2009 was an eventful year with its fair share of ups and downs and nothing indicates that 2010 won’t follow suit, if not further test our mettle. As the economic downturn spreads and recession reaches our various shores and businesses, we will certainly feel the heat and the pressure (many of us are already facing it)…but that is how you turn coal into diamond…under extreme heat and pressure.

It’s just a matter of perspective…of seeing the world through a different lens. In the midst of adversity lies opportunity…and I do believe that these difficult times will provide us with great opportunities.
1.    opportunities to learn and grow from our mistakes, from others’ mistakes and from the tough experiences we undergo
2.    opportunities to revisit and rethink our way of being, doing and having – it’s a good time for introspection towards self-development
3.    opportunities to be more disciplined and laser-focused in whatever we do – so that we may achieve our goals and resolutions for the year
4.    opportunities for acknowledgement and gratitude for whatever we are blessed with.
So let us be ready and greedy for opportunities this year! As we prepare ourselves for a turbulent ride this year, my wish to you is to simply enjoy the ride! And in Jan 2011, as you look back on 2010, you will say, yes it was a hell of a roller-coaster ride, there were ups and downs, it was tough, I outgrew it and I enjoyed it!

Welcome back for the ride in 20010! Cheers!

Being productive is about achieving our goals while making optimal use of the resources at our disposal. However, being productive may not be enough in today’s world! In fact, it is not good enough! Instead, we have to be creatively productive to succeed now! In the corporate world the term, ‘innovation’ is preferred to ‘creativity’ but in practical terms, the end result is the same. Innovation implies action and plans that work. Creativity implies lateral thinking and new ideas but those striving for success will concur that without ideas there is nothing to innovate so let us interlock both terms for our discussion. This will help us to be ahead of the game!

Let us consider the basics of my simple success equation.

Being Creatively Productive = Thinking out of the box + Working smart

Here are four tips on how we can be creatively productive at work:

Remember Change Is Always Happening.

Be aware and constantly watch out for changes in our environment. We must keep focused what our competitors, suppliers and customers are doing and be psychologically ready to embrace innovation by adopting and adapting new technologies to work smarter. The only constant in today’s world is change so mental flexibility in mandatory. Innovations might be resisted for several reasons including cost and a fear of big changes so be ready to consider several options when drawing up your proposal.

Resist The Urge To Be Complacent.

Be resilient and go the extra mile in what ever we do. We must be committed to making the extra effort to satisfy our clients and close the deal. We must resist the urge to expect one successful paradigm to be applicable to all situations. Research and document everything you can find that pertains to your client’s business which may not be included in your brief. Be ready to create uniquely customized solutions that will serve them in the short and medium term. Take time to consider a few unconventional solutions and keep them on file for future reference.

Be Ready To Play Different Roles.

Having a keen eye for continuous improvement by focusing on how we can incrementally enhance our processes and systems. One method is to listen closely to complaints and observations being made by colleagues in the workplace. While some feedback may just be useless whining, some may contain valuable insights about general perceptions and performance shortcomings that you may be overlooking.

A good source of inspiration and information is the blogosphere where many great minds and professionals go to vent and share ideas.

The hallmark of creative/innovative people is their mental flexibility. Sometimes they are open and receptive, at other times they’re playful and on occasion they can be critical. But one constant is that they’re all determined and persistent in striving to reach their goals. From this we may conclude that the creative process will demand that we play different roles within the workplace which are not described in any manual on business management.

Keep Looking In The Mirror.

Keep track of your failures and successes by using an effective performance management system to give focus and feedback. Be certain to set out clear objectives, ideally with quantifiable performance targets. Without continuous and honest evaluation, we will not be able to recognize our strengths and weaknesses and won’t be inspired to realize our enormous reserves of untapped creative potential.

I believe that these tips can lead to extraordinary achievements when coupled with the right mindset. And what is the right mindset? A willingness to express your creativity, a passionate determination to succeed and a positive outlook for now and the future.