CONFERENCE NOW

Infusing Your Business with Creativity and Innovation

By Marty Maciaszek

NSGA Director of Communications

Creativity and innovation should be an inspiration and not a form of intimidation for your business and your team. That was the message from Duncan Wardle during his opening keynote presentation, “Back In Action: Igniting a Culture of Innovation and Creativity,” at the 2021 NSGA Management Conference & Team Dealer Summit in Naples, Florida. Wardle was with Disney for 30 years before founding ID8. “The biggest barrier to innovation is you and me,” said Wardle, who became the Head of Creativity and Innovation for Disney. “It’s hard to stop thinking the way you always do.” Wardle walked the walk during his presentation by deviating from the traditional format of talking while attendees sat quietly and listened. Wardle included some snappy artwork and a couple of lively creative interviewing exercises to get attendees out of their chairs and sharing ideas. One of the exercises was “No because vs. Yes and,” to show how the difference between encouraging and stifling creativity. “There is twice as much energy for ‘Yes and,’” Wardle said. “You are getting bigger ideas. “’No because’ shouldn’t be the first two words you say, because if you do, that person won’t come back next week with an idea.” Wardle emphasized the importance of ideas coming from anywhere in your business. Diversity helps spark innovation because people who look different than you do likely think differently as well. “You need to instill a culture of innovation into everyone’s DNA,” Wardle said. “The No. 1 barrier to innovation is, ‘I don’t have time to think,’ and you end up filling your day with meetings every day.” Wardle was part of helping Lucasfilm with new storylines for its Star Wars movie enterprise. He also had a hand in Pixar movie classics which included Toy Story, Wall-E and A Bug’s Life. “I was like a kid in a candy store,” Wardle said. Which underscores a key element to successful creativity and innovation.

“Innovation feels awkward,” Wardle said. “Who are the most creative people you’ve ever met? They are kids. They use their imagination. “Why is playfulness so important? Because on any given day your brain is going 100 million miles an hour.” So, Wardle emphasized the importance of “productive creativity.” The more you use your creative side the stronger it gets. And the ideas can come at any time – while you are walking, working out, shopping or driving. “How can you get fresh stimulus in your life,” Wardle asked. “Give yourself and your teams time to think. The opposite of bravery is not cowardice but conformity.” Wardle said Disney executives work at least one day a year on a cash register or sweeping an area of one of its theme parks. Once every two years they visit with a guest in their living room. And Disney uses guest instead of customer for those who come to its theme parks. Wardle said it’s not much different from using the word experience instead of retail. “Just think of how you feel when you’re treated as a guest,” Wardle said. Augmented reality, which is an interactive experience of a real-world environment, was another subject Wardle discussed. He talked

to the Philadelphia Eagles and learned that 19 percent of the NFL team’s fans never come to their stadium.

“Augmented reality creates the experience in your stores,” Wardle said. “You want (NFL star quarterback) Tom Brady in your store, you can get Tom Brady in your store. Stop thinking as retailers and start thinking as experiences. Amazon can’t create an experience as you can.” If you’re a small business owner, you certainly don’t have the same resources at your disposal as Disney or an NFL team. But that doesn’t have to deter the development of a creative approach to how you do business. Wardle pounded that idea home as he mentioned a talk he gave to renowned tool and hardware manufacturer Stanley Black & Decker. “I told them, ‘This generation has never heard of your brand and they don’t care,’” Wardle said. “Your purpose could be your brand helps people build their dreams. That could be true in any line of business you want it to be. “We’re all born creative and we all use intuition, curiosity and imagination. Those are the most employable assets of the next generation.”