Episode A.036 Being Creative Instead of Reactive

Introduction
Even though the new quarter doesn't start until Wednesday, we are jumping into it with both feet. BTW - that is also the theme for July - Being Agile. Two quick reasons for this theme now. First is we are in new territory when it comes to the economy, social factors, government action and how it is affecting our ability to run a profitable business. The second is how it matches with our previous emphasis around building a "Lean Organization'. The difference is simple - Agile is a mindset that uses the principles of Lean to succeed in unstable times.
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Show Objectives
Being creative is not an effect, it is a cause based on how an owner runs their business. This show will cover how you build an agile operation that moves from reacting to events to creating the new reality.​

• How do we tap all of the intelligence and creative energy of our team members (or me)?
• How do I reach critical mass and use that to accelerate success?
• Rethinking your business strategy - why compete when you can own a niche?

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​What You Need to Know
Clarity of direction with the ability to adapt and change as the rate of success accelerates. Here are the 3 common characteristics of successful Agile businesses: 

1. Focus: a clear 'blue ocean' strategy for the business to monopolize a market niche;
2. Flexibility: organizational competence and skill mastery of individuals and teams to adapt to constantly changing conditions;
3. Velocity: leverage of resources to accelerate growth from monopolizing a niche to a market.

The issue with being creative instead of just or always being reactive happens in all three elements. An unimaginative strategy filled with bigger and better competitors cannot be achieved without an extensive time investment. Providing solutions that resemble everybody else leads to commoditizing of your offer and makes price the only distinguishing factor.  If the first 2 statements are true and there are no resources left to accelerate growth, that's OK because there is no growth to accelerate.

​What You Need to Do
Focus

• Select a small niche of a greater market, a place where you have the ability to provide an offer that is without or has little competition;
• Make sure the niche has potential for growth and the customers have the financial ability to purchase and are buying in the near future;
• Understand you are a disruptor and there is an initial ante for the role: conviction of success, compete aggressively, and challenge convention.

Flexibility

• Build a platform that allows you to scale that as the autonomation effect, access and quick assembly of ideas to a completed project or product;
• Invest in skill mastery - both for a position and process as well as functioning in a project team - the game is won or lost on HOW.

Velocity

• Quick project cycles - sprints - cut down projects into very short time spans with simpler tasks;
• Expand the parts bin by adding new information, insights, and tools;
• Invest in tools that make team members smarter or make it easier to work better/faster.

Next Show: A.037 Innovation from Teams