“Spark some new considering.”
That was Dave’s ask.
Dave is an efficient pal of mine and the CMO of a start-up.
He was doing an offsite final week and requested me to be the keynote speaker.
This offsite comprised his entire firm and he wished to encourage them to assume extra creatively.
Dave’s a former advert man, so he loves promoting tales, however he jogged my memory that this was the entire firm. Advertising and marketing of us, certain. But additionally finance, product growth, manufacturing and gross sales.
A various viewers that each one wanted to depart the offsite impressed to do their jobs extra creatively.
This received me eager about considering. Not in an summary method, though I do love and admire the work of somebody like Edward de Bono and his lateral considering idea.
No, this received me eager about tales about considering. What I name “Pondering Tales.”
I collected 10. I introduced 5. I’ll talk about three of them, briefly, right here with you.
The primary story is the Fosbury Flop. I first heard this story of defying conference from the “Father of Disruption” himself, Jean-Marie Dru.
Within the shortest of strokes, Dick Fosbury, a monitor and subject athlete, noticed everybody doing the excessive leap a method — forwards. He discovered that you can get extra peak by going over backwards.
Fosbury’s revolutionary methodology labored so properly, it not solely earned him Gold on the 1968 Mexico Metropolis Olympics, it modified the game endlessly.
The brand new considering: See what everybody else is doing and check out the other. It simply may get you quantum ends in an incremental world.
The subsequent two tales have been examples I learn from legendary inventive director Dave Trott.
One story was what I referred to as “Airplane Information.” That is the story of Alexander Wald, the mathematician who saved lives in World Conflict 2. Once more, briefly strokes, there was information from returning US Air Power fight planes. The info appeared clear: the place there have been bullet holes there needs to be re-enforcement.
What’s the information NOT exhibiting you?
However Wald checked out this example otherwise. He knew this answer wouldn’t fly — actually. So he checked out what the information didn’t present. And concluded, appropriately, that the re-enforcement needs to be positioned the place there weren’t bullet holes.
This motion would improve the percentages of planes and pilots returning.
The brand new considering: What’s the information NOT exhibiting you?
The final story I’ll share right here was one other good one from Trott, bolstered by the guide Shoe Canine and the movie Air.
It’s the Nike and Michael Jordan story.
Once more, within the shortest of strokes, how can a David beat Goliaths?
On this case, how might Nike signal Jordan over then-giants adidas and Converse?
The answer was a mixture of product, advertising and artistic financing.
Once more, brief strokes: Nike recognized Michael Jordan as the proper embodiment and endorser of their then-fledgling basketball model.
To thwart Converse and entice adidas-devotee Jordan to come back signal with Nike, they did some unconventional issues.
First, Nike created a colourful, disruptive shoe. This shoe was custom- made for Michael. (Not an current shoe that he would simply step into and endorse.)
Nike additionally agreed to pay the NBA fines as this shoe violated the league’s design guidelines. (This controversial transfer can be the advert marketing campaign with out adverts — the NBA would present and discuss concerning the sneakers on their programming — just about on each single televised recreation!)
Final bit: they gave their “movie star endorser” fairness in Nike. Certainly, Jordan and his household would earn cash from each sale of each shoe — they usually nonetheless do.
This type of inventive endorser-financing isn’t even executed this a lot to this present day.
The brand new considering: What rule are you able to break — at a calculated value? What guidelines can you alter to make them work in your favor?
This entire challenge was actually useful for me — and one thing I can impart to you. Particularly, begin accumulating “Pondering Tales.”
As a result of if you get caught on an project you’ll be able to ask your self issues like: “What’s the Flop right here?” Or “What’s the information NOT exhibiting?” Or “Okay, right here’s Goliath…the place’s our slingshot? What are our stones?”
P.S. Right here’s an inventory and hyperlinks to different “Pondering Tales” I collected for this challenge that simply may assist you to.
The Zebra Boat
Blue Pee
The 5 Whys of Toyota
The Russian Area Pencil
The Janitor From NASA
The West Coast Offense
Promote Me This Pen
Rob Schwartz is the Chair of the TBWA New York Group and an govt coach who channels his creativity, expertise and knowledge into serving to others get the place they need to be. This was initially posted on his Substack, RobSchwartzHelps, the place he covers work, life, and creativity.
Banner picture courtesy of writer (created on Midjourney).
