July 5, 2011

There exists a central tension at the heart of all business today. The pressure to innovate in a fiercely competitive marketplace falls on the worker: We're asked for higher commitment, more adaptability, quicker progress, better execution, stronger decision-making, and freer thinking. All within the confines of environments that are far from free: Powerful systems, rigid structures, political red tape, and limiting rules.

The truth is that the ability to meet business objectives doesn't always square with the personal capabilities needed to innovate as required. The answer? Work like an artist, a creative business artist—pursue possibility, reject the status quo, and view opposition as an inventive challenge.

How to do just that is the territory covered in The Accidental Creative: How to Be Brilliant on a Moment's Notice, by Accidental Creative CEO Todd Henry.

Big idea:

There exists a creative rhythm deep in the heart of every individual, irrespective of role or function, that is, as Henry writes, "independent of the pressures and expectations you face each day." Establishing this rhythm will unlock your creative potential, provide you with the stability and clarity to engage your problems head-on, and allow you to thrive.

Key takeaways:

Your creative rhythm, according to Henry, is set by how you structure and manage five key elements, the acronym for which is "FRESH."

1. Focus

Most waste comes not from not doing the right work, but from doing the right work inefficiently. Clarity around objectives, separating the urgent from the important, is the springboard to effective creativity.

2. Relationships

Engaging with others is a powerful source of creative inspiration. Intentionally forging the right relationships with others gets you focused outwardly and frees you up creatively.

3. Energy

Think energy management, not time management. "It does you no good," Henry writes, "to micromanage your time down to the last second if you don't have the energy to remain fully engaged for that time...you need to establish practices around energy management."

4. Stimuli

Like any process, the output of the creative process depends on the input. Consistent brilliance demands that you be purposeful about what you're feeding your brain.

5. Hours

Time is the currency of productivity. You must ensure that the practices that make you a more effective creative are making in onto your calendar.

Liked most:

One of my favorite parts of the book is "The Ping." It's something we all feel, and if not careful, succumb to. Henry describes it perfectly:

"A few years ago I noticed a disturbing pattern in my life. It was a tiny sensation, a little pinprick in my gut every so often. I called it the "Ping." The Ping is that little sensation that occasionally prompts me to check my e-mail or my social media accounts. It's the impulse to mindlessly surf news sites instead of doing something productive. And as my number of options grew (turns out there is an app for that), the pull of the Ping became ever more powerful. The Ping wants to be my master. It wants to own me. It wants me to serve it. The Ping even has a life philosophy for me: Something out there is more important than whatever is right here."

I also liked the practical weekly, monthly, and quarterly checkpoints Henry provides at the end of the book that helps you put the five elements into play together in a useful way.

Best for:

As Henry puts it, anyone "responsible for moving big conceptual rocks, crafting systems that form the foundation for future growth—creating value that didn't exist before you arrived on the scene...solving problems, developing strategies, or otherwise straining your brain for new ideas..." In other words, every entrepreneur and small business operator on the planet.

What others are saying:

OPEN Forum featured expert Scott Belsky, CEO of Behance and author of Making Ideas Happen says this: "The gift of creative insight is not to be squandered! Todd Henry has assembled a guide that will enrich your creative pursuits. Don't dream without it."

Related Topics

• Innovation

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Matthew E. May, Article, innovation, business books, guru review, Todd Henry