Week of August 10, 2009

Hey everyone, here we go. . . . . .

 

IN OUR WORLD

 

Just one of those fantastic weeks that comes along every once in a while!

 

Spent the early part of the week in New York, getting valuable face time with the team as we plan a huge company-wide leadership initiative.  When looking to create impact NOTHING is more valuable than face time.  The interaction and exchange of ideas can not be duplicated by conference calls or even video conferences.  Think about it in terms of sales.  Great relationships are created in time together.

 

We also had time with the entire NY office to continue a sales initiative that was recently launched. 

 

Fantastic Italian and then Sushi!  WOW!

 

Thursday I was honored to get to present my Repeatable Successful Acts sales platform at the new Cowboys Stadium (  http://stadium.dallascowboys.com/ ).  I had top financial advisors as the audience.  What a spectacular venue and a truly memorable experience.

 

I am getting ready to head out to Atlanta to teach Interpersonal Communications.

 

The next three months are a blur of high level activity!

 

If you missed it, here is our August newsletter:  http://www.creativeventures.com/Newsletter/200908.html

 

 

Enter the Wine Label Contest!  Simply send me a digital photo of your most creative wine label to win.

 

 

 

 

 

HEY, YOU CAN FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER –CREATIVEVENTURE

 

AND ON FACEBOOK – STEPHEN HARVILL!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW

I was recently in a client’s office where I asked to use a whiteboard or a flipchart.  They brought me a flipchart and as I looked at the pages that had been turned over I realized they were MY notes and drawings from the previous time I had been there!  They had not used the flipchart ONCE!

The idea of visualizing problems as well as projects is a critical step in finding solutions and opportunities.  I was stunned to see no one was “seeing” their journey.  Here are a few hints in the use of whiteboards and flipcharts:

• Start writing and drawing at the very beginning of the meeting.  You don’t have to be Picasso, but you will find a visual connection is a strong lead in to your creative process.
• Don’t think of it as sketching, but instead as visual note taking.
• Messy is OK.  It is all about seeing the issues.
•   When something goes on the board that you don’t agree with or understand ask for clarification right away.  This mitigates confusion.
• Number and label the pages so you can create the journey of the issue.
• Hang completed sheets on the wall using masking tape so everyone can continue being part of the visual journey.

 

Simple but powerful to connect the visual impact of problem solving.

 

 

 

 

 

ENTERTAINMENT

 

 

MOVIES:    District 9.  This movie was the buzz of ComicCon 2009!  Produced by Lord of the Rings Peter Jackson it should be a great Saturday afternoon ride!

 

NetFlix Fans:  The 9^th Gate:   Pretty good little Johnny Depp mystery.

 

TV:    It’s the last major of the year for golf with the PGA Championships as well as the big Rogers Cup Tennis Tournament in Montreal, so sports will dominate the weekend.  Our friends are back in town so I’m sure the Friday Night Monk Watching evening will follow the traditional Friday Night Mexican Feast! 

 

BOOKS:  The Female Brand   – By Kaputa:  An interesting book on the differentiation of gender branding.  It shows that the effort to define markets has strong returns.

 

MUSIC:   I am a huge O.A.R. fan and thought this gave a great feel for the impact they have live.  It’s a little long, but hey, its Friday so take a little music break!

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKo9Sj1Ndr8

 

WEB SITES:   OK you Mac users (like me), here is a new way to think about productivity.

 

 

http://minimalmac.com/  

 

 

SOUTH OF NORMAL

 

Read an incredible article about the strange phenomenon’s of the human mind and thought this is REALLY South of Normal.  These phenomenon’s of the brain can hit anyone and are basically unexplainable by existing science:

 

• De’ja’ Visite’:  This is when you have, for no known reason, an uncanny knowledge of a place which you have never visited.
• Jamais Vu:  When you look at something you absolutely know but you can not recognize.  To test this one, try writing the word “door” as often as you can in 60 seconds and somewhere in this process you will doubt that the word “door” is even a word.  That’s a small example.  It can hit big time where you look at a pencil and have no idea what it is.  It is short term but, as you might imagine, really freakin impactful!
• Capgras Delusion:  OK, this is really weird.  You SWEAR that someone you love has been replaced by an identical imposter.  This is more on the side of mental disorders, but according to the article can also hit anyone.

 

The brain is actually one of the great undiscovered territories!

 

 

 

We walked along lonely streets and got to know ourselves.

OAR

 

 

 

Drop me a note with your comments at steve@creativeventures.com

 

 

 

Thanks for stopping by and until next time, Adios and Aloha.