship Program, the MBA Director, the Associate Dean of the Graduate School of Business and four affluent Hispanics. The topic was to discuss increasing Hispanic Entrepreneurship opportunities in the bay area and more specifically in our college.

It was interesting to note that one of the articles handed out (from Businessweek July 18 2005) detailed the increase in illegal immigrants or as the more politically correct term says, undocumented immigrants. And because their population is no longer possible to ignore, or more accurately put - unwise to ignore due to their increasing purchasing power, many corporations are beginning to target their business at these undocumented Hispanics.

“By finding ways to treat illegals like any other other consumers, companies are in effect legalizing - and legitimizing - millions of people who technically have no right to be in the U.S.” (p58)

The article goes on to show statistics of the population size, which was further illustrated by the Associate Professor, indicating that the projected Hispanic population in California alone by 2050 will be 50% of the total population. That’s a scary number but is also effective in putting across the fact that “There’s no point in pretending that millions of people aren’t here, so let’s find ways to deal with them.” (p60)

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