Creativity | The new black of competition

Indonesia has a new title in the phone business: "The Blackberry Nation". It was notably mentioned during the launching of Blackberry Bellagio, first in the world, in Indonesia, causing a massive mass assembly leading into a stampede. Indonesia is a country with biggest Blackberry users. An interesting label, as we remember that 5 years ago this kind of product was never exist at all in Indonesia.


The constant changing customer behavior...
Business incumbents may miss the old days, the day when their technology enough to dominate the market, when they just had to focus on the product development, efficient manufacturing, pushing the product with vast marketing, selling the product to the customer. But nowadays, customer decision is not only based on highest technology, price, or ads only. They seek a customized value proposition from a product that will serve what they need. And the real problem is...sometime customers don't know what they really need.

"You can't just ask customers what they want and then try to give that to them. By the time you get it built, they'll want something new." (Steve Jobs)

Old school management said business need to know what customer want, but Steve Jobs rejects that idea and emphasize instead that business have to know what customer need. It should know how the customer think, it need to feel the customers experience, the user experience; it need to connect what is the missing values that customer will need; and then bring a product or service that surpass the expectation and then tell them : "This is what you want, this is what you need". This exhausting process need one key word from producers, "Creativity".

Creativity and local wisdom understanding, bring Blackberry into winner in Indonesia, for now; and bring Apple as the champion in the world. Leaving all the incumbents who are now struggling, trying to maintain the old days victory, or setting back into their R&D labs to prepare a comeback with a new proposition, if possible. Good luck Nokia..good luck IBM...

Think Different...
Talking about creativity, we definitely should note the Apple resurrection. As Steve Jobs returned to Apple to lead the company who fired him 10 years before, he redefine how creativity can be the ultimate cutting edge of a business. It is not only redefining the product, but the whole business model giving Apple the sustainable profit ever.

iPod is not the first MP3 Player in the market, but combining the user demand with music industry demand he revolutionized how a user can buy their favorite songs without have to buy a whole CD in affordable prices, with iTunes. iPod is now leading MP3 player in the world and iTunes revolutionized the music industry with revenues more than ever.

iPhone and iPad share the same success. It is not only the product designs, but the whole user experience and from Apple side, the cash generating machine by selling third party application and telecommunication operator shared revenue based on the uses of the device. The profit does not come by selling product only, but more of it, the after sales. Again, creativity revolutionized the market.

Steve Jobs regard himself more to an artist, and encourage all of his team in apple that they are all artists. Thus, every product was brought to customer thoughtfully, artistically, and in the edge of perfections, surpassing what customer want. Now that he is passed way, Apple must insist how to keep the creativity environment stays in Apple. Or their competitors will take the crown

Creativity : Good Artists Copy, Great Artists Steal ...
Being creative is mostly referred to create a new ideas, invent, break through, etc. Everyone said you must have something original, genuine ideas, to be different with other ideas. That is okay, if you can. But please, we are living in the modern era when everything is already invented in every aspect of our life, from the classic invention of light bulb to the invention of cotton bud for your ear.

We don't have to try to reinvent the wheel, Greek did that hundred years ago. We just need to connect the ideas, gathering the experiences, and try to make it better. Most inventions were in parallel invented by other person, and most leading business nowadays are not the inventor of the business.

But if the inventor, the first one who though of it didn’t make things good enough, then steve jobs gave us a golden rule to follow: “Good artists copy, great artists steal”. What’s the big difference between both you say?

People who copy create duplicates. They adjust a little, tweak a little, but overall, it’s just the same thing. If you where the buyer and given the choice between the original and the duplicate, who would you choose? Of course, you’d still stick to the original. Even if the price difference would be a huge figure, the original would still be the winner. No one, and I mean no one, would like to settle for a ‘copy’. 

People who steal are in to create a bigger game- their own game. Steve Jobs is not the first one to invent a laptop or even an operating system (say hi to Bill Gates). But he was creative. He saw where Microsoft Inc. fall short (in terms of the feel of their hardware and the massive vulnerability of their OS) and decided to make things even better. 

And as you read those two paragraph above, those are a copy from Liane's article. And the part when I steal it, is when connecting those line with the whole story. Also the quotes “Good artists copy, great artists steal” is a Picasso, but the popularity was "stolen" as of Steve Jobs ;-)

Now, when we go to mall to find electronic goods few years ago, you will find a lot of duplicate of leading products, mainly from China. We might not want to buy it, it is cheap, not genuine, and low quality. But as China shifted from "copy" into "steal", we already see few China product with Apple quality. Not duplicate, but equally better and off course, cheaper. The New Apple Spirit will raise from China.

And it is on people, on talent, on company culture...
And the core of the creativity lays on the people behind it. It takes creativity leadership, to combine the hierarchical management and a creative business environment. Some company may think their business is not creativity based, and maintain the old school management style that serve them profit for years.

But, soon or later, the more creative competitor will take the edge. When the business environment changes, what matters will also change. And those company with creative environment will fast enough to adapt, to change the business model, and take the lead on the changes. While those who are not, may laid back, and only realizes the need for changes, when it is all too late...

Just as my Blackberry is getting old fashioned, slow, and error all the time, may be I should buy a new one. And the option is only two, a new Blackberry or a new iPhone. Or maybe a China product. Waiting who of them, are the most creative to serve my needs...

R.I.P | Steve Jobs

Stay hungry, stay foolish...

Many blogs wrote about the lost of the biggest CEO in the last five decades; many mourn to the lost of someone they only know that he is the inventors of their cool earphone music player, or their angry birds Phone, or their fancy thin gaming tablet; but may be few have known the inspiring story, the bullish character, the dreamer, the visionary, the inspiration, the greatness of the technology genius of this century: the late Steve Jobs.

Feel free to come by and visit http://allaboutstevejobs.com

I am not going to retold the whole story. When I heard the news, it was surprising, but not really shocking. I've heard his health is not so good, but just not expecting to hear now when my daughter always waiting me home to play with the latest gadget his creation : watching HUTOS series in iPad.

I just want to note this day - the Man of Inspiration of many technology freak, many brave entrepreneur, many creative director, or just someone like me, has passed away with peace. I just want to note this day - that maybe I should listen to him : to not waste my time anymore living in someone else's life....

"Your time is limited, so don't waste your time living in someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others opinion drawn out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become.

Everything else is secondary..." (Steve Jobs 1955 - 2011)

Rush out | Not only loosing talents

The rushing out euphoria...

This might feels familiar to you: "When one of your colleague --or friend at work, or peer manager, or even your director -- resign and move to other company with better position, then the heart beat of the organisation surround it would be temporarily in 'anxious' mode". It will be worst when it's not only one or two, it will feel more tense when it is a talent pool hijack, it will more breath taking when it's a structural rushing out.

People are silently reconsider, gossips are spreading, blackberry or cell phone become more valuable than key car waiting for another call or another news or even...another possible offer. Within these days, Human Resource Dept will be busy calculating the possible investment lost that they have done for several years.

The fact that one started this moment and usually to be followed by series of others is a logical phenomenon. Because when their work mate moved to better position and huge salary, those people who stay sometime reconsider their choices, then try their luck by sending CV's. Some of them get it, some of them not. Then rush out cycle happened...then after a period of anxiety...it will pass...become more calm... and everything is back to normal again....At least until somebody started the cycle again.

...is not only causing talents lost..but more..

During this HR Dept may days, not only the company loose their talents that they have been trying to manage and to invest, but also the euphoria effect during these period is a cancer to employees' commitment to stay. They think that if he/she can, why not I - they reconsider their choice to stay.

During these period then justifications are discussed, all the negatives of the company are become lunch break topic while they forgot what the positive things that company have done. The discussion enlarging when the people who already disappointed with the company take more role. Then in the end, in every mind....they are suspicious..that if they don't do it..than their friend might do it. It will get worst when it happened over and over.

This euphoria again, is a high stadium cancer, to employee loyalty and organization performance.

So, the company to blame?...not really...

Make no mistake, company with high rate of rushing out does not necessarily a bad company who did not recognize their talent. You can name best talent development company like Citibank (yes, they did manage good assets, MD for example), Astra (me! me!), or Danamon Bank. Yet, some of them are ironically the most potential company with the rushing out ratio, because of hijacking. One trainer told me when he give series strategic training to different banks in Indonesia he usually met the same person, means...those talent moved to one another.

The most hijacked company is perceived by the pirates/hijackers as a company with high quality talent, a good value and working culture, and a good people development program. The hijackers see that hijacking person from these company are off course cheaper than to train a new person for years to get the same competence, working culture and character.

Talents are hard to get, but when they are yours, then you can bet the performance and the future of the company with them. But don't forget...they are also still have option.

Then, why they go...

May be I am wrong, but I see that is because their character and competences are already developed enough, sufficient to get a higher position or bigger responsibility - but the talent competition within, or the rigid structure, or the development of the company does not provide enough challenge and opportunity for everyone to grow. So no body's mistake...it's how the life goes...always balancing.

Not all folks...

Well, Astra, in the other hand, are one of the company who always have good talents, good people development, good culture - yet, they can maintain most of their talent even until retirement. Are they paying big salary? hmmm..not really. So how they do it? Well again, if you are one of them -or formerly one of them- you will know how :-)

So, should 'you' go also? Well folks, not all those rushing out end happily ever after. That you are now lived in the well structured, caring and appreciating work environment may indulge you that out there offers the same. While actually, out there...when structure is less or even none...survival of the fittest will take role. If you don't survive...then you'll be a prey. Those people who left Astra for rest of their life may think Astra have the most convenient working experience. The feel of protected, secured...is indeed a basic human need.

Well, my dear colleague talents, then beware of the those pirates...they may offer gold...but if you meet someone like Captain Jack Sparrow...he will leave you for shark feed for his own benefit.

Chemistry | The x factor of performance

Ole..ole...ole...!!

About two weeks ago, football euforia stroke Jakarta again - bars and restaurant performed big screen TV shows and always full . This time it was not Irfan bachdim as hot topic, but the Messiah and friends. Yeah, it was BARCELONA played against MU in the Champion final. It seemed like they taught MU how to play pass and go, excellence team work and we all notice how they beat them beautifully.

What we see is not only individual performance of the Messiah, but more to team performance. Barcelona is not collecting mega star and compile it to Galactic like Real Madrid. But they develop and maximize their player talent, build the chemistry and Voila! each of them becoming a superstar. They deliver better than those with expensive stars but without chemistry in playing.

When Messi played in Argentina in World Cup, the star did not shine at all. Why?...my opinion is his team mate were competing with him, they did not regard Messi as a superstar and trying to prove that they can also do what Messi do. It was not their fault, but it just creating bad chemistry within. While they could instead support each other, and still everyone would perform well and showed their class.

The victory of team play..

Most of the top performing companies have excellent human resource in it. Each deliver their excellences, sinergize, and the company received the operational excellent as a return. But does not mean that when you collect multiple talent into a team, they will straightly deliver excellent. Some of them ended in unnecessary politics that more to distract the team performance rather than enchancing. Especially when personal egos, and competitiveness take more role rather than the common goal.

So before decide upon adding new star to the team, the first question shall be is the star will be able to play as team or more to individual performances. A star will always try to perform best, they have experience and have the past of glory on their life. A company should put the star in a position that they can perform, to put them in the bench will only detonating a time bomb.

...is more to chemistry, not just individual quality

I just like the term used by one of most admirable business man in Indonesia regarding recruiting a new talent or treating the talent within. He said the most important thing are the gimmick of 3 C (compare to 4E and 1P by Jack Welch) :

- Character, how it suit with company values

- Competences, how it suit with the job they do

- Chemistry, how they suit with others

Most of stars have the first two, but not necessarily the third. Of course, if the person is Christiano Ronaldo then who will cares about chemistry as long as he scores a lot.

But then again, how much will Christiano Ronaldo cost?

New Dream - New Thrill - Rebranding?

Never let go your Eureka...or apples..

In every moment of your life you will find a point when you are inspired by something. Either from a good book, meeting with someone admirable or even just after watching an X-Men movies. This point can be something -- for Mahatma Gandhi when he was pushed out from a train because of his skin, or Bill Gates when he admired Steve Job's invention in Macintosh--or for us, can be nothing. We sometime be inspired for one day,and just forget the other day, drowned in a routine task and job.

Well, let say I meet another tipping point. And at least I can do now is a make over of this blog. Reactivate, rejuvenate, reshape. Or what Chris Taylor special word is...REBRANDING.

So Voila, this is my new blog shape now. Shifted from green to dark years ago, when mafia games and dark novel dominates my leisure time; when I was put a stigma of myself as Illidan the betrayer, the man who sold his soul for greater good; when Lucifer lurked in my shadow. And now let just do it with white. Blow away the dark cloud. (what are you talking about, dudes, LoL)

...with a greater power, comes...

It just, when you heard that with a greater power comes a greater responsibility things, you might say, "yeah, I am not a superhero". But if you are a superhero, what kind of superhero are you?

Some say our favorit superhero is actually reflect what can we do or what we wanna be. An engineer may choose Iron Man, an wealthy young man may choose Batman, an ordinary and a bit nerd man may choose Spider Man. Scientist may opt for X-Men or Fantastic Four.

But we don't have to be a superhero to do something. We are, a super species. Each of us, have the power to change, to contribute, to inspire, to move, to put a butterfly in the universe. And whether the butterfly swings will become tornado later, let destiny decide, you can only try.

...so let us put more butterflies...

I want to see this blog again putting so much butterfly in the universe. Ideas, inspiration, provocation, or just a fun reading, or even just a comment,"what the hell are this person talking about". Already passed 30000 visitors, if only 1% of them found a good things here, already that makes me happy.

So at least, while my mood are being good lately, I want to shift from dark to light. Started from this page, started from this blog. I want to learn to become a real Professional, like those I met these days in the real life. But, I want to do it if possible with a cool way, not the boring one :-)

Hope you like he new look. So if people type my name in the google, and this page is on top (yes, it is, try it), they don't get disappointed.

Cheers