Edwin’s Corner – Happy Thanks Givings Craft from Student Life on Vimeo.

I tried something the other day in a meeting. It’s something I’ve done with my boss about the people I work with and I’ve done just for my own satisfaction.  I came in before a meeting and decided to make a top ten list of the great accomplishments that we had last week. Well because of my tardiness in starting this project I was only able to get out six. I know we had more but I wanted to be specific and I didn’t want it to look like everyone got a participation award.  When I was a program director I used to do something called a game ball. It was done pretty much in the same manner.  Anyway I went around the room and talked about the great things we did last week. I did take some shots at THE MAN which isn’t always the best thing to do but I was on a roll.  So how do you praise a creative?  I’ve got three ways for that.

Way #1  Try to be specific.  Don’t just give a hey you did great last week.  They would probably ask, “With what?”

Way #2  Be immediate.  You don’t have to wait until some special moment. If you think they did great on something that you are     looking at say it.

Way #3  Believe it.  Don’t just do it out of rote learning where you don’t really know why you are doing it.  Really believe the things you are saying.

Peace

I ask that question (The one in the subject line) because I work around people who say that all the time “I’m not creative so can you come up with something.”  I don’t think that’s their fault. Here is what I think, creatives have long ridiculed the so called non-creative so much that they feel that their opinion doesn’t matter.  I am here to apologize to anyone who’s been told “you’re not a designer or you’re not creative” You can be the ultimate creative in the business world and the only place your stuff will show up is in communication arts magazine and be the most uncreative (hope that’s a word)  person and have a product line like the snuggie and have it take off.  You never know where inspiration will take you. We also do create for the non-creative world. If they can’t understand it what good is it? I could be wrong on this part. As I wrote that I questioned myself.

Here are three things

1. Inspiration can come from anyone or anything

2. Being creative shouldn’t have rules

3. Design is in everything.

Have a good Monday.

1. How trusting are you if you lead a team?

2. Do feel that if you don’t do it, it can’t be done or done right?

3.  Do you always have to add something to someone else’s work regardless of if it makes a difference?

4. Do you try to make something work rather than asking someone to start over?

5. Do you really trust your staff?

The album pictured isn’t actually the album that I’m listening to. The album I have is called Hope for the Hopeless by Brett Dennen.  I think that was the first thing that attracted me to this guy the title of the album.  I know nothing about him other than what Jeremy Maxfield, a dude at my office knew about him. Which was more about how the artist made him feel. and if you knew Jeremy you would know that his music is…. lets say a little… well he likes Phish so well yeah.  Anyway. Brett. he has a kind of a folk kinda thing going on . Real smooth though. There is a song called Heaven that has the word of album title in it. I’ve been listening to it in my office for the last couple of weeks and its that song that really has a cool message.  He explains what that message is in the video bellow so enjoy.

Ten things I learned about being a boss

1. You have to be willing to air your mistakes.
2. Building a family atmosphere is ok. Means you may fight but you don’t talk outside the family. ( this may be the mob)
3. Be willing to defend them when they are in the right and ready to correct when they are in the wrong.
4. Know how to give praise.
5. Don’t lie. You’d think this was an understood.
6. Make a safe place for people to make mistakes.
7. Build leaders.
8. Be willing to stay late and come in early for your team.
9. Contribute to tasks don’t just administer.
10. Have fun. Your attitude can change the mood of an entire team.

That’s what I have from my short years in leadership. These guys here make it real easy.

from TED

From unlikely beginnings as a classics teacher to his current job as Vice Chairman of Ogilvy Group, Rory Sutherland has created his own brand of the Cinderella story. He joined Ogilvy & Mather’s planning department in 1988, and became a junior copywriter, working on Microsoft’s account in its pre-Windows days. An early fan of the Internet, he was among the first in the traditional ad world to see the potential in these relatively unknown technologies.

An immediate understanding of the possibilities of digital technology and the Internet powered Sutherland’s meteoric rise. He continues to provide insight into advertising in the age of the Internet and social media through his blog at Campaign’s Brand Republic site, his column “The Wiki Man” at The Spectator and his busy Twitter account.

“Rory is the original advocate of ’360-degree branding,’ a persuasive and charismatic speaker and has a tremendous knack for making ideas come to life in an easily digestible way. He has been walking the walk longer than anyone.”

Gary Leih, Ogilvy Group Chairman

WATCH ME HERE

When you get done watching that check her out at TED. If you liked last Saturday’s TED you will really like this.

(from TED)

Since she stepped back from practicing architecture in order to focus on writing about design, teaching and curating gallery exhibitions, Italian native Paola Antonelli has become a force to be reckoned with in the design world. Working at the Museum of Modern Art in New York since 1994, she now heads up the gallery’s Architecture and Design department and has worked on shows such as “Humble Masterpieces,” which celebrated traditionally unheralded design icons such as the paperclip; “Safe,” considering issues of protection, and “Workspheres,” a look at contemporary workplace design.

Ever mindful that the majority of visitors to MOMA are attracted by artists such as Picasso and Matisse, Antonelli works to ensure that if they do stumble across a design-related show, they’ll be both entertained and enlightened. Her latest book is Exit to Tomorrow: World’s Fair Architecture, Design, Fashion 1933-2005.

When I was in school I wasn’t good at math (I still can’t make change), english (grammar) was sub par and I never felt in the right place. I wish I had believed that you could make a living creating stuff. Just making stuff up. I have a lot a friends that I would say are in the same boat and some that are the best of both worlds.  My friends know who I’m talking about. But are our talents worth anything in this society. I’m glad I work at a place where its pretty high on the priority list.  That brings me to what you will see on this nice Sunday morning.  TED is a pretty cool conference or at least has some visionary speakers that make it worth poking around their site. Meet Ken Robinson. He is talking to me. I hope that I can see what are in my children before the world tells them its a hobby.

(excerpt from TED bio)
Creativity expert Sir Ken Robinson challenges the way we’re educating our children. He champions a radical rethink of our school systems, to cultivate creativity and acknowledge multiple types of intelligence.
Why you should listen to him:

Why don’t we get the best out of people? Sir Ken Robinson argues that it’s because we’ve been educated to become good workers, rather than creative thinkers. Students with restless minds and bodies — far from being cultivated for their energy and curiosity — are ignored or even stigmatized, with terrible consequences. “We are educating people out of their creativity,” Robinson says. It’s a message with deep resonance. Robinson’s TEDTalk has been distributed widely around the Web since its release in June 2006. The most popular words framing blog posts on his talk? “Everyone should watch this.”

A visionary cultural leader, Sir Ken led the British government’s 1998 advisory committee on creative and cultural education, a massive inquiry into the significance of creativity in the educational system and the economy, and was knighted in 2003 for his achievements. His latest book, The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything, a deep look at human creativity and education, was published in January 2009.

“Ken’s vision and expertise is sought by public and commercial organizations throughout the world.”