From Crisis to Opportunity - Motivation and Creativity

Introduction

On 29th Nov. 98, 5 Rotarians and 3 senior management members of banks / finance institutions gathered for a seminar cum discussion on "From Crisis to Opportunity - Motivation and Creativity". This was triggered by some member Rotarians, who are operating businesses and who felt discouraged and de-motivated due to recent economic crisis that affects almost all walk of life. The session was conducted and facilitated by undersigned, President of Rotary Club of Bintulu Central.

Below is a brief summary of the discussion and learning.

Program of the seminar / discussion:

• Purpose of the gathering : - Why? ... In Order to ......
• Some Theories on Motivation / Creativity
• Current Realities & their Understanding
• Sphere of Influence / Control
• Creative Tension for Personal Mastery
• New alternatives / ideas

Purpose of the gathering

The participants were asked a series of questions, starting with "Why are you here tonight?" with answer beginning with "I am here tonight "In order to ..". The followings are the collective group thinking:

To acquire some new Knowledge. WHY? -> To improve myself. WHY? -> In order to be in the Right Track. WHY? -> To stay ahead of our competitors. WHY? -> To survive. WHY? -> To Live. WHY? -> To meet the daily needs. WHY? -> To go on with my life.

Observations: The above expression, to a large extent, represent whatever maybe the thinking of the participants at that moment of time. Whether these are vivid mental model, or mere words of general terms without much serious thought are left to the participants to ponder. As the seminar / discussion unfolded, the relevancy or irrelevancy should become clearer personally to the participants.

Some Theories on Motivation / Creativity

It was postulated that in order to transform Crisis to Opportunity, there are two key sources of energy to be reckoned with i.e. Motivation & Creativity. For such latent energy to be mobilised, we need "Personal Vision that can generate Creative Tension" with Reality and the necessary KTS (Knowledge Techniques and Skills) to first a) to Understand Current Reality profoundly, thereby initiating effective action for transformation.

Current Realities & their Understanding

The participants come from the following business or industries:

Banking, Hotel, Retailing, Trading, Advertising / signcraft

As the negative economic sentiment is prevailing, participants first brainstormed on the Weaknesses of SWOT in their operating environment.

SWOT

Weaknesses:

W1 Decreasing business / less customers

W2 Bad debt ; worsening NPL

W3 C.O.G (cost of goods) goes up

W4 High rental

W5 Still have to comply to laws and legislation

W6 Loss in confidence by public

W7 Difficult to get loan from banks

W8 Price War

When the focus was on Strengths of their operating environment, there was little offered by the participants.

S1 Government Recovering plan in force

S2 Bintulu small community - lesser problem as compared with bigger cities in Asia

Observations: There is strong tendency to perceive realities in extreme. Due to the current economic difficulties, the mind is preoccupied with negative thinking. Thus inability even to recognise Strengths, even if that exist. Such biased focus does not help creativity thinking, and creating opportunities from seemingly crisis situation.

The participants are presented with domains that also make up the current reality, with the hope that such focus could generate more Creativity Thinking.

Current Reality Domains:

• System [Business performance, Scenario Planning, Financial analysis, Technology, Organisation, System components for synergy creation...]
• People [Competency, Creativity, Partnership, etc.]
• Stakeholders [Customers, suppliers, Legislation, ...]

Re-Look at Current Reality using brainstorming focusing on Strengths

Strengths

S1 Multitasking of staff

S2 Rescheduling of working hours

S3 Move to a better location for my shop

S4 Win-Win with customers - special offer

S5 Improving customers service - early preparation for bad time

S6 Now better credit control

S7 Recycling

S8 Lessons learnt reinforced

S9 More focus on efficiency

Organisational Iceberg Theory

Organisational Iceberg Theory was presented, i.e. Symptoms / Events as tip of the iceberg, with Pattern beneath, and supported by Structure / System and at the bottom Belief / Value / Personal Vision. From this theory, participants were asked to identify those Strengths or good measures in this economic crisis time are mere reaction to symptoms / events, or resolving the roots of the problems that can bring about lasting change for the better. It was recognised that many of the ideas or measures mentioned were fire-fight or reactive solution. Interestingly, one of the earlier weaknesses mentioned was "difficult to get bank loan", is now considered a good measure by business with respect to "better credit control". Both actions were reactive in nature, considered good practice by one party, bad from another. Collectively such reactive control measure, stifles the economy even more. Little Crisis-To-Opportunity can be developed if the mental capacity get caught in a negative vicious circle thinking.

Theory of Constraint (TOC)

The concept of TOC was introduced as a tool to help participants to further analyse their business environment for effective action, i.e. looking at vital important link or weakest link in a value-chain.

An example was made on "Retailing Business", with larger Value-chain identified. That is :

Manufacture -> Whole Seller -> Distributors -> RETAILER - Customers = function (so many different walk of life). The weakest link is most critical and crucial. In this respect, another concept "Sphere of Influence / Control" is introduced. That is, even if the weakest link is identified, is it within the participants' sphere of influence and control? If not, then a smaller System boundary with value chain needs to be investigated i.e. with the Retailing organisation and its interface. With such focus, creativity thinking can be applied and synergy developed, thus opportunity created. As compared with earlier weaknesses (SWOT) analysis, focus is not just looking at things beyond our control and influence. In this way, we will not be pointing fingers at "other factors", thus diminish opportunity creation to focus on factors with our own control and influence with creativity thinking.

Creative Tension for Personal Mastery

New alternatives / ideas

What Knowledge Techniques and Skills to manage current Reality?

Creativity, Experimentation and Discovery

What Vision crystallisation process for practice and mastery?

Reflection and meditation

New alternatives

Concept Fan

(Due to time constraint and avoiding knowledge overload, "New Alternative" to directly manage Current Reality not explored, except some explanation to participants as how to go about it)

Meeting Evaluation

Success Factors

• Gain new perspectives
• Get some points as per expectation
• Easy to understand
• New ideas: TOC, Organisation Iceberg
• Problems solving from different angles
• see others, think thyself
• More serious thought on my own personal vision / goal in life
• Cause me much thinking and could not sleep (2nd day feedback)

What else can be improved?

• Poor attendance
• Not punctual
• Time constraint
• Should interpret personal Vision from participants

What is interesting?

• Interesting -> To see thing in wider perspective - more holistic

End.