Creative Edge E-ZINE
Issue: October 2009
From your creativity coach What if having creative edge was not just about what you need to do, but about who you need to be?
8 mistakes clients make that the agency is afraid to tell them I’m totally loving having created this role in our industry! I can objectively and effectively impact on the creative results without fear of losing a client or being be so engrained in the agency or company politics to hold back saying how it really is. Be warned: saying nothing is the same as condoning that behaviour. Get brave, or get me in. For 8 of those big things you’d love to say to your client and fear you’ll create waves by saying it go to www.creativitycoach.com.au
THIS MONTH: LANGUAGE Hi everyone! It has occurred to me how unaware so many of us are of our language and the impact it has on others. Think about the simple word ‘but’ for a minute. Listen for how often you use it yourself. See how it negates everything you say that precedes it. It’s so commonly used between creatives and clients, directors and creatives, producers and suits, and so on, as we’re in such a collaborative environment. My challenge to everyone is to make a stance and ban that word from your vocabulary and see what improvement it makes in your communications. Instead, use a pause or replace it with the word ‘and’. If you’re going to use the word ‘but’ use it intentionally knowing the consequences of it and not just letting it slip in where it has such a negative impact on others around you. That leads me to another point. Are you all giving feedback in a productive and respectful way all round? Have you heard of the feedback sandwich? 1. Give something specific that you like, 2. Give some constructive & specific feedback 3. Follow up with something overall that’s good. Combine this all together and you have a respectful way to give feedback. For example, we might currently say ‘Thanks for all the work you’ve done with the treatment but it isn’t right’. All we hear is ‘It isn’t right’! However, if we say ‘I like the graphic treatment and the way it works with the emotion of the concept. The positioning is not quite where it needs to be I feel. It’s great how you turned it around so fast though, thanks’. How much nicer our world would be by these small adjustments in our language. Let me know how this small change in language works for you. I’d love to hear from more of you as to what you want to hear. I have months of material to share and would love it to be as relevant to you as possible.
Anne Miles Creativity Coach Magnetic Inspiration P/L www.creativitycoach.com.au
Issue #:October Issue: [Date] 2009
THIS MONTH: Dolor LANGUAGE Sit Amet
Leadership Bouncing Back and Creativity A common question I’ve been asked is ‘Got any good tips on getting a job?’ Sadly, retrenchments are common in our business when an account moves. Here are my top 10 ideas on what to do: 1. Accept that it’s the way of our business and is not a reflection on you, nor do others see it as a reflection on you 2. Realise that the decision to let you go is really difficult for managers to make and they often have to put numbers and business factors ahead of what they think of you personally 3. Like with any transformation there is often a challenge to face in order to get to the next level. See this difficulty as the start of something more wonderful for you on the other side 4. Keep in touch with everyone and be visible. Word of mouth is one of the most likely ways you’ll find a new job in our industry as a lot are not advertised 5. Remember that just because someone may not have a job right now doesn’t mean that they wont in the near future. Keep in touch regardless. 6. Treat your job search as a full time job. Do what it takes each day to be in touch with people, update your profile on Linked In, Facebook, Twitter, search the job sites, do the CV 7. Check out Portfolio & Reel, Screen Hub, Adnews Jobs, and Grapevine 8. Lose the negative or doom and gloom attitude. Positivity attracts what you want. 9. Ignore the unemployment data. When you buy a new car all you see on the road are cars the same as yours. Look for the job opportunities instead. What you see is what you get. 10. Diversify your search. There may be a field slightly left of centre where your skills are relevant. You may also move from being a small fish in a big pond to a big fish in a smaller pond.
Language and your state of mind Because our language reflects our state of mind that means we also have the potential to let our language affect our state of mind. Consider all your language carefully and see what language you’re using that creates the state you’re in. For example, do you complain and whine about your situation just to find that your situation just gets worse and worse? Instead try changing what you have to say about your life and notice the improvements that come your way. What language do you use when you are: •
Stressed
•
Certain
•
Disconnected
•
Judging
•
Accepting
•
Disempowered
•
Empowered
•
Inspired
You may not feel aligned with what you say in the beginning however I promise that eventually it catches up! This also applies to our physiology. If we slouch and stoop when we’re feeling down, simply sit upright and force your body to act like it would when you feel great – If you treat your body like you are inspired and happy then your mind is fooled into thinking that you feel great, and you do.
Job Search
Whole Brain Functioning Lesser known places to look for jobs:
To activate your expanded awareness and therefore your creativity stare at a spot across the room slightly above eye line for about 60 seconds. It’s a great method for easier learning and for taking in a detailed brief too.
• • • • • •
Screen Hub Adnews Jobs Portfolio & Reel Jobs Grapevine Jobs Elance Rentacoder 2
Issue [Date] 2009 Issue:#:October
Dolor Sit Amet THIS MONTH: LANGUAGE
Marketing Brain functioning is an interesting area and it is really valuable for us to know why we do what we do, why we buy what we buy. For a simple explanation and introduction to somatic markers see Ashton Bishop’s You Tube channel below. It also shows the value of product placement to enhance advertising effectiveness. http://www.youtube.com/downtobis#p/u/1/SlFYnKFJM6Q
Personal Best Resolving conflicts is often a challenge for us emotionally. Here are some tips on resolving issues in the office: 1. Don’t just assume it will go away. If you do and it comes back it will come back more intense than before, getting progressively more intense each time. 2. If you’re really emotionally charged up about it calm down and come back to it when you’re feeling more rational 3. See it from their perspective and look for how they may have come to their point of view 4. Believe that even the most narcissistic behaviour is the likely to be the best that the other person can muster up in that moment even if they know how to behave better at other times 5. Come back to discuss it with the resolution in mind 6. Bring an open mind to the conversation and not just a solution that you’re fixed on 7. Involve a third party where possible, or put a set of rules or processes between you to disarm the one to one issues 8. If conflict still comes up in the future look for the processes or a new set of rules that can be established between you so that you both are clear on how to go forward in the future (remember that a lot of conflict comes when rules are not clear. Rules do not arbitrarily affect creativity so get over the word ‘rules’!) 9. Acknowledge improvement 10. Forgive yourself for getting emotional and forgive others
Hot Tip Squeeze a stress ball in your left hand for 60 seconds to activate your right brain functioning for creativity.
Self Centred The only value of communication is the response you get.
Software Solutions Great software solutions for creatives http://www.fuelyourcreativity.co m/free-and-open-source-crossplatform-solutions-forfreelancers/ It’s also a regular site to get new creative inspiration from so subscribe while you’re there!
Life Purpose There are many views on the elusive question ‘What’s the purpose of life’ and I thought I would share a couple of thoughts. Some say it’s to: 1. Have Fun 2. Serve Others 3. Learn Are you on purpose?
Events of interest: Achieve Results 2010 – Nov 25th http://www.michellebowden.com.au/ main/page_products_achieve_results_ mb.html Thought Leaders Conference: - Dec 10th & 11th http://thoughtleaders.com.au/confere nce 3
Issue #: September [Date] Issue: 2009
Dolor Sit Amet THIS MONTH: BRAIN FUNCTIONING FOR RELEVANCE
What’s Hot?
Concept Feedback http://www.conceptfeedback.com What a great environment for folio critique. Not sure that it works for confidential current concept work though! However, it seems a great resource to get professional feedback, perhaps even make some contacts, or to spy on who’s hot out there. The more you contribute and the more you critique others affects your online reputation at www.conceptfeedback.com
Sad State 16% of clients and creatives say that they are happy with their creative product. That means that 84% are not! Because creatives are quite capable of producing great creative work that means something is going amiss in the processes and the way that agencies and clients work together. What are you going to do differently that will change that result? * Survey by Nigel Collin 2009
Housework Feedback and Contributions welcome! Anne Miles can be contacted at anne@magneticinspiration.com.au or on the mobile 0411 102 401. Feel free to offer articles, tips, comment, feedback or ask questions. Let me know what you want to hear. If you don’t want new ideas to help your creativity unsubscribe by replying to this email and write unsubscribe in the subject line. For those that receive a hard copy and want to save trees subscribe at www.creativitycoach.com.au or email me to ask me to stop sending it. www.creativitycoach.com.au
Client Wrangling Three things you can do to improve your client relationship today: 1. Ask them powerful questions to understand why they act the way they do or say what they do 2. Use the ‘feedback sandwich’ 3. Build rapport and connect on an unconscious level For a workshop on understanding clients better call me on 0411 102 401