Guest comment with Thinkativity chief executive, Nigel Collin

Guest comment with Thinkativity chief executive, Nigel Collin
By admin


The world and our industry is constantly changing, and more than ever we need to be more creative in our businesses and generate profitable ideas.

Having been involved in meetings and events for nearly 2 decades, it’s no secret that the industry has changed dramatically over that time. From the ‘no expense spared’ parties of the 80’s and 90’s to the ‘we can’t be seen to be frivolous’ events of the modern era, times are changing. That’s not to mention a couple of GFCs, change in governments, war on terrorism, social media and a plethora of other influences.

We shouldn’t be alarmed by that though, because the world has always changed and it always will. What we should be alarmed about is the fact that in a world of constant change we are still generating ideas the same way we did 50 years ago.

When we need an idea, we get our people together in a boardroom and ask ‘what have you got’?  Sure, you’ll get ideas that way, but you’ll only get adequate ones, which is exactly what your competitors are doing. You need outstanding ideas, profitable ideas. And not just ideas for table settings and welcome events, but ideas to help streamline processes, better connect with clients, pitch concepts and retain staff.

A single idea can help out pace your competition, drive growth and ultimately make money. But let’s face it… ideas are not all created equal.

To consistently generate bankable ideas you need to approach idea generation as a part of what you do, because generating profitable ideas is not a project – it’s a process. In a world of change, we need to change our approach to ideation and the value we place on creativity in business.

In the 2010 IBM CEO survey, 60% of CEOs from around the planet cited creativity as the main leadership quality needed over the next five years. However only 31% of organisations said they had a process in place to harness and direct creativity. Only 54% had a supportive culture stimulating creativity.

The key is, you need to create the right balance in two key areas. Firstly, you need the right culture to stimulate and inspire bankable ideas. And secondly, you need the right process to direct and generate bankable ideas. Get the balance wrong, and the value and flow of ideas is diluted.

So ask yourself, do you give your people permission to open their minds and generate ideas, and secondly do you have a process to clarify problems, allow for think tanking, and evaluate ideas into viable outcomes?

Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au

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