Isolation, Creativity & EQ.
Are we having a flat spot in creativity right now?
It is easy to see how advances in technology have redefined the way we live and communicate. And with COVID-19 quarantine, the demand and improvements in technology will continue to grow.
However, with creative people working from home, will 'the work' be better than in previous years? Or slide into an abyss?
The 2021 Cannes Lions judging will be interesting. We will be able to see the 2019 and 2020 winners (completed pre-COVID-19) and place them side-by-side against the 2021 winners (completed during COVID-19). I can't wait to hear the chatter about which creative period was better.
[Does anyone want to start the conversation?]
Technology and Knowledge
We can now talk to virtually any person on any corner of the earth through WeChat, WhatsApp, Zoom, Google Meet, and other platforms. I could be living in the South of France permanently while creating a campaign for North America. But I dream.
So, in theory, through technology, we have become more connected. More communicative.
Or have we?
Are we more connected?
Perhaps on the surface, we are more connected. But a deep-down human connection, I don't think we are anywhere near as connected.
I read an article in Adweek by @Minda Smiley about how creative departments have reconfigured the way they work. And how working at home gives people time to think deeper and for more extended periods. And this, I agree; quiet or alone time is a necessity.
But has the physical disconnection from humanity led to better work? I feel it is too early to see if the results of this new, forced working model produce better results.
Humanity and EQ.
Information and knowledge are no longer asymmetric as it was a decade ago (when only certain people had access to an accumulation of facts).
But has the power of humanity changed? Have we altered who we are as a species?
Over the weekend, I read an article about a man who sailed on an 85-day odyssey from Portugal to Argentina in a 29-foot boat to connect with his 90yo father (there were no flights). And, if you're like me, you've already thought about whom you want to hug once a vaccine is found. (Yeah, I am looking at you Nica Russell, Erik Hostetler, JC Oliver, Renee Blake, Greg Kerns, and anyone who wants a hug - hugs with permission.)
As humans, we're a touchy-feely breed. We have opposing thumbs, and one of the reasons humans rose above other animals, was our increased EQ due to increased brain size. Great ideas, innovation, and creativity come from EQ, rarely from IQ.
Without physical closeness and deep connection, will those ideas that come from EQ, be as good as, say, 2019? What will the Nobel prizes indicate?
The World Economic Forum produces a forecasted list of the top skills needed for the years to come. Their top eight 2022 Skills Outlook include:
Innovation
Complex Problem Solving
Creativity
Leadership
Critical Thinking
Emotional Intelligence
Analysis
So if the most coveted skills of the future include things that need a high EQ, where does that leave us if we work remotely? Just the top three skills of the future alone need teams and people to interact on an intimate level - which is much tougher in isolation.
To finish: It's Black and White.
Unconscious bias is real. That's an obvious statement.
To get people thinking and talking about race, while creating more understanding along the way, Derek Walker, Ryan Berman, and a few others created It's Black & White. The idea is to ask the same ten questions and showcase the differences in answers. With the hope of bringing perspective, progress, and conversation. Complete the short survey at www.itsblackandwhite.us
About:
Anthony is a renowned keynote speaker on customer-first marketing, innovation, AI, transformation, creativity, and branding. He continues to work closely with clients and consistently reinvent who they are to stay alive.
Anthony's mission is to help people and organizations thrive. And by capitalizing on human creativity and bravery during times of incredible technological shifts, businesses will continually rediscover their Day One.
"…. despite phenomenal technology advances,
the core of what it means to be human remains intact."