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I’ve commented recently on the need to retain an innovative mindset to make the best of the current economic situation. In fact I’m certain that those who are creative at this time are building innovative businesses for the future.

But what about everyone else? I’m not really a TV watcher but One Reality TV genre has me facinated and is providing some insights. It’s the “business makeover” show. You know the type – Gordon Ramsey’s Kitchen Nightmares, Ruth Watson as The Hotel Inspector, and Tabatha Coffey’s Salon Makeovers. I’m sure there’s others.

I know that these are highly produced and edited for dramatic effect – BUT – they all have a common thread.

The Boss is always the problem.

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1. Understand why customers choose you and make that experience better.
2. Value every customer and put a value on every customer.
3. Provides value to the customers (note: this does not mean cheap!)
4. Builds good people and trusts them to deliver.
5. Invests in quality infrastructure, systems and processes.
6. Looks for ways to maximize revenue.
7. Watches the pennies.
8. Builds trusted relationships with experts and advisors.
9. Doesn’t do things just because everyone else does.
10. Doesn’t over complicate things (keeps it simple).

All these characteristics create an environment where the objectives of the business are clear, risks are managed, and opportunities for creative thought are encouraged, welcomed, and actioned. So, if you’re the Boss get your head around this list. And you can’t don’t blame the troops, they’re doing the best they can in environment you’ve created for them. Go set the example and they will follow.

Related Posts:

• Innovation fails to deliver in the US
• give innovation the right environment to survive
• Embrace Ideas

Online and off line media is full of articles describing the demise of innovation as businesses of all sizes cut back. We’re hearing that there is no money for R&D, processes tightened, and projects prioritized.

But will innovation really stop? I don’t think so. In fact I think that the current state is simply a catalyst for us to innovate in different ways.

If we think about the conditions the current crisis is creating, then we see:

• Constraints in money, time, and other resources.
• Organisations focusing on core business.
• And an urgent need to find new or better ways to do things.

How are these conditions forcing us to behave differently? First of all we need to:

• Do only what is necessary.
• Find ways to do more with less.

So what do we need to do differently to make the best of the new environment?

• Work with people and organisations that we may not have worked with before.
• Seeking out opportunities to share the effort and/or cost.
• Innovate in less formal, or ad-hoc, or even accidental ways.

At a personal level what actions can we take?

• Be open! There’s often many ways to do and think about things. Challenge you own thinking.
• Observe! What’s happening around you, what are other people and businesses doing? But don’t just do things that others are doing. It’s often the contratian approach that wins out.
• Introduce yourself to someone you don’t know at an event, on your commute, in a store. Great connections can be made in the most unlikely places.
• Read a magazine or book on a subject you normally wouldn’t. You never know what you might learn, and what you can apply yourself.
• Collect and review ideas. See this earlier post on why this is such an effective tactic.
• Read some biographies from people who prospered in the 1930′s. What made the difference for them? What principles can you utilize.

Hopefully you can see that there are opportunities out there.

“There are always opportunities through which businessmen can profit handsomely if they will only recognize and seize them.” John Paul Getty

Related Posts:

• An Archive for Ideas
• 10 Actions for better design
• Two words to boost creativity