RETAILOBSERVER.COM FEBRUARY 2019
4
Eliana Barriga
eliana@retailobserver.com
Time to create and inspire-
FEBRUARY 2019, VOLUME 30, ISSUE 2
CELEBRATING OUR 30
TH
YEAR
AS THE RETAIL OBSERVER
PUBLISHER/MANAGING EDITOR
E LIANA BARRIGA
DIRECTOR OF SALES AND MARKETING
MOE LASTFOGEL
ART DIRECTOR
TERRY PRICE
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
MIKE ALLEN
JOE HIGGINS
MARIO JUAREZ
BEN LUTHER
PATRICK MALONEY
BRUCE MANNING
STEVEN MORRIS
JOHN TSCHOHL
LIBBY WAGNER
MIKE WHITAKER
RALPH E. WOLFF
DEADLINE FOR APRIL 2019 ISSUE:
MARCH 1, 2019
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THE RETAIL
I
loved the topic of Vital Germaine's new book, Imagination Will Take You Everywhere.
In his book, Germaine describes how he, as a young acrobat, joined Canada's
renowned Cirque du Soleil, climbed a steep learning curve, and learned priceless
secrets about releasing the power of creative imagination to solve problems quickly and
efficiently. Today, Germaine teaches leaders to open their imagination and recognize
fresh pathways to success. (See our review of his inspiring book on page 14.)
Germaine makes a very good point about using imagination to develop one's
mindset in order to drive innovation for a competitive market edge. That concept
was amplified for me after attending the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) here
in Las Vegas. Talk about the hub of creativity... CES is where the ideas of the
imagination meet creativity and manifest the future of technology and the world as
we know it to be.
Imagination and creativity may be Job One for acrobats and artists – but do they
work in the non-artistic fields? They most certainly do.
Consider former U.S. Navy Captain D. Michael Abrashoff. In is book, It's Your Ship:
Management Techniques from the Best Damn Ship in the Navy, he describes when
the Navy gave him command of a troubled ship with bottom-scraping efficiency ratings.
When Abrashoff took over Benfold, most of the crew told him they couldn't wait to
leave the ship and get out of the Navy. Abrashoff decided to apply the leadership
principles he'd learned during a stint as an aide to Secretary of Defense William J.
Perry. He would put the crew's welfare first.
Abrashoff talked with each of Benfold's 310 crew members, and invited their
suggestions – and implemented them, even if it meant bending the Navy's rules. He
respected them and tapped their creativity, imagination and enthusiasm.
Morale soared and success came quickly. How did Abrashoff turn his ship around?
By releasing the creative enthusiasm of the individual.
The answers you need are there. Do your research, then let the ideas incubate.
Finally, go for a walk and let fresh insights bubble up from the creative recesses of your
heart and mind.
CULTIVATING
CREATIVITY:
The skill of the future
Elle's View As I See It
