The Value of Visual Thinking in Social Business

This excellent presentation by David Armano of the Dachis Group demonstrates visual thinking in action.
I think the most important slide is 55, but the sequence slides 16-19 especially slide 19 speaks volumes.

Enjoy.

The Value of Visual Thinking in Social Business

View more documents from David Armano.

The Postcard Project part deux!

The Postcard Project was launched and had it's first outing in Wexford as a drive for boosting morale and self esteem at the Wexford Opportunites Fair. I'd like to acknowlede Wexford County Council for funding the project.
Thanks to Edwina who got the ball rolling by being the first one to make a mark on her card!
So last Thursday morning I sat to write a note on the postcards a "thank you for participating" and a quote of some sort. As I go to write on the cards I am genueinely thankful for all who participated and am cautious that I do not want to write on their mark making. So I'll write on the edge...
A word on quotes I like aspirational and positive quotes they are like thoughts you borrow from others to garner you on you way. Not everyone likes them but I find them useful. I lived  this one for years
"Ships in harbours are safe but that's not what ships were built for". It used to live on a yellow post-it note on my computer in the old days of corporate warfare when my creative soul was crushed under the weight of office politics and bad management. It was followed by "If your ship does not come in, swim out to it". These days I don't live by one quote...
The quotes that appear below are from a variety of sources and my own collection over the years

I list them here because I think if your interested in quotes you might find it a useful resource.
Twitter: twitter.com/sahar1972

Twitter: twitter.com/AffirmYourLife

http://www.inspirational-quotes.info/

http://www.happypublishing.com/quotations.htm

http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/Quotes/ProvbsSayings.html

http://managersforum.com/Quotes/Quotes.htm

http://www.heartsandminds.org/quotes I had forgotten what a great site this is.

The quotes that were used in the project:

"We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are." Anais Nin

“Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, "I will try again tomorrow.” Mary Anne Radmacher

“Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage.” Anais Nin.

"Happiest are the people who give most happiness to others." Dennis Diderot

"Home is any four walls that enclose the right person." Helen Rowland

Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together ~ V. Van Gogh
Make voyages! Attempt them! There's nothing else. Tennessee Williams
“The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain.” Dolly Parton.
“Use your past successes as a trampoline, not an easy chair.” H Jackon Brown
"Everything is okay in the end, if it's not ok, then it's not the end." Unknown
A smile is a curve that sets everything straight. Anon
Now is the time. Needs are great, but your possibilities are greater. Bill Blackman
"To live happily is an inward power of the soul." Marcus Aurelius

The miracle is this – the more we share, the more we have. Leonard Nimoy, American actor, director and writer

"The soul becomes dyed with the colour of its thoughts." Marcus Aurelius

If your ship doesn't come in, swim out to it. Jonathan Winters

Trouble is only opportunity in work clothes. Henry J. Kaiser

A man's dreams are an index to his greatness. Zadok Rabinwitz

Your current safe boundaries were once unknown frontiers. Anon

“It takes both rain and sunshine to make a Rainbow.” Anon

People do not attract that which they want, but that which they are. James Allen

What are your favourite quotes? Are there quotes that hold special meaning for you... share your story and your quotes I'd love to hear about them.

Creativity for boosting morale and self esteem

I'm really excited I am getting to do a great project today and I really want to acknowledge Wexford County Councils Enterprise and Community Department for being open to ideas and funding this project today.

I do believe this story might inspire others to take action.

During the summer I worked with the Wexford County Council (Wexford CC) on a Community Play Day, I organised, project managed and participated in the community arts programme of what turned out to be a successful fun event much needed in the town.

Around that time one of my associates sent me ‘Focus on Gorey. Investigating the financial and non financial impact of unemployment post-Celtic Tiger’ and I requested the ‘Gorey Social Inclusion Strategy’. Reading the first was depressing and it urged me into action to do something. I had been following with interest initiatives like Starting today and the Dublin Job Club. I had discussed some ideas with Wexford Enterprise Board and the local Chamber of Commerce about doing a series of seminars about 'inspired business growth' more on that later.

Now I am a practical person and although I think the big picture I realise that sometimes it is about doing something small that will have a fundamental effect. The analogy of getting down on the floor and playing with kids comes to mind.

So at the end of August I emailed the Wexford CC and stated:
"I feel as an artist and with my business background (www.linkedin.com/in/roisinmarkham) I can offer something different and engaging to the community. If you are interested and have time for a coffee let me know perhaps we could bounce some ideas around. I am creative person with a strong practical streak that translates ideas into action effectively. I’d love an opportunity to utilise my skill set for the benefit of the local community."

The department of Enterprise and Community in Wexford CC have been doing out reach days for recently unemployed bringing the information to people. They invited me to do a proposal for the 16th of October, yep today!
Looking back through the emails I realise there was a lot of information going backwards and forwards and being really clear about who I was and what I could offer them.

So this is an extract fro the proposal I sent for the work I will be doing today:

Wexford County Council events aimed at the recently unemployed
Using creativity to boosting morale and self esteem

Introduction
To bring awareness to people who have been made recently unemployed that creativity has a feel good factor, a positive accessible activity that boost morale and self esteem. To be facilitated at a County Council event in Tesco supermarket on the 16th of October 2009. This is challenging as the environment not ideal and I estimate attention spans at 10 – 15 minutes. However life is not ideal and creativity can be done anywhere. I suggest that people need something to take away and/or they need a short quick activity to interact with. Based on that I have come up with a proposal that meets both of these criteria and a little bit extra.
Proposal
To engage people who have been made recently unemployed in the idea that creativity provides a feel good factor and is an accessible activity that can boost morale and self esteem.

• Engage people in a positive way by being friendly, open and encouraging
• A static presentation on what sort of creative things people can do, a booklist for reading, creative arts based activities around the county
• Invite people to self address a blank postcard and make a mark on the front, display a few basic ideas that can be used, display the postcard at the event
• After the event postcards are collected a hand written note is written on the back of each postcard thanking them for their participation, add a positive quote or "good luck in your future"

Aims

1. To introduce the idea of creativity
2. Demonstrate how creativity has a feel good factor, a positive, accessible activity to boost morale and self esteem
3. Encourage an exploration of creativity
4. Follow up to reinforce idea

How

Introduce the idea of creativity as a positive, accessible activity to boost morale and self esteem. Facilitate a simple interactive session to give a direct experience. Follow up this experience to add another dimension to the positive effects.

Then I went on to discuss in detail the how, outlined the budget and expected outcomes. The idea is simple and effective. I know it is effective because I use the technique as a follow up in my training sessions and I have had positive feedback on it. The budget for today is tiny. But I'm not letting it stop me although some of the embellishments have had to be shelved.

I see this project as scalable. If you or your organisation would like to fund the future development of this outreach idea I'm really interested to develop this project forward! I can be contacted at creativedynamix.1 [at] gmail.com. Obviously I will be in Wexford at Tesco today so I'll get back to you next week. If your down in the Sunny South East stop by and say hi!

If you or anyone you know has been made recently unemployed and would like a project to boost morale and self esteem for your area contact me.

What is creativity in the workplace? and how can it benefit my business...

Today and for the past week I've been contemplating creativity, in the workplace or any place. Success through innovation, creativity and action is the CreativeDynamix way.
How does creativity make you, your business your team more successful?

What is that? Creativity in the workplace. What does it look like?
Creativity in the workplace.... it looks like this

• a fresh approach
• a different way of doing things
• creating space for new ideas
• revitalising attitudes towards repetitive process into positive value
• develop innovation internally for your organisation and externally for your clients
• boost teams morale
• increase motivation and productivity

How does it work?

• clarify company objectives
• state that your business or team is open to new ideas
• hire a facilitator
• shift internal company dialogue from typical patterns
• move from problem solving to solution generation
• make space for ideas
• develop communication between internal teams
• value all input
• allow mistakes
• learn new techniques for creative thinking and business development
• include dynamic meeting devices
• move from idea generation to assessing ideas -> action
• plan for change, envisage it, adapt, reassess, adjust, continue

I work with teams, organisations and not for profit groups to facilitate creativity in the workplace. CreativeDynamix offers facilitation on solution generation, inward innovation, communication and company morale. I do this using business consultancy, incentive based training, the arts, my professional experience in assessing business and driving them forward, lateral thinking and communication.

Your business probably does not need help with boosting team morale or improving productivity, making meetings more dynamic and inward business development... but if it does my number is +353861546163.

Under the microscope 2...

The second part of the accelerated programme called 'Under the Microscope 2' is an introduction to the concepts of project management and strategic planning for Small Medium Enterprises (SME's) and new business start ups.
In particular covering

• moving from ideas into a planning phase,



• developing all aspects into a project plan,



• tracking, adjusting and managing the plan to reach milestones and deadlines.

Under the Microscope Session 1 was delivered two weeks prior you can find out more information and look at the precursor presentation here.

Everyone who attend the second session of the training had done something progressive and utilised the 'big audacious aim' to refocus their objectives, start a business plan or write an executive summary/vision document.
Its very important that when you are moving into a planning phase that you have a clear aim or business objective in mind. This helps focus your attention and sharpens your analytical skills.

If your are interested in any of the information in the training sessions or need a catalyst for your project contact me, Roisin 086.1546163 or creativedynamix.1[at]gmail. I offer consultancy, 1:1 or group facilitation and obviously training. I work in an open, active, way to help you define your success and show up for your end game. Optimise every opportunity you meet to reach your goals by having a plan and being focused. Plan for your success.

Here is the training presentation for the second session

CreativeDynamix Under The Microscope Session 2

View more presentations from Roisin Markham.

Make project planning relevant for your business. As an SME it is important to know your style of work, ask for help and support and be open to other ideas. You don't have to take them all on board but experiment till you find the one that suits you and is effective for your business.

Note: A project plan is a living document. You are only starting when you have a plan... It needs to be read, tracked, adjusted, updated. So I encourage you to get those ideas out of your head, make the list, plan, track deliverables, re-adjust; add - delete – update, track – meet deadlines - celebrate – continue!

Enjoy the adventure plan for success!

Under the microscope...

Under the microscope is a training session that the Wexford County Enterprise Board requested that I provide to their Women in Business Network. The concept was that often SME's get so busy doing the 'do' in business they forget about the 'Start your own business' training and about the business plan and just work on the day to day.Sound like you and your business? Well get in touch and lets organise some training or 1:1 consultancy; Roisin 086.1546163 or creativedynamix.1[at]gmail.
Ideally at the start of any business we have a ‘business plan’. It is a document that holds the seed idea, business model, market research, funding, marketing outline, projected sales and cash flow, planned outcome and vision for your new business. That’s the plan. You start your business and get so busy and invested in doing... Six months, one year, two years into the business – where is your business?
‘Under the microscope’ offers a toolbox of business skills to apply to your own business that will add structure, direction, focus and measurable value.
In an accelerated learning program Roisin Markham delivers key elements and core processes to facilitate your business objectives. Demonstrating how to access ideas, develop strategy and translate information into an action plan with measurable objectives. Delivering accessible tools and a transferable template to apply to your own business.

This blog is written for participants to review the training presentation in conjuction to a follow up email outlining suggested actions to be taken before the next training session on the 8th of October in Ennicorthy, with the Wexford County Enterprise Board.

Debunking myths about networking

Do you go to networking events hoping to make lucrative sales and attract new clients for your business? This is one of biggest myths around networking.

This focus on networking as a sales tool comes from not understanding networking or perhaps is based on the assumption that we know the rules when in fact no one has ever explained them.

Networking can be used as a marketing tool but should it ever be used as a sales tool? I recommend no, never use networking as a sales tool. Sales and networking are like oil and water they don’t mix.
Networking is simply about building relationships.
I hear “I gave away lots of business cards" "I got a significant amount of business cards” as a response to networking and inparticular speed networking. Your missing the point.
What do you do with business cards you get at networking events? What does anyone do wwit them?
It is the quality of connections we make at networking events rather then the quantity.

The biggest mistakes we make at networking:

• Cold hard sell
• Target marketing
• Talking at people
• Thinking someone is not worth while/senior enough or useful enough to talk to
• Not listening
• Not having a business card
• Flighty Networking - attending as many events as possible and pitching your business.
• Not following up
  

Do you have a networking strategy for your business or for yourself? Get one. Don't just attend events strategise, your time is vaulable make it work for you.

Rather than attending lots of events, analyse who will be at each one and decide if it is smart for you to invest your time and money to be there. When you make a commitment to attend a networking event if possible look at who is attending and identify who you would like to meet. Can you describe yourself and your business in a brief, interesting way? If not work on being able to say in a succinct way ie. 100 words = 3 sentences, what it is you do. If this is something you find hard to do enlist some help from someone in your network,

Focus on asking questions and really listening to what the person you are meeting says. Remember the old adage: Be Interested rather than Interesting.

Next post: RULES OF ENGAGMENT (not the Wedding type!)