Why is Creativity Dying in School Systems?

The other day I came across a TED.com talk that I had listened to over the summer. It is a profound talk on the education system and creativity. If you have not heard it, definitely look up Sir Ken Robinson says schools kill creativity. It has some powerful ideas on our education system. The first time I heard his talk this quote stood out and as I listened to the speech a second time, the same quote rang throughout my mind the rest of the day:

"If you're not prepared to be wrong, you'll never come up with anything original."

Creativity is dying in our school systems because from the time we're born we are pushed to always be right. School systems are based around the principle of answering questions correctly.

What if school was based around answering the questions wrong? What if school was based around learning from failures and improving our ideas and answers? We are taught to memorize the "correct" answer and regurgitate the answer when asked. Creativity is dying because we need to instead learn how to be wrong. We need to instead learn how to correct. We need to instead learn how to do things differently.

Sir Ken Robinson defines creativity as, "original ideas that have value." A "correct" answer holds no value. An "incorrect" answer holds endless possibilities and value by providing the chance to learn and be a free-thinker.

What Will Stick out About you to Others?

We've all heard the expression, "Actions speak louder than words." What in your actions is it that really sticks out, though? What will everyone always notice about you?

 When you keep to your word. Better yet, they will always notice when you do not. Whether in your business or personal life, people will remember you for the promises you don't keep over the promises you do. Customers who have an amazing experience with a company that keeps all its promises and guarantees might tell a couple people how good the experience, but if the company by chance messes up and that same customer has a negative experience, they will tell on average up to 9-10 people.

Just as in the business world, a negative reaction with your own personal brand will leave a taste much worse than any sweet taste a positive experience would leave. Many times we make empty promises not worrying about whether or not we can keep them. We do not think about the impact that making fruitless commitments has on our image and brand, but remember next time you promise something you know you will not keep. Make commitments you can keep and will leave a positive impact on your personal brand. People will remember you by the commitments you keep and the promises you do not break.

Tim Tebow Does It Again

I'm not much of a fan of the gunslinging, quick-moving Tim Tebow, but I will admit, he does know how to brand himself and get attention.

Tebow set a record for "inspiring the most tweets per second" at 9,420 tweets a second about Tebow after winning in overtime against the Steeler's last night - a record that was formerly held by Beyonce at 8,868 tweets per second after announcing her pregnancy. This is only the beginning of the social revolution. Records will continue to be broken and more and more tweets will be sent every second. It is amazing to think about the magnitude social media has come to have in society and I for one don't think it is anywhere near peaking or slowing down. Just read a single chapter from Erik Qualman's outstanding book, Socialnomics. You'll be astounded.

Congratulations, Tim Tebow.  You have done it again. You have somehow found a way to attract my attention to you even without your overplayed football skills in my opinion.

Make 2012 "Different"

Well, it's the new year. Make 2012 different.

Do something you wouldn't have done before.
Be somebody you've always wanted to be but thought you never could.
Build something.
Start something.
Actually finish it.
Do what you said you were going to do last year.
Influence somebody .
Do something for someone you've never met before.
Give more this year to charities.
Keep to your word.
Build your market share.
Make a resolution and actually keep to it.

We say we'll make it a new year, but we never follow through. Actually follow through. Man up and do things differently. One thing that will always stick out to every customer, business, friend, or mentor? When you stick to your word.

 

Stop Focusing on the Product, Focus on the Customer Solution

In the 1990’s Robert Lauterborn started to introduce a revolution to the infamous 4 P’s of Marketing, instead focusing on the customer as the base of this marketing pyramid.  One key element was instead of focusing on the product and development of a product that will sell, he said to focus on the customer’s need and fitting the solution to that need.

In reality, this is how all businesses start.  Somebody sees a need that either a wide group or a select niche group of people have, and they decide to solve that need.  Somewhere along the line in there, though, we get off focus and get tunnel vision on fixing our product, improving it, selling the product, and making it the best and with the cheapest production.  We lose sight of the customer.

Instead we need to refocus on the customer and how to meet him or her where they are at and satisfy that need that brought them to your product or service in the first place.  The bells and whistles are superficial sellers of the product, but it’s the customer solution that is the deeper,

Sometimes we have to let go of our baby “product” and let the market and consumers have control of it’s direction.  Yes, you no longer will be the father and creator of your product or service, and you may not even be as keen to the evolved product, but are you selling to yourself or to the market?  Apple is one great example of this as they are always coming out with the newest solution to customers’ needs before they even realize they had that need or desire.