Well Business Burps are a little like this. They have the following characteristics:
• Something unexpected happens following a period of high energy.
• There is excitement.
• There is resentment on the part of competition i.e. that’s not fair.
• There is some embarrassment on our part to exploit the situation.
• The event is likely to be totally ‘left field’.

A recent example of this is Sacha Baron Cohen’s character Borat, the sixth most famous man in Kazakhstan. This is viral marketing at its very best. It is embarrassing, offensive to the Kazakhstan government (at first), completely unexpected and well thought out (Borat has his own website, mySpace, etc) and many, if not most, people are talking about him.

So what has this got to do with business. First of all Borat is business for his creator. Secondly his appearance is at odds with what has gone before. So if, like many businesses, Sacha Baron Cohen had adopted ‘Best Practice’ we would have just got yet another mediocre comedy film. Instead we got the product of ‘Next Practice’. Like Borat, our new business ideas must be the product of ‘Next Practice’, a ‘Business Burp’. Not only should your idea be different, its method of delivery or production should be future looking too. So when you are next considering a strategy of innovation or business growth or ‘burping in the boardroom’ then consider
the following:
• Is your idea unexpected (for the marketplace)?
• Does the energy exist to see it through?
• Does it have the impact for competitors to scream ‘its not fair’?
• Can you avoid the fear and other barriers that could stop you exploiting the situation?
• Can this be delivered through new processes or working practices that make it even harder for competitors to copy?
• Are you forward and outward looking?

Although creativity is a component of innovation it is often seen as a standalone topic and many HR professionals and senior managers treat it as exactly that. Readers who truly appreciate creativity and its benefits will know that the greatest value is obtained from long term interventions – training plus cultural change is more valuable than simply being furnished with a copy of De Bono’s Six Thinking Hats.

The difference between slow food/slow innovation and slow creativity is that when innovating, the slow options are usually different from the fast option. The components of slow creativity are, however, exactly the same. The difference lies in timescales, combinations of interventions and above all skill and knowledge in introducing new techniques and ideas.

So if slow is good, what does it look like? Here are a few ideas about what to look for:

•    Realistic timescales, avoid the rush to generate new ideas this afternoon.
•    Beware the boss distributing self help books.
•    Look for opportunities to collaborate with others.
•    Look for ways to determine if what you are doing is working.
•    Ensure that whatever methods you use do not exclude others.
•    Signs of increased intrinsic motivation.
•    Signs of changed and exploratory/learning behaviour.

But what happens if you apply the ‘quick fix’, maybe forcing groups of unwilling individuals to brainstorm with post-it notes? Again this is not an exhaustive list but you might notice:

•    Reluctant participation and a possible decrease in output.
•    Less variety and volume of ideas due to a narrowing not a widening participation.
•    Individuals struggling to come up with ideas on their own.
•    Less focus on playful behaviour and emphasis on quantity not quality of output.
•    Increased absence or reasons to focus on more ‘important tasks’.
•    An aloof and critical management style.

So slow is good because it adds value and is sustainable. Borrowing from the food metaphor, slow creativity requires a competent chef whilst slow innovation and slow food require both a competent chef and a different list of ingredients. And here is the key. Because slow creativity uses the same tools and techniques it is too easy for inexperienced people to dabble. Thus the moral of the story is ‘go slow, go carefully’.

Most readers will be familiar with, or have heard of Malcolm Gladwell’s best selling business book ‘The Tipping Point’. The author suggests that there is a point at which you need apply only a small effort to create an effect. This is rather like giving the final push to topple a large boulder or tipping a finely balanced set of scales. If only we could find this point, we could all save ourselves time and effort.

Once the tipping point is found then we, and our businesses will be beating the competition and lining our pockets with untold riches, right? Is there anything to stop us? Well, quite a lot actually. Take the simple case of sitting down on a chair. You see the chair, walk round to the front and then sit down. Did you check that the chair was still there or that it did not have a wobbly leg. Most of the time nothing will happen but what happens in the 1 in 100 or 1 in 1000 cases when a practical joker has removed the chair?

This is a somewhat simplified example but neatly illustrates the point that we must keep our wits about us at all times. Having created a strategy for the future we want it to succeed but how many of us do not keep watch? What is it exactly that we are watching for? This is where we come to The Slipping Point. If you were driving up a slippery slope or along an icy road it would be the place where you lost grip, where your forward momentum slowed, and where things just did not go as planned. What can be done about this?

• Ensure Management are ‘Hands Ready’ i.e. they are aware of what is going on but are not micro-managing or too eager to take control. This provides space to see the bigger picture.
• Do your employees work in teams? The more they do this, the more support they provide, the more knowledge is shared and the more flexible they are when confronted with challenges.¬†
• Is there a desire to win or are you all there to pick up your pay cheques?¬†
• Even if you have a desire to win, do you know how to win?¬†
• Keep an eye on the external environment, competitors, customers and any other factors that could affect the economic landscape.
• Foster as many external relationships as you can. These provide information and can also be leveraged in times of need.¬†
• Promote the right culture. Transparency and morale are often used but infrequently heeded. Lead by example and gain trust and you will be in good shape.¬†
• Promote the concept of stretch, an environment in which your employees and management alike are challenged and allowed to learn.¬†
• Get the best from your staff. This extends from what management actually ‘do’ to staff to encourage and motivate them as well as reward systems.¬†

Pay attention to the above and you have a very good chance of executing that carefully crafted strategy and avoiding The Slipping Point.