It’s okay to be caught off-guard
Letting yourself be caught off-guard can lead to creative problem-solving and innovation
I heard something in the past week that’s a perfect example of being open to being caught off-guard and tuning in to things you haven’t noticed before.
I came across an older episode of the TED radio hour. The theme was copying – when is it thievery, and when is it inspiration? The guest provided a beautiful instance of being open to being caught off-guard by describing how Apple came up with the concept for their retail locations.
CASE STUDY: The Origin of Apple Stores
When Apple was working on the concept and layout for its first stores, Apple purposely ignored how their competitors Best Buy and Circuit City had designed their retail spaces. Instead, they began by researching what their customers were looking for – a personalized customer experience – then found a way to give them that experience.
Jobs asked around: "What's the best customer experience you've ever had yourself, as a customer?"
One answer came up time and time again. It wasn't a tale of awesome customer service at the companies with whom the Apple Store would soon be competing.
The best customer experience took place at a Ritz-Carlton resort or other five-star hotel. So Apple decided to model their retail arm on the Ritz-Carlton, to the extent that the company enrolled all its soon-to-be Apple Store managers in the Ritz-Carlton training and leadership program.
The most recognizable innovation that came out of this approach was the Apple Genius Bar. Once you picture the way a top tier concierge station operates, it’s easy to see how the transition to the Genius Bar came about.
If you happen to be near an Apple store, wander in and observe how the staff behave, notice how you and other customers react, and look for similarities with an upscale hotel.
The moral of the story
When you commit to noticing new things, it sends a “what if” signal to your subconscious. The brain loves to solve puzzles, and practicing “what if” scenarios is a form of puzzle-solving. The more you allow yourself to notice what you see, hear, feel, and yes smell, the more you’ll be attuned to wondering how a solution from another world might be applied to your own for a totally different result.
Being open to being caught off-guard is great preparation for ideating since it allows you to find new ideas and solutions in the most unlikely places.
Need “what if” ideas?
Do you have your copy of the Brainstorming Playbook? It’s full of ways to generate “what if” scenarios. Click here for your free copy!
If you’d like to see what tapping into creative potential could look like at your place of work, contact me at Ellia@ThePotentialCenter.com to arrange a call.