Herding Monkeys: How to lead the creative talents of your people and get commercial results - Paperback

by Megan Kerr (Editor), Nigel Collin (Author)

This book is about how to get the most from your creative people and creative teams. It's not about being more creative or generating ideas - it's about inspiring and nurturing the creativity of others. It's about leading the creativity in your business, so you get the commercial results you need and achieve real business value. In the new creative economy, a company's intellectual property is worth far more than their physical assets - just look at Apple and Google. That's why, in IBM's 2010 study of more than 1,500 CEO's, creativity was rated the Number One leadership needed for companies to lead the market in the new economy. But up to 75% of business leaders we surveyed admit they're not harnessing their company's creativity effectively. The challenge that businesses face with creativity isn't finding creative people or teaching them to be more creative. The challenge is leading your creative people and drawing on their talents. How do you tap into and harness their genius, then direct it towards viable business outcomes? This book will show you how to lead the creative talents of your people and innovative thinkers and turn their ideas into market-leading commercial winners. Leading creative people is like herding monkeys. They seem to be all over the place, off in a world of their own. But they're also very communal and enjoy hanging out with other creative types. They're brilliant at slinging stuff; they're always throwing ideas, designs, and concepts around. They are incredibly smart. And you need them, as much as they need you. Here's what you'll discover in Herding Monkeys... - The creativity myth; why you don't need to find more creative people or even teach creative thinking - What it really takes to lead creative people effectively - How to spot the creatives in your company and tap into the gold vein of their ideas - How to motivate your creative people and direct their talent towards clear commercial outcomes - How to balance the freedom and structure your creatives need -How to transform your business into an industry leader in the new creative economy

Author Biography

Nigel Collin is a champion of creativity. He works with business leaders, helping them commercialize the creative talents of their people to get results and profit from innovation. For 9 years Nigel owned and ran Absurd Entertainment, an entertainment design company, before passing on the baton in 2004. He worked on a multitude of corporate and public events including the 2000 Sydney Olympics and Paralympics and The Sydney Royal Easter Show 1997-2003. He was Show Director for Australia's largest-ever corporate event, in Sydney in 2005. Many companies across a myriad of industries including IT, Entertainment, Design, Events, Marketing, Finance, Pharmaceuticals, Government and Telecommunications have benefited from Nigel's experience and expertise. As a conference speaker and author, his work has Nigel has worked around the globe. He is one of those rare people whose passion for creativity and in-depth knowledge will engage and inspire your people - and make a real difference to your business. Nigel's quest is to change the creative landscape of the Australia.