I loved the topic of Vital Germaine's new book, Imagination Will Take You Everywhere. In his book, Germaine describes how he, as a young acrobat, joined Canada’s renowned Cirque du Soleil, climbed a steep learning curve, and learned priceless secrets about releasing the power of creative imagination to solve problems quickly and efficiently. Today, Germaine teaches leaders to open their imagination and recognize fresh pathways to success. (See our review of his inspiring book on page 14.)

Germaine makes a very good point about using imagination to develop one's mindset in order to drive innovation for a competitive market edge. That concept was amplified for me after attending the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) here in Las Vegas. Talk about the hub of creativity... CES is where the ideas of the imagination meet creativity and manifest the future of technology and the world as we know it to be.

Imagination and creativity may be Job One for acrobats and artists – but do they work in the non-artistic fields? They most certainly do.

Consider former U.S. Navy Captain D. Michael Abrashoff. In is book, It’s Your Ship: Management Techniques from the Best Damn Ship in the Navy, he describes when the Navy gave him command of a troubled ship with bottom-scraping efficiency ratings.

When Abrashoff took over Benfold, most of the crew told him they couldn’t wait to leave the ship and get out of the Navy. Abrashoff decided to apply the leadership principles he’d learned during a stint as an aide to Secretary of Defense William J. Perry. He would put the crew’s welfare first.

Abrashoff talked with each of Benfold’s 310 crew members, and invited their suggestions – and implemented them, even if it meant bending the Navy’s rules. He respected them and tapped their creativity, imagination and enthusiasm.

Morale soared and success came quickly. How did Abrashoff turn his ship around? By releasing the creative enthusiasm of the individual.

The answers you need are there. Do your research, then let the ideas incubate. Finally, go for a walk and let fresh insights bubble up from the creative recesses of your heart and mind.

Time to create and inspire-
Eliana Barriga
eliana@retailobserver.com

​By Eliana Barriga
Publisher and Managing Editor for The Retail Observer

Last week I witnessed a deeply moving event at a women’s business conference in New York City. At one point, the leaders invited women to come onstage and share their experiences overcoming obstacles in their lives.

A woman came forward, visibly distraught, and bravely told her story of serious financial and personal challenges. It was moving to witness her vulnerability. Behind me, I heard a woman whisper to her seatmate, “We’ve got to do something. Let's raise some money for her–here, I’ll give $50.” Moved by her gesture, I turned and said, “I’m in–here’s $100.” Other women sitting nearby opened their hearts and wallets and soon we had $2,400.

I said, “Somebody should go to corporate and tell senior management what we’re doing.” One of the women said, “I’ll go.” Ten minutes later she returned, beaming, and said, “We did it! We’ve got $4,400.”

​I guess it would be reasonable to ask: “What does this story have to do with my success? I’ve earned whatever I have by my own hard work!”

Well, let's consider Joseph and JoAnn Callaway. In their book, Clients First: The Two-Word Miracle, they reveal how they built a hugely successful Phoenix, AZ real estate business by doing the unthinkable: they based every single business decision on the best interests of their clients, regardless of the inconvenience and expense to themselves. While countless other agents were biting the dust during the subprime mortgage debacle, the Callaways were thriving. They encapsulate their philosophy in three simple words: Honesty, Competence, and Caring.

Too often, when contemplating the next bold step to build our business, we look for formulas, hoping that by following the steps others have taken we’ll achieve the same results.

But this is a New Year—let’s honor the spirit as well as the letter of the law. Let’s remember a wise Chinese saying: “If you want happiness for an hour, take a nap. If you want happiness for a day, go fishing. If you want happiness for a year, inherit a fortune. If you want happiness for a lifetime, help somebody.”

To our shared success,
Eliana Barriga
eliana@retailobserver.com