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Nate Turner

Nate Turner | November 2, 2014 | 2 Comments

9 Phrases to Spark Creative Conversations – Nate Turner

 9 Phrases to Spark Creative Conversations

 

Little sparks start fires. We all want that explosion of creativity. We want that moment to hit us all at once. Unfortunately, creativity is usually the result of a lot of little moments that inspire us toward the creative process.

Many times, the creative process is sparked by a few little words. It may the beginning of a long conversation toward innovation. It may be the beginning of an industry changing brainstorming session. It may be the beginning of an enormous shift in strategy. But, often it all starts with a few little words.

Maybe you need to start one of those conversations this week. It could be a conversation that changes the direction of your business. It could be the conversation that changes the direction of your marriage. It could be the conversation that changes the direction of your parenting. It could be the conversation that changes the direction of your career. But, you need to start the conversation. You have to take the initiative. You have to be intentional.

So, how do you get the ball rolling? How do you get the conversation started?

Here are 9 little phrases that spark creative conversations:

1. What if…

This question is great to get creative feedback on an idea.

2. What would it look like…

This is a great question to add vision to creativity.

3. Imagine…

This is a great statement to get creative juices flowing.

4. How could it be different…

This is a great question to give permission to change the existing situation.

5. How could it be better…

This is a great question to improve the current situation.

6. Let us put our head together on…

This is an invitation to brainstorming.

7. What’s next…

This is a great question to evaluate future direction.

8. What’s missing…

This is a great question to find what is needed, but not yet present.

9. Coffee?…

Always. Works.

What’s the topic?

The truth is that most of us need to start a conversation today. I can’t think of anyone on the planet who doesn’t need to spark a creative conversation somewhere in their life. There is some aspect of your life that needs to be initiated, improved, or even revised.

Who’s the Person?

You need someone involved in the conversation. It could be someone who needs to make some changes. It could be a trusted confidant that will help you make some changes. It could be the right people to make the right changes in your current situation. Find the right person to have a great creative conversation.

When’s the Time?

Now plan a time. It might be over lunch, over coffee, over dinner, or over a conference table in your office. When is the right time? It could be tomorrow. It could be next week. It could be next month. But, you need to be intentional about planning a time and making the conversation happen.

So, what little spark will you use to start that much needed creative conversation?

Nate Turner | October 26, 2014 | 3 Comments

The Art of Celebration – Nate Turner

The Art of Celebration

 

It’s been wedding season in our world. We’ve been at multiple weddings this year so far, but it seems like the frequency has notched up a bit over the last couple of months. It is always great to get to celebrate with friends and family as they enter into the next stage of their relationship, but there’s something you have to know about me.

I love weddings. I love the venues. I love the music. I love the lighting. I love the creativity. I love the ceremonies, the receptions, and the food. I love watching the groom when the bride enters. I love all the little miscues that make each wedding unique. I just enjoy being at weddings.

And, I think we can learn from weddings. Rather, I think we need to learn from weddings. We need to learn to celebrate. We need to learn to celebrate better.

Here are three lessons about celebration I’ve learned from weddings over the years.

Create Reminder Ceremonies

My favorite part of weddings are the vows. I just love the moment where two people make that commitment to one another. The vows are a celebration of that commitment. My wife and I try to hold hands during the vows at every wedding we attend. It’s a great moment to celebrate with the bride and groom, but it is also a great moment to celebrate us. When we hear others take their vows, it reminds us of our own vows. Their celebration is a reminder of our celebration.

The celebrations we create would do well to create celebration moments. Moments where reflection is either implicitly or explicitly encouraged. We want those who gather with us during our great moments to remember their own great moments. Most of the time, we are tempted to make our celebrations about us. However, celebrations that touch the heart of the participants are more likely to foster truly joyful moments.

Capture Great Moments

One of my favorite pictures from my own wedding makes me laugh every time I see it. It’s not from the ceremony or group pictures. It’s a moment that the photographer caught during the reception. My bride and I were out on the dance floor with our friends, and the photographer snapped a shot of me doing the robot. Now, listen, I’m not much of a dancer, so my wife was doubled over laughing. Truthfully, that’s a great moment we would likely have forgotten a long time ago if not for the picture.

Whether it’s a designated photographer, a photo booth, or a hired professional, make sure you capture some of the great moments in your celebrations. Pin them. Post them. Display them. Let the great memories linger.

Just Have Fun

Stuffy weddings are no fun. You’ve been there. I’ve been there. Sometimes it’s the people. Sometimes it’s the location. Sometimes it’s the tradition. But in most of those moments, everyone wishes someone would given the participants permission to enjoy themselves. I don’t think any of the people who planned stuffy weddings really wanted them to end up like that. They just never gave others the permission to have fun (and likely never gave themselves the permission to have fun). On the other hand, I’ve been to weddings that embraced the importance of the moment, but they were able to infuse the event with a permission to enjoy.

That’s what we want for our celebrations. We want to create meaningful celebration moments where everyone feels free to enjoy themselves. We want our moments to be infused with the permission to have fun. We want, simply, to celebrate.

What are some lessons you’ve learned from weddings about celebration?

Nate Turner | October 19, 2014 | 2 Comments

Is Apple Rotten? – Nate Turner

Is Apple Rotten

 

The release of the new iPhone 6 unleashed a firestorm of questions about the direction of Apple. From concern that Apple is simply copycatting other enormous phone designs to criticism of the company’s product direction, many early adopter types are wondering if the technology giant is heading in the wrong direction.

Let’s face it, Apple will always live under the watchful eye of WWSD (What Would Steve Do?). They will constantly be judged by the ghost of quite possibly the greatest innovator of our time. But, my goal today isn’t to judge the direction of Apple. My goal today isn’t to judge the quality of the new products. My goal is to take a more light-hearted look at the measuring stick by which to evaluate Apple against itself.

Apple has been at the forefront of personal technology innovation for the past two decades. Their innovative thinking put them there. So, I think the proper measuring stick for their technology is their own innovative thinking. To do that, let’s take a look at 3 core (pun intended) elements of Apple’s innovative thinking that made them the industry leader in personal technology.

Gave Us What We Never Knew We Wanted

I remember when Starbucks first hit my hometown. I thought, “So, they are selling a place for people to sit around drinking really expensive coffee…this will never work.” Turns out I was wrong. Turns out Starbucks gave us something we never knew we wanted…a place to connect. Starbucks wins more because of the connection to other Bucksie’s (my name for Starbucks regulars) than really good coffee.

Apple is the Starbucks of technology. Back when I used a PC, I never knew I wanted a graphics oriented, user friendly laptop. I never knew aesthetics mattered in my computing experience. Now, I’d have to be forced to go back. Something you constantly hear from Apple users is, “It just makes sense.” That’s one of the backbones of Apple’s innovative thinking.

Made the Best Better Possible

I was in a second hand store recently and stumbled across a peculiar antique. I found a circa 1987 bag phone. Remember those? Remember the Palm Pilot? Remember the Rolodex? Remember Atari? Remember the Walkman? Remember the World Book Encyclopedia? Remember paper calendars? If you’re a millennial, you might not. Right now, you probably carry all of those in your pocket.

Apple took the best physical resources of the day and combined them into one piece of technology. They combined them into the best possible product. Whether it was the iPod, iPad, iPhone, iTunes or the App Store, Apple created new technology to incorporate the best of what already existed.

Business Quality Devices For Personal Use

There was a time when fax machines were reserved for offices. They were a business-only device. Regular people like you and me were left with snail mail. The original laptop was a business-issued device. The same was true for cellular telephones. Printers only existed in offices. If you think about it, many of the devices that are commonplace in homes around the world were originally relegated to the corporate environment.

Apple broke that trend. They made a major technological shift. They brought business quality products directly to consumers like us. In fact, you probably have access to most technology products that businesses do. You can go to the App Store and buy most business oriented applications. Your phone is just as powerful as Wall Street’s elite. You have access to the same laptop as Apple executives. Apple tore down the wall between business and personal devices.

Here’s where things turn. What about you? Do you have these cores at the forefront of your creative thinking? Let’s stop asking whether Apple is rotten. Let’s ask the same question of ourselves. Are we pushing the innovation envelope?

I’d love to hear from you. Where are you challenged to give people what they never knew they wanted, make the best better possible, or tear down existing walls in your world?

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Hi, my name is Adam Smith and welcome to asmithblog.com. I am the author of the book, The Bravest You. Because of my work as an entrepreneur, consultant, writer, and speaker, I have been named a top industry influencer by American Genius. I live with my wife, Jasmine, and three children in Shenandoah, IA.

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