A Christmas offer you can’t refuse
Let’s start the new year right!
Every week we publish a new article on business creativity and innovation. We covered topics like prototyping, evaluating ideas, Biomimicry and brainstorming. We also explained the importance of the ‘braindump’, the problem with isolated innovation departments and why you should sometimes break the rules.
We often base the subjects of these articles on questions we receive. For example, in previous posts we answered questions like ‘How do I make my company more creative?’, ‘Why do my brainstorms result in boring ideas?’ and ‘how do I get a firm support base for new ideas?’
To make sure our posts stay relevant to you, we want to ask you a very simple question:
What would you like us to write about?
The first 10 reactions will be rewarded with a special Christmas offer:
A 4-hour workshop on Business Creativity* for the ridiculous price of €49,95 (worth €249,00!)
…AND you can bring a friend, co-worker, family member (or anyone else who is interested in using creativity to solve business challenges) for FREE!**
However, if you can’t make it on these dates, are not in the mood for a workshop or are simply not among the first ten responders… don’t burst into tears just yet. You won’t be left out.
You’ll receive a FREE 30 minute one-on-one session in which we will personally answer your question.
Please let us know in the comment box below what subjects you would like us to cover. All responders who leave a comment before the 1st of January 2016 will receive their well-deserved Christmas gift.
We’re looking forward to your input!
* On the 19th of January or the 16th of February, depending on what language you prefer. The workshop ‘Business Creativity’ is available in both English and Dutch. All workshops will take place in Rotterdam.
** One guest per person
How to get clients to invest up front in creative problem solving.
Hi Vanessa, thank you very much for your input! Will you be joining the workshop in January?
Hi Rene and Jeroen,
firstly, thanks for the great and inspiring posts!
I experience that if we start too quick with solutions there is a risk to end up with a problem.
So my question to you is: can you write an article about (how to) define the RIGHT ‘problem’ before starting with all the solutions.. I think focus on the right issue is half the solution.
Thank you and wish you a lot of creativity for 2016!
Hi Henk-Jan, thank you very much! I’m glad you like the articles. Thank you for your request. You’re absolutely right, rushing into the search for solutions before properly phrasing the question and/or analysing the situation can be a waste of time and money. We wrote about defining your focus question before (https://hatrabbits.com/5-steps-towards-a-clear-focus/), but there is certainly more to write about this subject!
Will we see you in January?
Hi Rene,
thanks for your reply! Yes, I would love to join the workshop in January. See you then!
How do you realize a creative idea?
Hi Freek, that’s an excellent question. Generating a truly creative idea is of course only half the work. An idea that will never be implemented is worthless. Expect an article about the road to successful implementation in 2016!
Will you join the workshop in January?
Dear Jeroen and Rene,
I’m always very enthusiastic about your posts, the work you do and the ideas you come up with. What I like to know is once you’ve come up with all these great ideas, how to implement them in a company so you can use them every day.
Thanks! Enjoy our holidays and best wishes for 2016!
Hi Deborah,
Thank you very much for the kind words. This is a very good question. Implementation is what separates mere creativity from innovation and it is certainly an excellent subject for a new article.
Will you attend the workshop in January?
Hello Rene and Jeroen,
First of all thank you for this amazing opportunity.
Second what I would really want you to write about is about the brainstorming for solutions. Ηow can we ensure that the problem we are brainstorming about is our ”main” problem and it is not a result from another problem??
Thank you very much
Hi Raphael, you’re very welcome.
Great question. Focussing on solving a problem that is actually a symptom of a deeper issue is a waste of time (and money). Stay tuned for an article on root cause analysis and the importance of observation.
Hello Rene and Jeroen,
First of all thank you for this amazing oportunity.
Second what I would really want you to right about is about the brainstorming for solutions .Ηow can we ensure that the problem we are brainstorming about is our ”main ” problem and it is not a result from another problem ??
Thank you very much
Hi Jeroen and René, It’s Still 2015 and not too late to drop my answer: The idea is there…. and then? How to turn this into action? After braining and working on new ideas the action is like a mountain to climb…. quite high.
Best wishes and good energy for 2016
Hi Esther, thank you very much for your comment. You seem to be describing the ‘Project Plateau’, or as Jeroen likes to call it: “The quicksand of innovation” (https://hatrabbits.com/the-project-plateau-the-quicksand-of-innovation/) This is definitely a subject that deserves (more) attention on our blog. See you the 19th!
I’m in what I think is a rather conservative business of Time management. However, I would love to bring this in a creative and new way. So an article about how to bring creativity into seemingly ‘boring’ businesses would be great!
Hi Peter, thank you for your input. In my experience creativity can be brought into each and every business and I’d love to write an article on this topic! Will you be attending the workshop in January (or February)?
Too late to qualify for the prize but here’s what I’d like you to write about. How to save potentially good ideas from premature death because of group think and other forms of bias which cause some ideas to be treated as more equal than others 🙂
Hi Marc, that’s a great question. Thank you for your input!
Hi Jeroen and Rene,
Obviously too late for the workshop in Jan, but if there is a place available on the 16th of Feb I would like to join.
I wonder where in the method is room for the black hat of De Bono’s creative thinking. It might be valuable to pay attention to critical people, because in the end they will prove to implement also the most difficult parts
Hi Eric, thanks for the comment! Great question. There definitely is a place for criticism in the creative process (as you describe it is quite important). An idea is rarely (if ever) perfect from the start. Usually quite some sharpening is needed to make a successful implementation possible. In our model we embrace the critics in the evaluation phase. In this phase we carefully examine the ideas and pay close attention to risks, disadvantages and stakeholder interests that need to be taken into account. I’ll write an article about it soon 🙂