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Creativity

January 4, 2010 By davidebowman 4 Comments

One of the things I resolve to do in 2010 is to devote substantial amounts of intentional effort towards the development of my creativity. I view creativity as a personal strength, and I think it makes sense to spend considerable time enhancing this asset.  Inspired by my friend Artie Isaac, I am going to engage in a rigorous program to supercharge my creativity.

One way I am going to achieve this goal is read books related to the topic of Creativity.  I know I will make modifications, but thus far my list is as follows:

  • The Back Of The Napkin – Dan Roam
  • Drive – Dan Pink
  • Why Not? – Barry Nalebuff & Ian Ayres
  • Mindfulness – Ellen Langer
  • Happiness – Thich Nhat Han
  • All Marketers Are Liars – Seth Godin
  • Black Bodies & Quantum Cats – Jennifer Ouellette
  • Presentation Zen – Garr Reynolds
  • Thinkertoys – Michael Michalko
  • Mastery – George Leonard
  • The War of Art – Steven Pressfield
  • Orbiting the Giant Hairball – Gordon Mackenzie
  • Musicophilia – Oliver Sacks
  • The Artist’s Way at Work – Mark Bryan, Julia Cameron, & Catherine Allen
  • Rules For Revolutionaries – Guy Kawasaki
  • Free Prize Inside – Seth Godin
  • Purple Cow – Seth Godin
  • The Dip – Seth Godin
  • The 80/20 Principle – Richard Koch
  • Ignore Everybody – Hugh MacLeod
  • Lateral Thinking – Edward DeBono
  • Flow – Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
  • Finding Flow – Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
  • Creativity – Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
  • Whatever You Think, Think the Opposite – Paul Arden
  • The Creative Habit – Twyla Tharp
  • Simplicity – John Maeda
  • The Whole Brain Business Book – Ned Herrmann
  • A Whole New Mind – Dan Pink
  • Improv Wisdom -  Patricia Ryan Madison
  • Emotional Design – Donald A. Norman
  • The Tipping Point – Malcolm Gladwell
  • Blink – Malcolm Gladwell
  • Blue Ocean Strategy -  W. Chan Kim & Renee Mauborgne
  • Outliers – Malcolm Gladwell
  • Don’t Think of an Elephant – George Lakoff
  • The Now Habit – Neil Fiore
  • The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People – Stephen Covey
  • Getting Things Done – David Allen
  • Influence – Robert Cialdini

The list is designed to explore multiple dimensions of creativity.  This includes topics such as design thinking, leadership, time management, business strategy, philosophy, psychology, sociology, and motivation – all of which are essential parts of living a creative life.  I am sure other titles will be added as the year rolls on (The new Seth Godin and Garr Reynolds books will definitely be on the list).  I am open to your suggestions too.

I am also going to continue to enhance my Creativity by writing about some of the things I learn from each of these books. This represents a way to improve my writing skills as well as to internalize the concepts conveyed in each book.  Additionally, many of these books contain programs, exercises, and activities designed to enhance creativity, which means that I am going to be spending a considerable amount of time being creative too.  Examples include performing an exercise from the book Creativity Workout by Edward De Bono every day, and writing 3 pages of text by hand each and every morning as prescribed in the book The Artist’s Way at Work.

Ideally all of this results in new adventures, challenges, and accomplishments for me, as I not only develop my creativity, but use it to change my world.

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Synergize

August 6, 2009 By davidebowman Leave a Comment

Habit 6: Synergize6

Synergy is where all of the previous habits come together.  It is the payoff.  To quote Stephen Covey “Synergy is the highest activity in all of life.”  “The essence of synergy is to value the differences.”  By doing so, the human gift of creativity can be levered to produce new and exciting options for the future.

By doing all the work in Habits 1,2, and 3 you develop internal confidence from a life rooted in principle.  This confidence  then allows for respectful interaction with others.  To make this work properly requires habit 4, Think Win / Win and habit 5 Seek First to Understand and then to Be Understood.  You accept that you may have differing views, but that fundamental principles that guide life remain.  Thus it is possible to explore new ideas without fear and insecurity.  You are interdependent.  You are open to the opinions of others.  You understand the value of your perspective, while realizing that “all people see the world, not as it is, but as they are.”  “The person who is truly effective has the humility and reverence to recognize his own perceptual limitations and to apreciate the rich resources available through interaction wiht the hearts and minds of other human beings.”  Covey goes on to state,  has  “When we’re left to our own experiences, we constantly suffer from a shortage of data.”

As humans some of us are very expressive by nature.  Others are very analytical.  Some are highly emotional, and others very logical.  All see the world from different angles.  Leveraging this diversity of views is a critical part of synergy.  Further, it does not stop with personality type.  Every person has experienced different things, has different values, different skills, and different areas of knowledge – each with the potential to bring unique perspective and value to a situation.

Covey then goes on to talk about how synergy works in communication.  It is the idea that when someone disagrees with you, rather than becoming defensive, you say “Good! You see it differently.”  You may not agree with them but you appreciate their perspective.  Even if someone insults you, you choose not to take it personally, but instead to see it as a way to “improve your point of view and to enlarge your perspective.”   Covey says it like this, “If a person of your intelligence and competence and commitment disagrees with me, then there must be something to your disagreement that I don’t understand, and I need to understand it. You have a perspective, a frame of reference I need to look at.”

How does this apply to social media?

Social media is all about synergy.

If you follow Stephen Covey’s quotes in this post as you engage in conversations with people through social media channels, you are truly going to get value out of the experience.  If you are creatively expressing yourself, people are going to disagree with you from time to time.  If you immediately get defensive, you will turn people away.  This is not easy.  Our knee jerk reaction is to hit back when someone hits us.  Not to mention that text on the web tends to read more negatively than is intended quite often.  Thus we can easily overthink a comment or a post written by someone that is at odds with our view of the world.

Realize that it might just be an opportunity for synergy.  It gives you the chance to explore someone else’s view, to broaden your perspective, and ideally through the respectful exchange of ideas, to develop something new.  Sure, sometimes you come across the lame person that just wants to throw “salt in your game.”

Another point – Synergy does not always involve a dispute.  It might just involve finding a great solution.  One great thing about the potential to connect with the world is the potential to tap into that world for answers.  The synergy might take place between totaly strangers who take an interest in answering a question you pose on a blog, forum, podcast or social network.  The collective wisdom of the world is at your fingertips.  Realize that you can engage people to help you.

Tapping into synergistic communication is an invigorating experience.  It is one that you can proactivley create by using social media to express your ideas and explore your creative potential.

“You have a perspective, a frame of reference I need to look at.”  – Well said Mr. Covey.  Well said.

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Seek First to Understand

July 30, 2009 By davidebowman Leave a Comment

5Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, Then to be Understood

Habit 5, Seek First to Understand, Then to be Understood, is a continuation of Habit 4, Think Win/Win.  It is the idea that to truly think win/win, one must start with listening.  Thus the idea that one should seek first to understand, then to be understood.  We all view the world in different ways.  We have different values, different needs, and different paradigms.  Things that matters a great deal to me, may not matter much to you at all, and vice versa.   Unless you understand where another person is truly coming from, it can be very difficult if not impossible to get to a win/win solution.

So how does one truly understand?  Covey describes the process of empathic listening as fundamental to cultivating this habit.  It is listening with the intention of truly trying to deeply understand why another person feels the way they do.  It is not trying to convince them they feel otherwise, or simply regurgitating their words back to them without giving thought to the deeper meaning they convey.

Covey uses a great story to illustrate this idea.  In short, what if you went to the eye doctor and instead of giving you an eye exam, he just handed you his glasses and said “eh, this should help a little.”  That would make no sense, and you would probably find a new eye doctor pretty quickly.  Habit 5 is about diagnosing the problem first, then prescribing a solution.

Ultimately, to effectively use Habit 5, a person must use empathic listening in their interactions with others.  Done well this process involves “rephrasing the content and reflecting the feeling” that someone else is conveying.  This may take several attempts to get correct, but it is essential in moving forward to properly diagnose a problem.   Sure this takes time, but by truly listening without placing judgement, you can build the trust necessary to move closer to a solution.

Once you have gained an understanding of another’s perspective, the second half of Habit 5, to be understood, comes into play.  This is accomplished through ethical thought, emotional intelligence, and logical reasoning.  Expressing your concerns in a way that is respectful of the other person, in line with your principles, attentive to your feelings, and rational with regard to meeting your needs.

So how does this apply to social media?

Pete Blackshaw has a great quote in his book A Satisfied Customer Tells Three Friends, An Angry Customer Tells 3,000 – “Listening Drives Credibility.”   The book is about the power of postivite customer relationships in an interconnected world.   It examines the empowered customer and the impact that upsetting just one person who chooses to use the social web to convey their problem can have on a business.

Social media makes it possible to listen to what people are saying.  You can listen to what they saying to you directly through comments and direct interactions.  You can listen to what they are saying to one another through social networks, forums, and rss feeds.  You can listen to thought leaders, customers, competitors, and citizens to determine what they need.   As Covey states “Satisfied needs do not motivate.”

By using social media to engage people in conversation, you can begin to develop better solutions to their problems.  You can address their true needs.  This might be happen by thoughtfully responding to a complaint on a blog post.  It could be done through a customer forum, through a Facebook group, or through a Twitter account.  Regardless, the first step is to truly listen.  To uncover deeper truth.  To seek this out with an open mind.  Social media enables you to do this on a broad scale, at little or no cost other than the time you invest in this activity.

Once you identify a need, be that an expressed complaint about your service or a wish for something new to solve a problem, you can use ethics, emotion, and logic to address this need.  It may be that you retain a customer with this approach.  It may be that you avoid a public relations nightmare by listening empathically.  You may even find that your next “big idea” is generated by simply listening to what people are saying online.   If you Seek First to Understand, and Then to be Understood, you can apply your time and activity in social media towards building trust, addressing needs, and creating solutions that can sustain your business into the future.

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The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Social Media – Think Win/Win

July 29, 2009 By davidebowman Leave a Comment

Habit 4: Think Win/Win

Think Win/Win is the first of 3 outwardly focused habit Covey presents in his book, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.  These are known as habits of interdependence.  These habits are designed to build lasting and meaningful relationships with other people – relationships that are mutually beneficial, based on principles, and that result in the creation of new ways of thinking and understanding our world.

Think Win/Win is a habit that requires trust.  It requres self trust, which is build through the first 3 habits, and trust of others which is built through communication, interaction, and experience.  With trust in place, solutions to problems can be approached in new and exciting ways.  Rather than the idea of Win / Lose or I am right and you are wrong, think win/win seeks to find creative new solutions to problems.  This “third alternative” as described by Covey is the belief that it is “not your way or my way; it’s a better way, a higher way.”

With ongoing relationships in your life, you can’t truly win, unless all parties benefit.  Otherwise trust erodes, and the foundation of the relationship crumbles with it.  Covey summarizes this idea with the statement that “if both people aren’t winning, both are losing.”  Results in life depend on people working with one another.  Win/Win is the mentality that life is not about the power that comes from being right or proving your point, but rather it should be about a willingness to address the needs of all parties involved.

Covey then proceeds to describe win/win in the context of 5 dimensions, which are listed as follows:

  1. Character – The foundation of the habit of win/win.  This involves integrity, maturity, and an abundance mentality.
  2. Relationships – The idea that because there is high trust and high value placed in an maintaining an ongoing relationship, there can be open discussion.
  3. Agreements – The creation of shared expectations by identifying desired results, guidelines, resources, accountability, and consequences.
  4. Systems – You get what you reward.
  5. Processes – Using a principled approach rather than a positional approach.  Trying to use empathy to understand the other side of the story, identifying key concerns, and then agreeing to examine new solutions collaboratively.

Think win/win is a mindset.  It is a new way of approaching human interaction, with a belief that our uniquely human gift of creativity can be levered to create new ways of doing things – ways that are thoughtful, mutually beneficial, and sustainable.

So how does this apply to social media?

I view much of the interactions that take place in comments or threaded discussions as the perfect example of how a win/win mentality can be utilized.  Suppose one of your customers comments about a problem they would like you or your company to address.  It may not be as easy as just saying “OK.”  You may have financial considerations, personal philosophical differences, or policies and procedures in place that determine your actions.  Alternatively it is probably not a good idea to simply dismiss the request with a firm “no” response.  This would alienate the customer and erode the trust you have with them.  It might also wind up on the customer’s blog, or Jeff Jarvis’ blog,  or youtube, or Facebook, or Twitter or all of the above – creating much larger problems for you.

A win-win mentality would seek a deeper discussion with the customer – one that was transparent and honest.  One that sought to solve the issue at hand and the root cause of the problem, without compromising principles on either side.  Social media enables this discussion.  In fact it can engage external actors to assist in the development of new solutions.  If the customer trusts that you have their best intersts at heart, and you trust that they are tyring to help you improve your value proposition, you can collaboratively seek new ways of doing business.  This is at the heart of innovation.

Apple does this masterfully with their forum sites.  Comcast and Dell are doing it through Twitter and blogs.  By seeking out communication through the paradigm of win/win, these companies are converting problems into opportunities.  They are seeking to create wins.  They are not just surfing the web to “give the store away” but rather trying to collaboratively solve problems.  They are bulding trust. Social media enables this trust to be built on a large scale.

By following the dimensions outlined by Covey as to how to approach win/win employees can act with confidence, and freely work to build trust.  The alternative to this is the dreaded “I’m sorry sir but our policy clearly states… (insert something illogical).  The policy may have been written for good reason, but might not always make sense.  Win/win recognizes that people might see things differently.  It is the belief that people and their ideas are valuable.      Using social media as a means of communication brings these ideas into the fold, builds trust. creates loyalty, and fosters innovation.  But to do it right, requires you to think win/win.

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The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Social Media – First Things First

July 23, 2009 By davidebowman Leave a Comment

Habit 3: First Things First

This habit is a critical one, and one that gets a lot of attention.  Before we delve into First Things First, let’s take a step back to place this habit in the proper context.

Covey’s first three habits are described as habits of independence.  They are introspective in nature.  When adopted successfully they provide a stable foundation for engaging the outside world with purpose, conviction, and confidence.  Habit 3, First Things First, is the final of the 3 habits of independence.   I view habit 1 as the realization that you control your life through your thoughts and actions.  Habit 2 then extends this realization into a vision and purpose for future actions – personal leadership rooted in changeless principles.  Which brings us to Habit 3, First Things First.

Habit 3 is about execution.  It is the carrying out of the first 2 habits.  First things first is about taking the necessary steps to bring the mental creation of “Begin With the End In Mind” into the physical world.  This is accomplished by focusing time, talent, and energy on the important things in your life as opposed to those that are simply urgent.  Important is determined by your principles, not by the opinions of the outside world, the demands of others, or the shifting fads of popular culture.

Steven Covey asks readers of the book to answer the following question with regard to habit 3 – “What is the one activity that you absolutely know that if you did it superbly well and consistently well would produce marvelous results in your personal or professional life?”   Why are you not doing it?  This is where you should focus your time and talent – on that which is important.

How does this apply to social media?

In the digitally connected, always-on world in which we live, there is no shortage of urgent demands imposed us.  Some by others, most by ourselves.  Blog posts, microblog posts, links, news articles, projects, videos, podcasts, phone calls, new tools and technologies, events, email, online friend requests, comments, and on and on… This list is just the “digital stuff.”  Now add to these, the bulk of your life, which includes family time, social and professional events, meetings, education, exercise, entertainment, and more.  You quickly get a sense of how much we all have to manage day to day.  With all of this urgency, how on earth would you ever find time for social media?  The answer – you make it by getting rid of activities that are not important.

Do you watch television every night?  Is this important to you?  Does it have a positive impact on your life?  Is it important?  Is it urgent?  Sure it might be important for relaxation, entertainment, socialization, or even education.  And yes, sporting events and live television could be legitimately viewed as urgent within logical bounds.  Even still, there is a good chance that you can “make time” for social media by simply turning off the television one or two hours a week.   How many other activities like this do you have in your life?  No, you can’t truly make time, but you can choose how you use it.

To be effective in the world of social media, you need to develop a plan and then commit to it.  It does not just happen.  You need to determine what you want to accomplish, create a plan for moving forward, and then execute on your plan.  Note that this plan probably does not mandate that you be on every social network,  forum, site, and platform that you discover.  That is neither productive nor possible.  Instead of trying to be everywhere, all the time, connected to everyone,  make social media about learning, connecting, and building interactive relationships with people.  Educate and be educated.

With regard to technology, yes it is fine to explore your options from time to time.  There is nothing wrong with exploring new platforms, just realize that you don’t have to use them all.  Manage the time you spend wisely.  Figure out what works for you and leverage it.

Let’s look at First Things First in the context of blogging.  Suppose you choose to start writing a blog – commit to it.  Create a schedule for posting content.   Set aside time for thinking, researching, and writing.  Regularly post content on a schedule that works for you.  For some that might be several times per day.  For others once a week.  Develop a plan, stick to it, and refine it based on your principles.  The same can be said for social networks, RSS feeds, communities, and other social media technologies.  Focus on the important.

It is far too easy to lost sight of what is important- to just wait until next week to write that blog post.  If you want social media to be truly effective, you must view it as important.  Make the commitment, follow your principles, and put first things first.  Manage your social media activities based on your principles, and you will make important changes in your life and your world.

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The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Social Media – Begin With The End In Mind

July 21, 2009 By davidebowman Leave a Comment

Habit 2: Begin With The End In Mind

Covey’s second habit, “Begin With The End In Mind” deals with imagination, conscience, self-awareness and leadership. This habit is based on the premise that in life, all things are created twice.  There is the mental creation, or the vision, and then the actual creation, the fruits of that vision.  It is important to spend time thinking about “the end” at the begining.  By doing so, one is empowered to truly create a richer, fuller life.   To begin with the end in mind is to say that from this point forward, I will live “out of my imagination and not my memory.”

At its core this is a habit of leadership.  It is about creating life on your terms and in a way that is consistent with those principles you believe to be true.  For me, these are love, creativity, integrity, leadership, and wisdom.  Each and every day I try to let these principles guide my actions.  When I come up short, which I often do, I learn where I need to focus my attention on improving.

Now how does this pertain to social media?

You can accomplish great things through leveraging the social web.  You can be a leader.  You can make new connections, excite people around a cause, enhance your mind, and create meaningful change in the world.  Before you go all social network, blogging, friending, following, uploading video, commenting crazy all over the web, take a moment to consider what you are tyring to accomplish.  Lay out a blueprint for what it is you are trying to do first.

Who are you trying to engage and how? What do you hope to achieve and why?  What is it that you want to do?  Do you want to learn more about a subject?  Connect with colleagues, clients and prospects?  Educate people about a topic? Enhance your business offering?  Learn more about your customers? Are the things you are doing online going to move you closer to that goal? Are these things consistent with the principles you view as critical to your life?  When its all said and done, what is really important?  When you approach social media, focus on the things that matter the most.  Take Goethe’s advice, “That which matters most must never be at the mercy of that which matters least.”

Does it matter how many “friends” you have if you don’t engage with them?  Do you have to be on every platform, or should you deeply explore those that matter most?  Does your scathing reply to that negative comment on your blog move you closer to your desired end, or is there perhaps something you could learn from the criticism.  Are you adding value for yourself and others with the content you create or are you simply doing it because everybody else is?  Are the blog posts you author fair, true, and consistent with the principles you stand for or are you just writing something for shock value?  Spend your time doing the right things, and you will find success.   Focus on how you can use your unique strengths, gifts, and talents to build relationships with others.  When it comes to social media, don’t get overwhelmed with the enormity of it all.  Don’t get hung up in the technology.  Simply begin with the end in mind, have faith in yourself, find your voice, and use it to change the world.

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The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Social Media – Be Proactive

July 15, 2009 By davidebowman 1 Comment

The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Social Media – Habit 1: Be Proactive

What does it mean to Be Proactive?  I view being proactive as taking responsibility for how you interact with the world.

Stephen Covey discusses the idea that there is a space between stimulus and response, and that we as human beings, possess the capability to control what we do in that space.  Thus we are different from all other members of Kingdom Animalia.  We humans can choose to act in a certain way, and are not simply subject to act as dictated by our genetic make-up, our cultural mores, or our biological urges.  We can think and then act.  This does not mean we control the outcome, but rather we control how we view and respond to an outcome. (Covey’s view on this was heavily influenced by psychiatrist Viktor Frankl’s brilliant book Man’s Search for Meaning – which recounts his experiences in a Nazi concentration camp.  If you have never read it, you should give it a look.  It is one of the most powerful books ever written.)

Because we possess the ability to think and then act, human beings can decide to change ineffective behavioral patterns.  If something is wrong, we can decide to make it right.  If something goes wrong, we can decide to learn from it.  If something seems wrong, we can choose another course of action.  Proactivity is about making a conscious effort to shape our own thoughts and subsequent actions.  It is about trying to influence that which we can control, our own actions, and come to terms with that which we can not control, what everybody else does.

When it comes to social media, realize you are not in control of much beyond your own actions and reactions.  You don’t get to control the conversation, but you can actively participate in it.  You can take action to improve the world, and by doing so you can influence others to follow and support your cause.  If you see an injustice in the world, write about it.  Develop a plan to change it.  If you love something with all your heart, tell people about it.  Explain why you feel such passion.  If you have a plan that will improve society, publish it.  Ask others to join in your cause.  If crime is a problem in your neighborhood, set up a blog where you and your neighbors discuss ways to keep each other safe.  If you are a medical resident looking to make friends in the community, start a group on facebook.  You can do something, and with the help of others, you can do something great.  Social media makes it possible for people to create ideas, share information, and collaborate with one another like never before.  A proactive mindset appreciates this dynamic, and leverages it to create change.

It is not important that everyone on the internet agree with you.  In fact, if you set that as your goal you are most certainly going to fail.  Rather you should use the social web as a way to shape your perspective.  Engage in conversations in an effort to learn from both those who agree and disagree with your view of the world, and do so in a way that is respectful.  Sometimes you will come up with new ways to better serve those who already love you, and other times you might just change your view of the world entirely.  Proactive people are secure enough to understand that opposing views are not always bad.  In the end, you will have a clearer understanding of your own values and will make more decisions that are likely to be more in line with them.  As Covey states “ When you make a mistake, admit it, correct it, and learn from it – immediately.”  Great advice for anyone trying to understand how to effectively use social media.

Finally, proactivity is about making real change.  It is not enough to have a clever ad campaign and a mediocre product.  It is not enough to say that people are your most important asset, only to turn around and treat them like they are disposal.  Social media makes it difficult to be duplicitous.  Rather, to be successful at all in an interconnected world, one must be genuine.  Covey quotes the motto of the state of North Carolina in regard to this point – “To be rather than to seem.”  Making real change is not always easy, but it is the essence of proactive human behavior.

At its core, proactivity is about the willingness to take responsibility for every aspect of life, and then make principle centered changes, be they internal or external, when appropriate.  Social media works the same way.   If your actions are aligned with your intentions and rooted in principles such as integrity and honesty, social media becomes a natural extension of a proactive mindset.

The 7 Habits of Highly Successful Social Media is a series of posts exploring how Dr. Steven R. Covey’s book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People can be applied to better understand social media.

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