One of the most powerful tools each of us posseses is our imagination. “Imagine” by Johan Lehrer explores “How Creativity Works.” He reports on the brain research that is allowing us to understand the creative process and where our “aha” moments come from and how to cultivate the soil in which the seed of idea sprouts. Lehrer reminds us of the function of both sides of our brain, the left being the repository and facts, figures, and formulas while the right contains the ability to connect seemingly unrelated data.

The author reminds us of the importance of play in the creative process. It is that period in which we suspend our critical frontal cortex’s blockage of impulses that allows us to make unexpected discoveries through “free association” as done on the stage of Second City’s Improv Theater. When we are free of criticism, our creativity soars.

When we “sleep on it,” our minds turn into Improv artists. When we fall asleep, the prefrontal cortex shuts down, and the censor goes quiet. Have you ever noticed that flash of insight just before you wake up in the morning? That is your mind at play during the night coming up with those connections of new ideas and thoughts.

Another aspect of creativity the author points out is the “Outside.” My solutions to problems that have stumped the experts for years come from someone outside of the field. The reason often being that they didn’t know that it couldn’t be done. One of the benefits of working with the “20 somethings” in my company is the insight they bring with fresh eyes and ears. Interns from our local college have challenged our way of doing things and have brought critical changes in our processes along with breakthrough ideas.

Out of the inability to solve complex problems, major companies have turned to “crowd-sourcing.” Using the website http://www.innocentive.com, companies like Eli Lilly and Proctor & Gamble have solved problems by offering rewards for solutions to problems that their massive R&D departments staff with hundreds of scientists have been unable to solve. Solutions have been found in days by “outsiders” that looked at the problem through a different lens. It was those people at the fringes of the field that were most likely to come up with the solution.

What if we harness the creativity of a group of individuals focused on a single purpose? The complexity of today’s issues often requires knowledge and experience from a vast array of fields. Think of it like making a movie. Our ability to collaborate, and the strength of our networks, determine the quality of the production. My company is experiencing this now as we join with other small companies that bring their skill sets to solve particular aspects of the assignments our clients present. The ability to form the “dream team” to address the challenges we select to pursue gives us our competitive edge.

Understanding the magic of creativity does not make it less magical. My new mantra is, “play, learn, and teach.” I still marvel at this amazing tool we have all been given called our imagination. Learn to trust it, and let it inform your decisions through play.

I recently watched another inspiring TED talk given by Eduardo Paes, the mayor of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. His presentation is based upon his goal to ensure the city’s future for generations to come. Paes presents four “commandments” that will help cities transition into the future.

Cities of the future have to be:

1) Environmentally Friendly – find ways to be green; locate open spaces and make them usable by the community (e.g. Rio is creating a park in the middle of the city which will provide an oasis for citizens to meet and enjoy nature.)

2) Mobile and Integrated – this is especially important in large cities; upgrade the city’s infrastructure and transportation systems; improved transportation doesn’t have to mean spending lots of money (e.g. Rio has plans to improve their busing system and create designated lanes for mass transit.)

3) Socially Integrated – work to bring basic quality services, such as education and healthcare, into the poorer areas of town (e.g. Rio has erected healthcare facilities and schools in place of abandoned buildings.)

4) Technology-Driven – use technology to manage and govern cities; use technology to stay connected (e.g. Rio partnered with IBM to create the Operations Center of Rio, a facility that keeps tabs on everything from weather to traffic.)

I encourage you to watch Paes’ presentation below as he shows several concrete examples of putting these commandments to use. As he says, you do not need to be powerful or wealthy to implement improvements that will ensure a lasting legacy for your citizens.

I was recently working on a project with Digital Media companies that led me to reflect on a major shift in daily work habits. The shift being working in the office environment to working from home. First, the steps that led me to this reflection; I found that many of the executives I was calling on were not prepared to handle calls from an economic development group let alone anyone else. The company’s primary phone number often went directly to the CEO/Founder of the company rather than jumping through various gatekeepers to speak with an executive. This made speaking to the right person easy, but the conversations were often short because the executive didn’t know how to handle the call. A lot of these companies can still be considered start-ups, so they may not have received a lot of attention yet. In addition, they primarily conduct business in the virtual world and don’t field a lot of calls. Because the majority of their work is done virtually, this leads to other frustrations from a targeted marketing standpoint. These companies don’t have a desire to relocate or open new offices. Their primary location is often chosen based on their desire of lifestyle. I recall reading on one of the company’s websites that they chose their location in Washington state because it was a “fun place to work.” This isn’t to say that other industries choose location without lifestyle in mind, but for Digital Media, there isn’t as great a need to choose based on logistical capabilities, customer/supplier availability, or even the local talent pool. I mention talent pool because computer-related job responsibilities are becoming easier and easier to do offsite, and more specifically, from home. In regards to this last project, I was sometimes told that I could reach a certain executive at his home number.

It just so happens that during the period of time this project was happening, I came across various online articles and books about the trend of workers asking their bosses to work from home. This is an easy topic for me to write about and relate to because of the nature of the work I do. In fact, when I first started working for Whittaker Associates, I thought that I needed to work at the office at least part of the day to show that I was working. I had this same thought in my previous career as well. The truth is that I am capable of working from anywhere, and depending on the nature of the project, anytime as well. I am comforted in knowing that some days I can work early mornings before typical office work starts, and other days I can work at night after dinner in the comfort of my own home, or on weekends if need be. Not only is this convenient for my lifestyle by allowing me to take on more responsibilities, but I find that I am more efficient as well. I experience this often in one of my other roles as a Development Associate for another organization. When I work from that office, I often find my time consumed by conversations with staff, clients, or visitors, or being pulled into meetings that I had not allotted time for. Not to say that these conversations weren’t necessary as those interactions are important, but space needs to be created for them. If I worked from the office every time I went to work, I would probably find myself pressed for time to complete my tasks. To clarify a moment, when I say work from home, in reality I am working from a virtual office. Give me a coffee, wireless, headset, classical music, and my computer, and I can make my office in many locations. This method proved extremely helpful on a recent vacation to Florida. Because I was in the habit of working from home anyways, working when I could on vacation wasn’t a difficult practice to begin. Driving 21 hours from Michigan to Florida meant that when I wasn’t driving, I was able to turn on the “Mi-Fi” and work on the highway.

Now I must admit that you must have the personality and right attitude to work from a virtual office, as well as the kind of job that allows it. Working from home or from a coffee shop can come with its own set of distractions, but if you love what you do it is easier to stay focused. I can see why those in the Digital Media industry are doing this. If done by the right people, it is an efficient way to conduct business. Are there individuals in your office that could benefit from not spending the time getting ready and travelling to work each day when they could accomplish their same tasks 30 feet from their bed? This is something to consider with your own employees, but also for those of you working with companies that may practice this habit frequently. Knowing that this is the trend, how does that affect your conversations and your approach to business? Regardless of how you respond to this issue it is important to recognize the implications to your business that other businesses are able to work from most anywhere, anytime.

The purpose in sharing this story with you is to show what one small town with limited resources can do to inspire and share their gift with the world. On March 8th of this year, our community hosted a TEDx event. For those of you familiar with TED.com, this is a local version designed to showcase ideas worth spreading. The theme for our event was “Do More Good” in which we shared 16 ideas for ways in which to “Do More Good” in the world. These presentations told the story of the speakers and their effort to make the world a better place. There were four subthemes of our event: Higher Purpose, Perseverance, Learning, and Community. In addition to the 450 attendees, the event also reached many more through live stream and is now available on YouTube.

The dialog that the event created during the breaks was stunning. At the Speaker Appreciation Dinner following the event, each speaker, without exception, expressed their desire to continue the community conversation that this event catalyzed.

Several of the presentations struck me. Childhood hunger in our community has increasingly become an issue, and the Kids Food Basket with 160 volunteers is supplying evening meals to 4,840 grade school children each day. Chris Klein’s discussion about what it was like to grow up with severe cerebral palsy, learning how to communicate with an augmented communication system, going to college, and recently getting married was especially touching. He reminded us to focus on a person’s gifts, not the disabilities that we all have. Other inspiring presentations were Ann McKight’s talk about ways in which to heal conflicts that occur in our everyday life, and Curt Tofeland’s discussion regarding his work with the incarcerated using restorative circles. These and many more contain life lessons from which we can all benefit. Check them out here: http://bit.ly/GFCz8h I think you will find the talks inspiring and thought provoking.

Earlier this month, I was moved by the many presentations to “do more good” during our local TEDxMacatawa event. One talk in which I was most interested was Dr. David Johnson’s on disease prevention. Dr. Johnson recently left his successful cardiology practice to focus on promoting healthy lifestyle choices through integrative medicine. His belief is that our society is focused on disease treatment and management, when our emphasis should be on disease prevention. But as he points out, that is not where the money is.

If we ourselves haven’t dealt with any chronic disease, I’m sure we all know someone close to us who has struggled with diseases such as cancer, diabetes, or heart disease. The statistics Dr. Johnson presents regarding the prevalence of these afflictions are mind-boggling. What’s more, is that chronic disease is largely preventable through healthy lifestyle choices such as choosing not to smoke, maintaining a normal weight, exercising regularly, and consuming plenty of fruits and vegetables. How are our behavioral choices affecting our health? If our country spends the most money on healthcare, why do we have some of the worst outcomes?

Intrigued by these questions, Dr. Johnson examined the relationship between our health and our environment, concluding that we are only as healthy as the environment in which we live. In a society where 90% of our nutrition comes from processed food and animal sources, the latter of which is a major factor in chronic disease, we find that an interesting correlation exists. To do more good for ourselves and our environment, Dr. Johnson recommends eating more plant-based foods as a way to prevent disease and create sustainable nutrition.

Watch his talk below!

While working on a recent project with companies in the Advanced
Manufacturing industry I couldn’t help but learn about a fast emerging market,
the “Smart Grid”. I was surprised at how many of these maturing companies I was
working with that had many years of experience in other products/services had recently
added Smart Grid capabilities to their product offerings. So what is the Smart Grid?

The Smart Grid is a digitally enabled electrical grid that gathers, distributes, and acts on
information about the behavior of all participants (suppliers and consumers) in order to
improve the efficiency, importance, reliability, economics, and sustainability of
electricity services. I would describe it simply as a better way to measure electrical
energy usage between supplier and consumer. The companies I was studying were
primarily offering the installation of the meters that record and translate the data for both
the utilities and homeowners/businesses. We live in a world where energy usage is
becoming more and more scrutinized, and any opportunity that companies, individuals,
and communities can take advantage of to help reduce energy waste is highly respected
and encouraged. Utility companies and local communities realize that adding smart grid
capabilities adds to the Triple Bottom Line and will ultimately benefit everyone involved.
This is why so many companies are adding it to their product portfolio, because they
recognize the market for these capabilities. This transition of utilities adding these
capabilities reminds me of the transition from typewriters to computers or standard
accounting books to electronic files. In my opinion, it is inevitable that utilities will make
this upgrade, and companies that have been around the block recognize this. They are
offering the product knowing the demand is there.

If you are like me, you look forward to whatever new tool is introduced to the
marketplace that makes our lives easier and more efficient. I am still getting over the
shock of how efficient my life is now that I have an i-Phone, and I first bought mine
4 months ago. Installing and using Smart Grid meters will allow energy usage to be
translated faster allowing utility companies to fix and improve supply as well as let users
know their consumption faster and adjust to that consumption. There is also the added
bonus of not feeling like once or twice a year someone is breaking into my house when it
is only the utility man checking my meter on the side of the house.

So where does the opportunity lie for your community? We know companies in
the Advanced Manufacturing world our moving in this direction. When these companies
offering “smart grid” products receive a contract with a utility company, this usually means
the beginning of a multi-year project for installation and monitoring of energy use. If the
project is large enough, this also creates incentive for the “Smart Grid Company” to open
an office near the utility’s region in order to best serve their client. Find out what utilities
are in your area and whether or not they are looking into adding Smart Grid capabilities.
Whether they are already in the process or not, see if you can entice the supplier to open
an office in your region. Based on the conversations I have had with industry executives,
the opportunity exists. In the meantime, I look forward to sharing in the efficiencies of
the future with you.

For those of us with a technology addiction, the New iPad definitely can scratch that itch.
After three weeks of use, I have found it to be a good addition to my ever-growing
collection of the “latest” technology including the iPad1 and 2.

To assist you in justifying a purchase of the New iPad, I have found the following:

1) Greater Bandwidth data transfer rate using G4 LTE (20 times faster than
G3); 20 megs up and down wireless speeds through the Verizon network.
(Verizon has rolled out their G4 much ahead of AT&T in most markets).

2) Enhanced camera – 5 mega-pixel meaning 3-4 times the image resolution of
the iPad2 outward facing camera.

3) Voice Recognition – the ability to dictate to all applications using an enhanced
microphone and a sub-set of SIRI (artificial intelligence). My experience is
that it is surprisingly accurate in its ability to convert speech to text but needs
wifi access to work.

4) Faster Graphics – greatly enhanced graphic processor makes any applications
that are graphic intensive more real (i.e. playing games).

5) Retina Display – a display with 4 times the resolution of the iPad2 and by far
the highest resolution on the market with HD (photographic quality) capability.
It makes an application (showing sites and buildings with Google Earth)
stunningly vivid (not to mention Netflix movies).

So, there you have five “reasons” why you should have one now! Otherwise, you can
wait a year until iPad4 comes along. In the meantime, you will be missing out on a lot
of fun while you wait. (Besides, your friends and family are waiting for you to pass along
your “old” iPad.)

We are all striving to be unique, to stand out, and differentiate ourselves. How are you known among your colleagues, friends, and peers? How will you be remembered?

Communities, being a collection of individuals, face these same questions. What makes yours special? If you were asked, what is West Michigan known for, what would you say? To me, it is known as a community that cares. It cares about itself, and it cares about others. What struck me when I moved here 18 years ago was how passionate residents were about the place in which they lived. The level of community involvement was one that I had not experienced anywhere else that I had lived or worked. The compassion that I saw and felt both by individuals and companies was unlike any I had observed, and it was amazing to me. Perhaps this is why it was selected as the second happiest place (Boulder being first) in the United States by the Gallop Poll.

On March 8, 2012, the Knickerbocker Theater in Holland, Michigan will be the venue for an event that has been 18 months in the making. TEDx Macatawa (http://www.tedxmacatawa.org) was created by an all volunteer army of over 100 people that have put in more than 10,000 hours. The TEDx platform is part of a global effort to spread ideas. It is modeled after a long-standing TED conference in which a group of individuals are invited to a conference to share their world-changing ideas in Technology, Entertainment, and Design (http://TED.org). The audience applies to attend and is carefully selected based on their level of engagement in the community. This method creates synergy as great ideas are shared with those most likely to carry out the positive momentum within their communities. Over 450 people have applied to attend the TEDx Macatawa event, which has a capacity for 400. The event will be live-streamed via the Internet to individuals, other viewing locations, and area schools classrooms.

The event taking place will feature 16 speakers (http://www.tedxmacatawa.org/speakers/) from West Michigan who have been curated to represent the theme “Do More Good.” They will each give a 15-18 minute presentation sharing their idea for how they are “Doing More Good.” This theme was selected to showcase compassion as one of the outstanding features of our West Michigan community. It will feature a number of stories reflecting efforts in our community to make the world a better place. These presentations will become part of a global TED library of material that can be accessed without charge in order to spread the ideas to other parts of the world.

Checkout the event on March 8th by viewing the live-stream at http://www.tedxmacatawa.org/.

I just returned from vacationing out of the country. Despite living in paradise for a week, completely unplugged from reality, work did cross my mind. My husband and I found ourselves talking about the “Ritz-Carlton service,” and how we wished every company used this standard of customer service. During our getaway, we were waited on by cheerful staff that were accommodating, responsive, and helpful. They created an unforgettable experience, and from the moment we arrived home, we’ve been planning for the next time we can visit again. Regardless of the industry in which you work, you can apply the “Ritz Carlton service values” to ensure customer satisfaction.

Taken from their website, here is a summary of a few of the company’s gold standards for customer service:

• Anticipate your customer’s needs

• Respond quickly to any wishes, both expressed and unexpressed, of your customers

• Establish a personal relationship by creating unique experiences for your customers

• Eliminate the need to go up the corporate ladder to fix a problem

• Be on the look-out for ways to improve and add value to your customer’s experience

• Maintain professionalism in every aspect of customer interaction

These seem very basic and straightforward, almost something that should be required of anyone in the service industry. But when was the last time someone provided you with a wow experience when you were dining out, making a purchase at a store, or calling about your cellphone plan? If you want to satisfy your customers, responsiveness and follow through go a long way. They build trust and integrity. Remember, happy customers equal repeat customers.