Managing Creative Risks for Success

1 • @ESKIMON • CREATIVEMORNINGS SINGAPORE, APRIL 2016 • #CMRISK
RISK
HOW TO MANAGE
SIMON KEMP • • CREATIVEMORNINGS SINGAPORE, APRIL 2016
CREATIVE

SIMON KEMP
@eskimon

RISK

Exposure to
the chance of
loss or injury.
~ the dictionary
“

RISK RELATES TO OUR INABILITY TO PREDICT AN
OUTCOME WITH A DESIRED LEVEL OF CONFIDENCE

CREATIVITY

Using imagination
and original ideas to
create something new
~ the dictionary
“

SO, RISK IS INHERENT TO CREATIVITY: WHEN WE CREATE
SOMETHING NEW, WE CAN’T GUARANTEETHE OUTCOME

THREE MAIN TYPES OF CREATIVERISK
THE INABILITY TO PREDICT
RETURNS ON INVESTMENTS
OF MONEY, EFFORT, AND
TIME NEEDED TO CREATE
HOW OTHER PEOPLE (AND
OURSELVES)WILL JUDGE
OUR CREATIONS
FINANCIAL EMOTIONAL
HOW CREATIVE ACTIVITIES
WILL IMPACT OUR HEALTH,
SAFETY, OR FREEDOM
PHYSICAL

10 • @ESKIMON • CREATIVEMORNINGSSINGAPORE, APRIL 2016 • #CMRISK
MANY OF US SEE ‘RISK’ AS A BAD THING

BUT RISK WORKS BOTH WAYS: IT OFFERS THE
POTENTIAL FOR GAINS AS WELL AS LOSSES

THERE CAN BE
NO CREATIVITY
WITHOUT RISK

’Tis better to have
created and failed
than never to have
created at all.
~ a bastardisation of Alfred Lord Tennyson
“

...BUT OBVIOUSLYWE’D PREFER TO CREATE
AND SUCCEED,RATHER THAN CREATE AND FAIL

SO, HOW DO WE TIP THE BALANCE IN FAVOUR
OF SUCCESS, AND GET MORE OF WHAT WE WANT?

DEALING WITH RISK:
1. IDENTIFY
2. UNDERSTAND
3. MANAGE

C10

CLARITYRISKS ASSOCIATEDWITH A LACK OF DIRECTION

HOW DO YOU
WIN GOLD AT
THE OLYMPICS?

THE ANSWER DEPENDS ENTIRELY ON
WHICH SPORT YOU’RE COMPETING IN

IT’S MUCH HARDERTO SUCCEED WHEN WE
DON’T KNOWWHAT SUCCESSLOOKS LIKE

A LACK OF CLEAR OBJECTIVESIS INVARIABLY
THE GREATEST CAUSE OF CREATIVE ‘FAILURE’

WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO ACHIEVE?

RESPECT ENJOYMENT PRIDE LEARNING
PURPOSE MONEY COMMUNITY POWER
SOME COMMON CREATIVEMOTIVATIONS

BE HONESTWITH YOURSELF:CHOOSE THE ONE YOU
FEEL, NOT THE ONE YOU THINK YOU SHOULDCHOOSE

BASED ON THAT, WHAT DOES SUCCESS LOOK LIKE FOR
YOU 12 MONTHS, 5 YEARS, AND 25 YEARS FROM NOW?

HAVING A CLEAR ‘PURPOSE’ DRAMATICALLYREDUCES
YOUR RISK OF NOT ACHIEVING WHAT YOU WANT

...BUT HOW ARE YOU GOING TO SURVIVE LONG
ENOUGH FOR YOU TO ACHIEVE THAT SUCCESS?

COMMERCIALISMRISKS ASSOCIATEDWITH NOT UNDERSTANDINGTHE ROLEOF A CREATIVE PROFESSIONAL

ACTIVITIES THAT FOCUS
PRIMARILY ON MAKING MONEY
OR INSPIRING CHANGE
ACTIVITIES THAT FOCUS
PRIMARILY ON SELF-EXPRESSION
OR ENTERTAININGOURSELVES
CREATIVITY
AS A JOB
CREATIVITY
AS A HOBBY
WHICH DESCRIBES YOUR CREATIVE CONTEXT?
VS

IF YOU RELY ON CREATIVITY TO SUPPORTYOUR
LIFESTYLE,YOU’RE A CREATIVEPROFESSIONAL

NO SHIT
SHERLOCK

!

YOU ARE NOT AN ARTIST WITH A RICH BENEFACTOR;
YOU ARE A MEMBER OF A TEAM WITH A SET OF GOALS

PROFESSIONALCREATIVITYIS A MEANS TO AN END:
WHAT IT DOES IS MORE IMPORTANTTHAN WHAT IT IS

WHAT WE HOPE
OUR CREATIONS
WILL ACHIEVE
WHAT WE WILL CREATE
IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE
OUR DESIRED OUTCOMES
OUTCOMES OUTPUTS
A CRITICAL DISTINCTION
VS

RISK INCREASES SIGNIFICANTLYIF WE FAIL TO
UNDERSTANDTHE CHANGECREATIVITY MUST DELIVER

BUT AS CREATIVE PROFESSIONALS,WE USUALLY
NEED TO DRIVE CHANGEON BEHALF OF OTHERS

NOTE:
THE REST OF THIS PRESENTATION REFERS TO
THESE ‘OTHERS’ AS CLIENTS, BUT THEY COULD
JUST AS EASILY BE PARTNERS, TEAMMATES,
BOSSES, OTHER INTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS,
SHAREHOLDERS, OR EVEN REGULATORS.

COMMUNICATIONRISKS ASSOCIATEDWITH FAILINGTO UNDERSTANDCLIENTS’ NEEDSAND EXPECTATIONS

ANOTHER BIG RISK IS A LACK OF ALIGNMENT
WITH CLIENTS ON WHAT SUCCESS LOOKSLIKE

WHAT DOES YOUR CLIENT WANT TO ACHIEVE?

WHAT
WE
WANT
WHAT
CLIENTS
WANT
SUCCESS

WE ALSO NEED TO UNDERSTANDWHAT RISK LOOKS
LIKE FOR THEM, AND HOW MUCH THEY’LL TOLERATE

TIP: USE ‘RISK PROFILING’ TECHNIQUES(SIMILAR TO
THOSE FINANCIAL ADVISORS USE) TO IDENTIFY THIS

WHAT YOUR CLIENT HOPES
TO ACHIEVE, AND BY WHEN
HOW MUCH UNCERTAINTY THEY
WILL TOLERATE ALONGTHE WAY
DESIRED
OUTCOME
RISK
PROFILE
2 THINGS WE MUST CLARIFY AT THE OUTSET
&

CLIENTS RARELYMATCH OUR TOLERANCEFOR RISK
THOUGH,SO WE MUST HELP THEM ‘BUY IN’ TO IDEAS

COLLABORATIONRISKS ASSOCIATEDWITH NOT INVOLVING OTHERPEOPLE IN THE CREATIVE PROCESS

MANY CREATIVE PEOPLEPREFER TO
TACKLE CREATIVECHALLENGESALONE

BUT WE NEED TO REMEMBER THAT SUCCESS IS NOT
JUST DETERMINED BY WHAT WE WANT TO ACHIEVE...

WHAT
WE
WANT
WHAT
CLIENTS
WANT
SUCCESS

WORKINGTOGETHER WITH CLIENTS GREATLY
REDUCES THE RISK OF MISALIGNMENT

OUR PERSPECTIVESWILL RARELY ALIGN PERFECTLY
THOUGH,SO COMPROMISEIS ALMOST INEVITABLE

BUT HOW DO WE CONVINCE CLIENTS TO TRUST OUR
ADVICE WHEN COMPROMISE IS THE WRONGCHOICE?

CONVICTIONRISKS ASSOCIATEDWITH A LACK OF SELF-BELIEF

SUCCESSFUL CREATIVITY REQUIRES
SELF-BELIEFAND FAITH IN OUR INSTINCTS

GO WITH
YOUR GUT

WHEN YOU CAN’T FIND A COMPROMISE,DISCUSS THE
CLIENT’S CONCERNS IN THE CONTEXTOF OBJECTIVES

SHOW THEM THAT YOU UNDERSTAND THEIR NEEDS,
AND THAT YOU’RE NOT JUST BEING A CREATIVE DIVA

EXPLAINING THE OBJECTIVE
REASONS WHY THE APPROACH
YOU’RE RECOMMENDING IS
MOST LIKELY TO SUCCEED
HELPING CLIENTSUNDERSTAND
HOW THE MORE SUBJECTIVE
CREATIVE ELEMENTS IMPROVE
EFFICIENCYAND EFFECTIVENESS
LOGIC EMOTION
MANAGING RISK REQUIRES BALANCE
&

HOWEVER,SOMETIMES YOU’LL NEED TO STAND YOUR
GROUNDAND ASSERT YOUR PROFESSIONAL EXPERTISE

COURAGERISKS ASSOCIATEDWITH A LACK OF BRAVERY

CREATIVITY DEMANDS BRAVERY: IT REQUIRESUS TO
TRY NEW THINGS, AND BE JUDGED ON OUR CHOICES

NEVER UNDERESTIMATETHE RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH
EXCESSIVE SELF-CENSORSHIPAND SELF-CENSURING

EVEN WHEN WE ACCEPT THE NEED FOR BRAVERY,
CREATIVE COURAGEMAY BE ANATHEMA TO CLIENTS

SO HOW DO WE STRENGTHENOUR COURAGE,
AS WELL AS THE COURAGEOF OUR CLIENTS?

COURAGECOMES WITH PRACTISE:THE MORE WE DO
SOMETHING, THE MORE CONFIDENT WE BECOMEAT IT

The harder I work,
the luckier I get.
~ Samuel Goldwyn
“

CONSISTENCYRISKS ASSOCIATEDWITH A LACK OF DETERMINATION

ACHIEVING SUCCESS
THROUGH EVOLUTION
AND ITERATION
STAKING EVERYTHING
ON ONE SINGLE CHANCE
OF ACHIEVING SUCCESS
INVESTMENT GAMBLE
TWO POTENTIAL WAYS TO SUCCEED
OR

OVERNIGHTSUCCESS IS INCREDIBLYRARE; MOST OF
US WILL NEED TO INVEST A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT

80% of success
is just turning up
~ Woody Allen
“

SO WHAT ABOUTTHAT REMAINING 20%?

IT’S ABOUT TURNINGUP EVERY DAY – REGARDLESS
OF HOW ‘INSPIRED’ YOU ARE – AND MAKING IT WORK

FAIL
FASTER?

NONSENSE

I’ve not failed;
I’ve just found
10,000 ways
that don’t work.
~ Thomas A. Edison, on inventing the light bulb
“

LEARN
FASTER

WE ONLY ‘FAIL’ IF WE GIVE UP; EVERYTHINGELSE IS
SIMPLY PART OF OUR JOURNEY TOWARDS SUCCESS

HOWEVER,WE MUST ALSO ENSURE WE’RE NOT TOO
FOCUSED ON OUR CURRENTPATH AND PERSPECTIVE

COMPLACENCYRISKS ASSOCIATEDWITH ARROGANCEOR AN OVERLY INWARD FOCUS

REGARDLESSOF OUR CONVICTIONS, THERE’S A RISK
THAT THE WORLDCHANGES RADICALLYAROUNDUS

THINGS LIKE TECHNOLOGYCAN QUICKLYDISRUPT THE
VALUE THAT OUR CREATIVITY IS DESIGNED TO DELIVER

TECH-DRIVENTRENDS DISRUPTING CREATIVITY
PEOPLE DON’TWANT
TO BE INTERRUPTEDBY
ADS,AND 50% NOW
BLOCKEVERYTHING
THE EXPANDING MEDIA
LANDSCAPE,AND THE
ASSOCIATEDDILUTION
OF ATTENTION
AD-BLOCKING
BY DEFAULT
MEDIA
PROLIFERATION
WE ARE RAPIDLY
APPROACHING
THE END OF THE
‘SCREEN ERA’
EVOLVING
INTERFACES
WE’LL SOON DELEGATE
MUCH OF OUR
DECISION-MAKING
TO MACHINES
THE ROLE OF
ALGORITHMS

WE NEED TO UNDERSTANDHOW THESE CHANGES
AFFECT OUR APPROACHAND IMPACT OUR OBJECTIVES

BUT REMEMBER: IT’S UP TO YOU TO CHOOSE
HOW YOU BRING YOUR CREATIVE IDEAS TO LIFE

DON’T BE AFRAID TO EXPLORE NEW OPPORTUNITIES
TO DELIVER YOUR CREATIVE VALUE IN NEW WAYS

CHANGERISKS ASSOCIATEDWITH NOT EVOLVING

EMBRACING CHANGEAND ALL ITS UNCERTAINTIES
IS WHAT ‘BEING CREATIVE’ IS ALL ABOUT

SO, CONSTANTLYEXPLORENEW WAYS TO SATISFY
YOUR MOTIVATIONS AND ACHIEVE YOUR OBJECTIVES

BY CONTINUINGTO EVOLVETHROUGHOUTYOUR
CAREER,YOU’RE MORE LIKELY TO ACHIEVE THE 10TH C...

CONTENTMENTRISKS ASSOCIATEDWITH NOT ENJOYING THE WORK THATYOU DO

...AND IF YOU EVER FIND YOURSELF DISCONTENTED,
SIMPLY GO BACKTO THE FIRST ‘C’ AND START AGAIN

1. CLARITY
2. COMMERCIALISM
3. COMMUNICATION
4. COLLABORATION
5. CONVICTION
6. COURAGE
7. CONSISTENCY
8. COMPLACENCY
9. CHANGE
10. CONTENTMENT
THE 10 CS OF CREATIVE RISK

LET’S CONTINUETHIS CONVERSATION...

JUST SEARCH FOR ESKIMON

KEPIOS’S CORE STRATEGICOFFERINGS
IDENTIFYING YOURHIGHEST-
VALUE OPPORTUNITIESAND
CHALLENGES,AND PRESCRIBING
THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION.
WORKING WITH YOU TO DEFINE
YOUR BRAND'SCORE PILLARS:
ITS PURPOSE, PROPOSITION,
AND POSITIONING.
BUSINESS
PLANNING
BRAND
STRATEGY
HELPING TO OPTIMISE YOUR
WAYSOF WORKINGFOR THE
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DELIVERY OF YOUR STRATEGY.
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DEVELOPMENT

LEARN MORE AT
kepios.com

SIMON KEMP
@ESKIMON
SIMON@KEPIOS.COM
+65 9146 5356
KEPIOS.COM

Managing Creative Risks for Success

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