A blank sheet of paper . . .

In 1974 Marty Sklar had just been promoted to creative leader of Walt Disney Imagineering -- the creative force behind the theme parks and other guest experiences. At the time Walt Disney World in Florida had just opened and EPCOT Center was on its way (Disneyland in California was in operation). Over his tenure as the leader, it grew to eleven theme parks across the globe on three continents.

Back to 1974 though. In one of his first meetings, Sklar set out a black piece of paper in front of the Imagineers who had gathered for the launch.

"There are two ways to look at a blank sheet of paper," Sklar told the creative team. "It can be the most frightening thing in the world because you have to make the first mark on it. Or it can be the greatest opportunity in the world because you get to make the first mark -- you can let your imagination fly in any direction, and create whole new worlds!"

If a blank sheet of paper were placed in front of you, how would you see it? Answering that question can make all the difference in the world as to what you may or may not create moving forward.

Tesla's Gigafactory

Nikola Tesla was one of the greatest inventors of all time. So, a company with his name attached should be one that thinks differently, expands imagination, and stretches our ideas.

Elon Musk is building toward an electric future, and this factory in Nevada is testament to that.

Learn more about this fascinating spark of imagination (actually a gigaspark): https://www.teslamotors.com/gigafactory

houston@figment-consulting.com

Keep moving forward

It worked for Walt Disney, Thomas Edison, Margaret Knight, Henry Ford, Melitta Bentz, Steve Jobs, Stephanie Kwolek, Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, Richard Branson, and countless others.

A simple yet profound principle called Keep Moving Forward, or perhaps you may know it as Persistence.

Whatever it is you are working on today, no matter the outcome, keep moving forward.

houston@figment-consulting.com

Day 1

After today there are only 365 days left in 2016.

When you arrive at December 31, 2016 and look back on your year, what will it have looked like?

What do you want it to look like? Start there first. Decide, then do.

It's the first day of a new year, and it can also be the first day of a new you.

houston@figment-consulting.com

A Different Kind of ROI

Return on Imagination?

It's a thought. We all know return on investment -- we invest x and the return is y. Finance loves ROI -- especially when it is increasing. It's measurable (most of the time), can be adjusted, adapted, and redirected.

So, what is Return on Imagination?

Over 700 million iPhones have been sold since they were first introduced. We can look back and take into account product development costs, marketing costs, and other costs to determine the full return on investment. Then, we can look specifically at marketing and determine individual channel returns -- did tv outperform digital? What was the ROI for radio? Etc.

However, without Imagination there would be no iPhone to sell.

In fact, without Imagination there would be no:

Television
Internet
Personal computers
Movies
Telephone
Automobile
Airplane
and the list goes on and on.

Much of our time is focused on return on investment but we tend to forget the role Imagination plays. Imagination opens the doors to the need for measuring investment. Where would we be though without Imagination?

My concern today is in the realm of education we are spending too much of our time thinking about return on investment, and spending far too little time on Imagination.

We seek ways to measure student performance, then explore ways to improve it. We introduce a new nationwide curriculum, designed in some part to give us a similar foundation to measure results. Then, we introduce new legislation to change what we measure, how often we measure it, and what we need to do to invest in the education of our youth.

Where does Imagination fit in? Who in the world of education is introducing to us the iPhone for the very first time? Who is bringing us the telephone for the very first time? Who is building a new mode of transportation to replace the horse and buggy?

We need to have the dreamers in education. We need to allow Imagination to be of equal importance as Investment when it comes to education.

In fact, we need to encourage more Imagination. It's a different kind of ROI which requires a different way of thinking.

houston@figment-consulting.com

Imagination

One little spark, of inspiration
Is at the heart, of all creation.
Right at the start, of everything that's new.
One little spark, lights up for you.

Two tiny wings, eyes big and yellow.
Horn of a steer, but a lovable fellow.
From head to tail, he's royal purple pigment.
And there, voila!, you've got a Figment.

We all have sparks, imaginations.
That's how our minds, create creations.
For they can make, our wildest dreams come true.
Those magic sparks, in me and you.

Imagination, imagination.
A dream, can be a dream come true.
With just that spark, in me and you.

The Sherman Brothers
Journey into Imagination with Figment

houston@figment-consulting.com

You should fear failure

if you do not desire to grow, to learn, to improve yourself, then yes fear failure.

If, on the other hand, you see failure for what it truly is, and understand that within it lies great opportunities for those who seek for it when experiencing failure, then you can use failure to aid you in achieving greater growth.

Read more on the lives of the following and see how they understood the role failure can play in success:

Steve Jobs
Nikola Tesla
Glenn Casey
Bill Gates
Sara Blakely
Warren Buffett
Thomas Edison
Henry Ford
Arianna Huffington

houston@figment-consulting.com

Customer service is an investment.

It is not an expense, as some would have you believe.

It is not marketing, though it does market you.

It is not a program, though programs are involved.

It is not a department, though it may need a department.

It is not a position, though positions may be involved.

It is a culture that has been invested in by the company (the people) on a daily basis, consistently over time.

One little spark . . .

. . . of imagination can alter the entire course of events.

It can radically change the existing environment.

It can revolutionize the current situation.

It can transform us.


A dream can be a dream come true, with just that spark, in me and you.

houston@figment-consulting.com

The edge of failure

Don't be afraid to fail.

Many times it is at the edge of failure that imagination accelerates and breakthroughs occur.

houston@figment-consulting.com