​CULTIVATING CREATIVITY: The skill of the future

By Eliana Barriga
Publisher and Managing Editor for The Retail Observer

---

Eliana Barriga

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

---