Creativity through connections

This is an amazing dedication to creatively using what already exists!  There should be no downturn or layoffs or bankruptcy if we could get half as much creativity into the business world!

www.thru-you.com/

Think about it - share it - do it!  How could we apply the principle in business? In education?  In government?  International trade?  How about putting an end to poverty?  Is there anyone or any organisation who WOULDN'T be better off if they could make connections, synthesise like this?  Love to hear your thoughts...

Ken

Lovely quote from Phil McCreight via twitter...

He that will not apply new remedies must expect new evils; for time is the greatest innovator. ~Francis Bacon, "On Innovation," Essays

Sky Business News

Well, my first live TV appearance!  A little scary sitting in the tiny remote studio in Melbourne with the host and main studio in Sydney.  All I could see was me on the monitor and the TV camera in front...  No picture of the host and interviewer so absolutely no body language cues - bit like speaking on the phone to a stranger.  

But it seemed to go well I think.  And Sally was happy too!

Who is Sally I hear you ask?  Sally Urquhart is the CEO of littleBIG Marketing and PR, a boutique agency based in Melbourne.  So if anyone is looking for an amazingly brilliant PR person, give Sally a call or send an email to sally@littlebigmarketing.com

The main point of the conversation on Sky Business was how could Productive Thinking provide a potential upside in the downturn.  Sky Business have a segment called 'upside' on their morning show everyday.   We focused on how PT provides a better understanding of exactly what is going on and what the future could possibly look like BEFORE we start looking for solutions.  Rather than look for the 'one right answer' we need to open up and widen the search for what's REALLY going on.  I suggested that asking the guy in the warehouse and the waiter and the shop assistant was going to provide more immediate feedback than waiting for the financial analysis!

The warehouse guy knows he hasn't despatched much in the past two days, the waiter knows how many covers have been served and the shop assistant knows right there and then how many people have been into the shop and what the customer thinks of the goods.  The key role for the CEO should be to get up and go look.  The principle from there was to teach everyone some productive thinking skills before you needed to lay them off.  If the learn to think, discover new and better ways of doing business and making customers deliriously happy - maybe you won't need to lay them off at all?

How is it possible that organisations can go into receivership with the entire staff made redundant, with it all coming as a surprise to the staff, the distributors knowing nothing about it, the franchisees not being aware of a problem, and customers paying deposits on goods THE DAY BEFORE the company went down?  Why didn't they know?  And why were they not involved in looking for potential solutions?  What if they had productive thinking skills?  What if they had seen the early warning signs a year ago?  What if they had changed the way they do business?  What if they had halved costs?  What if they sold twice as much?

Wishful thinking?  Maybe, but we'll never know...

What we do know is that staff, distributors and franchisees were clearly not involved, they were not asked to think, and they are now all out of a job in the middle of a recession.  Let's hope they soon find a progressive employer.  Good luck to all concerned.

Just a thought - look forward to comments!

Have a fun day

Ken

Sky Business News

Sky Business News have confirmed a spot on their 'Upside' segment for 9.45 am tomorrow, 15 April, Aussie Eastern time.  Looks like all their interview segments are about 4-5 minutes...  The focus should be on Productive Thinking, what are the barriers and why we need it - how much can you say in 5 minutes?  Another new experience though - wonder what I'll be saying about it after the event?

The heading on this new blog was designed by Brendan. You can see more of what he does at  www.businessbrainstorming.com.au

He’s also put together our website, twitter page, Ning site thinkingnetwork.ning.com and linked them all to our new website at www.thinkingnetwork.com.au

That should go up at the weekend hopefully and then - off we go.  Blogging, webbing and twittering all over the place!

This is our brand new blog about thinking and why we need to think more, and worry about knowing stuff a lot less!  You can share knowing easily.  If I tell you everything I know I still know it!  But if we get together to THINK…

Wow!  That’s when we make a big difference to ourselves, our loved ones and hopefully if enough people start thinking - to the World!

As I learn the technology (knowing things!) I’m hoping to keep posting some bits and pieces that will help the thinking process.  

Where does play fit in?  Well…

If you’re playing you’re more likely to be thinking.  And much less likely to be worrying.  Some come play and think! 

Simple thinking test

That's right - the idea is to see if you are a simple thinker...

Good luck - and no cheating!

OK. Pay close attention. Here is a very simple little test comprised of four easy question to determine the level of your intellect. See if you have what it takes to be considered smart.

Your replies must be spontaneous and immediate, with no deliberating or wasting of time . and PLEASE no cheating!

On your mark, get set, GO!

1: You are competing in a race and overtake the runner in second place.
In which position are you now?

Answer: If you answered that you're now in first,
you're wrong!

You overtook the second runner and took his place, therefore you are now in second place.

For the next question please really concentrate...

2: If you overtake the last runner, what position are you now in?

Answer: If you answered second to last, you are wrong once again.

Think about it...
How can you overtake the person who is last? If you're behind them, they can't be last.You would have been last.

It would appear that your thinking is not at its best today.
Anyway, here's another question to try. Don't take any notes or use a calculator, and remember, your replies must be instantaneous.



3: Take 1000. Add 40. Add another 1000.
Add 30. 1000 again. Plus 20.
Plus 1000. And plus 10.
What is the total?


Answer: 5000?
Wrong again!



The correct answer is 4100.
Try again with good calculator.



OK - So maybe today is perhaps not your day, although you should manage to get the last question right...



4: Marie's father has five daughters:
1. Chacha
2. Cheche
3. Chichi
4. Chocho
5. ?

Question: What is the fifth daughter's name?
Think quickly... you'll find the answer below..







Answer: Chuchu?
WRONG!

It's obviously Marie!
Read the question properly.




You are clearly the weakest link.
Now challenge your friends!

Experimenting with photos...

The dogs - Georgie (left) and Murphy are anticipating a cold winter here in Melbourne.  Not that it ever gets that cold I guess...

Still paying with blogger - like the templates better than tumblrrrrr methinks?

Experimenting

This is a continuing experiment - a try at tumblr followed by this one - let's see how we go!  Ken