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~ Outrageously and Playfully February 4th, 2004
Unlocking Potential and Possibilities In You,
Written by Wendy Hearn, Coach I've had a great week with a couple of exciting things happening. First, my baby is ready to go out into the world. What am I talking about? Well, some week's back I wrote that I'd been inspired to write an ebook about marketing. I often get asked for tips and ideas about how to get more clients and make your marketing work better. The ebook is now completed and ready to be let loose. "Marketing Your Business Effectively" - A Quick and Simple Guide to Taking Charge Of Your Marketing. Download your copy at http://tinyurl.com/2odbz I have a request for you and that is to think of whom you know that wants to market effectively, and tell them about my ebook. Would you be willing to do this for me? I appreciate your recommendations. I spent the weekend in London with a great friend who is also a coach, and was working with a large group of senior marketing executives around being more creative and innovative. It was great fun, extremely interesting and a great reminder how important the creative process is if you want to stay ahead of the game. In the normal day to day routine it's too easy to get caught up and not allow the space required for creativity. Yet it's essential in business today. So, this weeks article is about creativity. Although the article is written about companies, as an individual it's just as relevant, whether you're looking for a new job, relationship or changing your life.
You're a creative being, now tap into it!
What does cultivating creativity add to the workplace and your business? The benefits are huge but are often underestimated by most people. Companies who wish to progress quickly and stay ahead need to stimulate creativity and learning among their employees. This goes beyond just being a desirable thing to do; it's imperative to the success of your business. "In a two-year study for the Economic and Social Research Council, Professor Richard Scase of Kent University concluded that straitjacketed management attitudes were 'the major barrier to Britain becoming a high-performing creative economy'. Corporate Britain is still in the grip of low-trust, low-commitment, command-and-control management styles that kill innovation and creativity, says Scase" - Management Today, November, 2000. Lack of creativity costs companies their leading place in the market. It inhibits invention and innovation, which form the backbone of a thriving business. Companies which fail to develop a culture of creativity will soon find themselves left behind. People now realise that working for a company which cultivates creativity is much more rewarding and as employees are becoming more discerning in their choice of employers, this may be one factor they insist upon. Cultivating an environment of creativity allows you to get more out of your employees, instead of stifling their ideas or vision for the company. Creativity encourages them to ask questions and give feedback on how things can be improved or changed. It develops their desire for improvement and their risk-taking ability. It enables employees to enjoy the process and be rewarded for their efforts. Creativity engenders new ideas, which lead to innovation. The critical part is to put these ideas into action. Coaching cultivates creativity and encourages people to act. It stretches employees to go beyond their usual way of going things, preventing them from becoming stuck in a rut. In today's economy it isn't enough to say you believe in creativity; you must prove it by putting it into practice. Benefits for the company:
When creativity is lacking in a company, the inevitable
consequence is that employees rely on management for
continuous direction and do not benefit from a structured
system of feedback. Possibly there are no regular staff
meetings to allow for sharing of ideas, or perhaps
management don't use coaches to encourage their employees
to reach their full potential.
Companies which don't encourage creativity are often
unaware of what this is costing them. They may have no
vision, mission or purpose which are well communicated to
all their employees. Perhaps you've always operated your
company this way, so you feel there's no need to change.
However, the world economy is changing rapidly and you
need to either keep up with this or get ahead of the game.
A look at the chain of communication in a company gives a
good idea of its creativity level. A structured system of
feedback is necessary to implement ideas fully. Remember
some of the best ideas, even money-savers, originate at
the foot of the ladder.
What can companies do to cultivate creativity? A
combination of things are needed. Time and space to
develop ideas, a structure for those ideas to be acted
upon, full two-way communication throughout the company,
regular meetings, employees being heard, coaching for
individual employees, teams and management. Creativity,
like coaching, is a springboard for action and this is
where the real results lie, not just by talking.
What is a lack of creativity costing you?
In what way would you benefit from stimulating creativity?
Find out how a coach can help you be more creative and innovative.
Enquire here
If you hear yourself saying any of these, then I've written this ebook especially for you. I'm asked by many business owners how they can gain clients quickly for their service-based businesses. They're either just starting their business and don't know how to market themselves and their services, or if they have an existing business, they may have done some marketing but find it a real struggle and lots of hard work. The struggle comes from not personally enjoying the marketing or because they're not getting the results they want, i.e., a stream of new clients.
Find out more by visiting http://tinyurl.com/2odbz
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Midsummer Court, 314 Midsummer Boulevard, Central Milton Keynes, MK9 2UB United Kingdom
Phone UK 01908 357899 Fax 01908 357898
Email Wendy at wendy@Business-Personal-Coaching.com