Creativity & Innovation Reflection, Week One
Reflecting on my first week in the course Creativity and Innovation at Full Sail University. This reflection focuses on the activities associated with the course and the knowledge I gained.
This is a reflection on this past week. I read, watched, and listened to vast amounts of helpful information. I learned some important things that will help me become a successful entrepreneur. Some of that information includes tips on embracing failure, improving creativity, strategy reflections, leadership styles, and networking.
Important Points
I read and watched many different points of view about the essence of being an entrepreneur, what it takes, and how to be successful. Looking past the known risks and the unknowns, a common theme I saw was talking about growth and not being afraid of being wrong, even in the face of being wrong and failing, understanding how to read into that scenario, and doing your best to take that as feedback on how to continue. In the book The Lean Startup, I enjoyed Eric Ries' chapter about pivoting and what that truly means. He even explained the different types of pivoting, which was very insightful, and suggested ways to change your tactics if you are not progressing (Ries, 2011). It is important to know where you want to go; it is also essential to be dynamic in your efforts and learn how to be dynamic.
Discussions
During the live class session on Tuesday night, several topics were discussed, such as the different types of entrepreneurs and knowing if you are ready to be an entrepreneur. I enjoyed the insightful video showing five ways to improve entrepreneurial creativity. I already follow a few of those tips, such as stepping away from the desk to get fresh air and inspiration and then utilizing a variety of perspectives. Things I should add are traveling more and physically drawing out my strategy. I love technology, but sometimes nothing beats pen and paper. Since having children, it has not been easy to travel spontaneously, but now, as they are getting older, that is something I want to add back in.
Application
Regarding application, I can add specific times to my calendar focusing on a particular item or theme. For example, I can add time every two weeks to reflect on my strategy and document what I have learned and how I feel between those scheduled times. Modeled after what Eric Ries talked about in his book, The Lean Startup, startups schedule reoccurring meetings to reflect on where the company is and if they should pivot or persevere. This proactive measure can be helpful even if the company is on a great trajectory, instead of a scrabbled meeting when things are not going well (Ries, 2011).
The Crossover
I learned something new about leadership profiles: innovators, executors, and developers (Allen, 2020). While watching the video, I immediately started picturing different people I have worked with and saw many connections. I am a developer. I love to think up new ideas, but I also want the satisfaction of helping create and ship them. Having insight into my leadership style will help me while I work on my path forward to success. As an entrepreneur, knowing this will help me if I add others to work with and help me. As an intrapreneur, this insight will help me find a position that best aligns with my leadership style to keep me in a happy place.
Experiences
This past week, I accidentally networked. I ran into a friend on an errand, and we updated each other on recent events. We got onto the topic of my degree program and why. I had the opportunity to talk to her about my vision, and she was amazed at how passionate I was. She said she wanted to hear more as I progress, and she has some people she knows who would be interested in helping give feedback down the road. Networking was one of the weak points I mentioned in the discussion post this week and something I intend to work on. I need to work on my pitch for the product and be able to explain the value of my product to that person quickly (Smale, 2019).
References
Allen, R. (2020, December 14). Innovation V5. Brigham Young University 2013. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hy4oQh_Qyto&t=425s
Ries, E. (2011, September 13). The Lean Startup: How Today’s Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses. Crown Currency.
Smale, T. (2019, March 20.) 10 Traits All Successful Entrepreneurs Share. Entrepreneur. Retrieved from https://www.entrepreneur.com/leadership/10-traits-all-successful-entrepreneurs-share/299852