Creative Press Releases

Ok...today I am writing on something that is clearly not an area of expertise...the Press Release. Now, you may be asking yourselves why is Michael talking about Press Releases...because we've all used press releases with some benefits to our businesses. The format of the press release hasn't changed in years, but now someone has offered up a new, creative version of a press release that meets the ideas of Web 2.0. Take a look at the article at Pr-Squared. Todd Defren highlights the benefits of the new press release format, gives an example, and provides a PDF template to download. He calls it the social media press release and it includes links to websites and other important facts to help the media track down the correct information. I've downloaded it and have decided to play with it for a while...with minor changes. I think there's potential in this idea, especially when the media outlets discover it. That's a creative idea!!!!

Michael T. Bauer
http://www.creativeleading.com

Creativity, Leadership and War

Creativity can be found in many places...including here in the US at BzzAgent and also with our soldiers in Iraq. I thought you would be interested in a book that I recently read - before it was officially released. First some background. I volunteer time with BzzAgent, which is a very creative marketing agency that helps launch products through word of mouth or the "Bzz." I have the opportunity to test products and tell others about them, especially if I like the product. Well, one of the items I received through BzzAgent is the book "Chasing Ghosts," written by Army Infantry Platoon leader, Paul Rieckhoff, whose platoon was active in the early stages of the war in Iraq. His platoon was active when popular believe was that there were Weapons of Mass Destruction and we needed to find them. The book is easy to read, but has some real unique insights into the thoughts and actions of our troops. It highlights the critical thinking and problem solving used to find creative solutions in the midst of very difficult situations. I was pulled into the book and finished reading it within two days. Now my son is reading it. You can find out more about the book at http://www.chasingghostsbook.com.

OR you can sign up for my enewsletter before June 15 and enter into the June book giveaway. It is you chance to win a copy of "Chasing Ghosts." You can sign up for the enewsletter by clicking HERE.

Michael T. Bauer
http://www.creativeleading.com

Great Leaders Embrace Imagination

I was reading through a variety of blogs the other day and came across this description of a great leader written by Oren Harari. What rang true for me was the idea, the thought that a great leader embraces imagination and fosters innovation. He says:

"Great leaders embrace imagination. They foster innovation. If they themselves donÂ’t possess those attributes, they surround themselves with people who do. They exude impatient with the status quo. They understand that doing the same-old, same-old is a recipe for decline. Their message to the troops is-- challenge conventional wisdom and break new ground. Do it with economic logic and operational discipline, yes, but do it with creativity." - Oren Harari

I love the description. I hope you also find something useful in it.

Michael T. Bauer
http://www.creativeleading.com

Innovation as a Business Trend

I've been thinking about this for the past six months, but it took Anne Swift's post at the Innovators Hub to push me to write about it. She took a brief look at the current trend of using innovation in the branding efforts of a business. She highlights how some companies have used the slogan or variations of it in their branding efforts and she suggests that there is a real question about what is innovation. To quote her, "I do believe that innovation is the way to productivity and the solution to many of the world's problems. I do not, however, believe that teaching teams how to brainstorm solutions is going to be the saving grace."

Her post really forced me to look at my business. For the past four years my "tagline" has been "Unlocking the Creative Potential in Individuals and Organizations." In addition, I use a series of buzz words for my business...Creativity...Innovation...Transformation. All of them fit well together because I believe that business are successful when they develop talented people who can tap into a wealth of creative energy. It's out of this creative energy that true innovations are developed and these innovations will transform individuals and communities.

I will continue to use my tagline and my three linked words...because I believe that you need to develop the talent within any company...develop the ability to be creative, but also have the ability to take that skill and make it into something exciting.

Michael T. Bauer
http://www.creativeleading.com

Creative Failure?

I recently reviewed an article in CMO Magazine that highlighted the results of a study of 109 successful business owners. The study found that many of these successful business owners had failed in other attempts to build businesses. It seems that creativity is just that...the means to develop many ideas and push to be successful, but with an understanding that there might be failure.

The article highlights a story about Steve Jobs of Apple fame. We all know about Apple. Both my wife and son have iPods. But here is the story highlighted in CMO Magazine...a story I've read before and still like its message.

Jobs told Stanford graduates how valuable he'd found it to be canned by his own company. "I didn't see it then," he explained, "but it turned out that getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life."

So here's to being creative.

Michael T. Bauer
http://www.creativeleading.com

This hurts my brain...or is it called a cranium.

USA TODAY had a wonderful article in their Money Section about the company Cranium. If you haven't played the game, you should take some time and try it. But watch out...you may not stop laughing. What caught my attention in the article was the steps the company takes to keep its creative workforce. Here are just a few of them:

• They hand out 10 free games to every employee (to give to their families or friends) and five additional free games for them to give to charity.

• They keep all corner offices at the company's headquarters open for the entire company staff — so that everyone at any time can walk in for inspiration and a great view of the city of Seattle.

• The main office workspace was designed in the look, shape and even the bright colors of the original Cranium board game.

• Employees can create their own job titles — so long as the titles reflect what each employee actually does.

What do you do to keep your employees happy?

Michael T. Bauer
http://www.creativeleading.com