Fredrik Härén's Blog, page 18
April 21, 2023
April 12, 2023
April 5, 2023
March 28, 2023
March 22, 2023
March 11, 2023
Creative Fatigue (The Creativity Explorer. Episode 154)
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March 5, 2023
When good ideas fade away (The Creativity Explorer. Episode 153)
Hi,
Today, I am writing to you from Vemdalen in Sweden where I am on a skiing holiday with family and friends.
I wanted to reflect on when good ideas fade away.
You see, I used to work in Vemdalen and Åra many years ago. Then, the ski-locks (similar to the one in this picture) were very popular.
However, this time when I was in Vemdalen, no-one was using them!
People were not even using the ski-shelves that were set up to hold skis (the red ones in the picture).
Instead, everyone just left their skis on the ground, creating seas of skis.
Ski-shelves and ski-locks are good ideas. They make it easier to ski on the ground when the un-used skis are standing up instead of laying down.
People used to use them – but for some reason people stopped.
What is it that makes people stop using good ideas?
Do you have any other example of when good ideas faded away?
As always, would love to hear your thoughts. Post them on LinkedIn: When good ideas fade away.
Fredrik Haren – The Creativity Explorer, this week more exploring the mountains on skis than creativity.
The post When good ideas fade away (The Creativity Explorer. Episode 153) first appeared on The Creativity Explorer.
February 21, 2023
Innovation to solve pain-points (The Creativity Explorer. Episode 152)
In many parking lots in Sweden, we have a system where the parking is free for a couple of hours, as long as you show a Parking Disc with your arrival time on it.
It’s a good system, but the problem is that many people (especially people like me!) forget to put in the arrival time before leaving the vehicle.
That means, we get a parking ticket – not for staying too long, but for forgetting to put in the starting time.
Very annoying.
Luckily, someone invented a Digital Parking Disc, a small device that automatically sets the starting time every time you park the vehicle.
It most likely costs 4 Euro to produce, but they sell it for 40 Euro (the price of one parking ticket).
Very smart.
What is that one thing in life that really annoys you? How could a product reduce that annoyance?
As always, would love to hear your thoughts. Post them on LinkedIn: Innovation to solve pain-points
Creativity – the antidote to annoyance.
Fredrik Haren – The Creativity Explorer.
The post Innovation to solve pain-points (The Creativity Explorer. Episode 152) first appeared on The Creativity Explorer.
February 17, 2023
Procedure vs Creativity (The Creativity Explorer. Episode 151)
Procedure is to do what has been decided as right.
Professionalism is to know when that would be the wrong decision.
So, this just happened:
“Where is your badge?”, the security guard checking all the people entering the big ballroom in Mumbai gave me a stern look.
“Sorry, I did not have time to get it, and I really want to listen to this speaker since I am the second keynote speaker,” I said.
“Sorry, you need a badge to enter.” I get in return from the guard.
Stopped by a security guard just doing his job and following procedure.
But then the other guard – let’s call him “Frank,” – steps in.
“Mr. Haren?”, he said.
I look at him in surprise.
Turns out that Frank had studied the conference program to learn the names and faces of all the speakers. He smiles and says: “It’s ok, Mr. Haren, I know who you are. Just go in and get the badge later.”
The first officer was following procedure.
The other officer was following his professionalism.
I started chatting with Frank, who turns out to be a former police officer. We had a good conversation around how procedure is a good way of keeping a minimal acceptable level. But to be truly professional, is to be able to know when to ignore procedure and improvise.
Remember: creativity is the exception to the procedure.
What procedure do you need to break?
As always, would love to hear your thoughts. Post them on LinkedIn: Procedure vs Creativity
Fredrik Haren, The Creativity Explorer
The post Procedure vs Creativity (The Creativity Explorer. Episode 151) first appeared on The Creativity Explorer.
