The Art of Business Keith De La Rue SupportPoint User Conference “ Sharing the Experience” March 2009

Are you creative? http://www.flickr.com/photos/komatsu/

“ I don’t have a creative bone in my body!” http://www.flickr.com/photos/jpockele/

How do you view creativity? http://www.flickr.com/photos/moriza/

Understanding creativity A family of artists…

A family of artists…

… Age 67

… Age 75

… but there are many ways to be creative…

Memory test… Have you seen this picture? http://www.allposters.com/-sp/Geometric-Extraction-1983-Posters_i915480_.htm

Have you seen this picture?

Creativity Why it is important for collaboration How to use it when communicating

Why it is important for collaboration

How to use it when communicating

Why creativity? I believe that a focus on creativity is absolutely essential for current business success… I maintain that creativity is possible and desirable in all forms of work, no matter what people are doing. In particular, knowledge workers require creativity . Teresa Amabile, Harvard Business School

I believe that a focus on creativity is absolutely essential for current business success… I maintain that creativity is possible and desirable in all forms of work, no matter what people are doing. In particular, knowledge workers require creativity .

Teresa Amabile, Harvard Business School

The myths of creativity The genius myth Everyone with normal human capacities can produce creative work in the right circumstances The trade-off myth There is no trade-off between creativity and productivity , efficiency or work quality http://www.flickr.com/photos/krisdecurtis/

The genius myth

Everyone with normal human capacities can produce creative work in the right circumstances

The trade-off myth

There is no trade-off between creativity and productivity , efficiency or work quality

Creativity for leaders Support people emotionally Monitor people’s work positively – give positive feedback, or give the information they need to do their work better Recognise good performance, particularly in public Consult with people - ask for views, respect opinions and act on their needs and wishes Collaborate - spend time working with team members on specific tasks http://www.flickr.com/photos/fncll/

Support people emotionally

Monitor people’s work positively – give positive feedback, or give the information they need to do their work better

Recognise good performance, particularly in public

Consult with people - ask for views, respect opinions and act on their needs and wishes

Collaborate - spend time working with team members on specific tasks

There is no monopoly on ideas! http://www.flickr.com/photos/gaetanlee/

There is no monopoly on ideas!

Key principles of effective collaboration Trust Openness Recognition Individual respect Positive encouragement http://www.flickr.com/photos/hroslyn/

Trust

Openness

Recognition

Individual respect

Positive encouragement

The iVelocity experience Sharing Product knowledge with Sales Everyone contributed Recognition and rewards A completely open system Trust was honoured

Sharing Product knowledge with Sales

Everyone contributed

Recognition and rewards

A completely open system

Trust was honoured

Knowledge, communication and learning It makes no sense whatsoever to have different people in charge of learning on the one hand and the dissemination and sharing of information on the other. It’s time that knowledge management … and e-learning got together. The same systems. The same people. The same goals - employees who can perform because they have the information, knowledge and skills that their jobs demand. Clive Shepherd, Fastrak Consulting

It makes no sense whatsoever to have different people in charge of learning on the one hand and the dissemination and sharing of information on the other. It’s time that knowledge management … and e-learning got together. The same systems. The same people. The same goals - employees who can perform because they have the information, knowledge and skills that their jobs demand.

Clive Shepherd, Fastrak Consulting

A knowledge transfer toolkit

Growth models “ Top down” can be frustrated “ Grass roots” can wither and die

“ Top down” can be frustrated

“ Grass roots” can wither and die

The “middle-out” model Start small Think big Get endorsement “ If we could save…” http://www.flickr.com/photos/stopdown/

Start small

Think big

Get endorsement

“ If we could save…”

Communicating a message needs creativity SupportPoint is a ‘disruptive’ technology in that it challenges many of the traditional notions about the importance of training… Adults learn best by doing. Ted Gannan http://www.flickr.com/photos/tomsaint/

SupportPoint is a ‘disruptive’ technology in that it challenges many of the traditional notions about the importance of training… Adults learn best by doing.

Ted Gannan

Do you have a story to tell? http://www.flickr.com/photos/zeevveez/

The natural way to communicate Anecdotes Story fragments Narrative This is how the human brain takes in information http://www.flickr.com/photos/poldavo/

Anecdotes

Story fragments

Narrative

This is how the human brain takes in information

Gem hunting Telecoms consultancy project Interview process Fragment mentioned in passing: “ This is a quality company. We need quality communications.” Became by-line of report http://www.flickr.com/photos/sjoe/

Telecoms consultancy project

Interview process

Fragment mentioned in passing:

“ This is a quality company. We need quality communications.”

Became by-line of report

The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be kindled http://www.flickr.com/photos/94693506@N00/ Plutarch

The mind is not a vessel to be filled

Plutarch

Does your story have impact? Clarity Emotional Believable Transport Surprising Relevant Text: http://anecdote.com.au/

Clarity

Emotional

Believable

Transport

Surprising

Relevant

The one-armed boy http://www.flickr.com/photos/devcentre/

You each have a story to tell You have the ability to create Create your future…

You each have a story to tell

You have the ability to create

Create your future…

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

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

Thank you! [email_address] +61 418 51 7676 http://acknowledgeconsulting.com/ Twitter: @kdelarue

[email_address] +61 418 51 7676

http://acknowledgeconsulting.com/

Twitter: @kdelarue