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Is your business changing? Pay attention! The non-package revenue of United Parcel Service rose from $201 million in 1998 to $344 million in 1999. Two reasons for the growth: insurance and the UPS Logistics Group. And UPS is looking ahead to a growing stake in digital commerce in the years going forward, as Internet shopping expands. The railroads died out because they didn't realize they were in the transportation business. Railroads couldn't grasp that airlines and trucks were knocking off their core business. Learn how today's business differs from yesterday's and act on it.

Recognize creative people when they stare you in the face. A newspaper once fired Walt Disney because they thought he lacked ideas. Beethoven's music teacher declared him a hopeless composer. Oscar-winner Clark Gable failed a screen test. Some people may be an aggravation, but they can also be the best talent in the market, and they already may be on your payroll. Find them.

BUSINESS CREATIVITY

Most businesses now accept the need for creativity in organizations in order to generate the innovative outcomes needed to sustain competitive advantage. MORGAN presents a very readable set of ideas on managing creativity, which invites the reader to “develop new ways of thinking about organization and management” through a series of images and metaphors. His spider plant model of organizational design provides a particularly useful means of rethinking organizational structure. There are a number of other descriptions that use visual imaging to design powerful and often radical transformations. Morgan explains how organizations can become trapped in patterns of behaviour that merely reinforce the status quo. Although essentially an ideas book, later chapters explain how creative ideas can help practically, to rethink products or services or reorganize the ways in which we use time or space.

CREATING CREATIVITY AT WORKPLACES

"What must one do to survive in the 21st century?"

The No. 1 answer: "Practice creativity and innovation." The same group was asked how well it was delivering on the creativity and innovation scale. Only 6 percent felt they were doing a great job. The creativity deficit may be the single most dangerous gap in American business. Creativity, innovation and vision are three words that circle nearly every management powwow like a trio of buzzards. They gnaw at us because they sound so intimidating. Yet creativity is a lot simpler than we think. Every study known to mankind shows no correlation between creativity and IQ. A correlation between creativity and measurement or focus? That's a different matter.

Mention the words creative accounting. What pops up in most people's minds is cooking the books. But how about accounting for creativity and making it part of the company's internal balance sheet? Start by keeping some lists of things you do right. What if more businesses encouraged bottom-line creativity just that way? Believe me, the investor stampede would be unstoppable.

Bend rules. One of the main reasons why TGI Friday's restaurants work is that the waiters and waitresses are told to bend rules. Are sardines on the menu? Not that I noticed. Want a sardine sandwich for dinner? You got it. Some sous-chef will buzz down to the grocer to snag a can of sardines, if that will make you a happy camper.

Be direct! At the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, a feature directed and scripted by Karyn Kusama called "Girlfight" won top honors. Why? The New York Times says: "Instruction for a new actress: Don't flirt, take on the camera." Just be direct. In business, it's the same. Ask yourself: How much creative energy do you lose by ducking punches? Creativity means guts, not games. You know the standard dodges: "Let's table this," or even worse, "Let's send it to Legal."