Over the last 6 months, Amanda has been working with the rise network in a consultancy capacity 2 days a week.
She has been working on their social media, their blog, working with marketing opportunities within the organisation and their departments.
Working on email campaigns, producing video’s, the launch of a new initiative called the rise endowment fund, marketing strategies for the coming year and also youth outreach marketing opportunities.
One of Amanda’s favourite projects whilst working in this consulting capacity was the creative direction of the Annual Report Photo Shoot.
It has been a wonderful partnership, that we have enjoyed the opportunity of this short term contract and being a part of an amazing team, who are doing such vast and active work in the community.
The greatest challenge in my change of season has been getting my head around who my creative posse is.
After working for over a decade with a group of people, who took massive risks together, created large and failed extravagantly, its a massive change in dynamic. I mostly work by myself and the with groups of people that I will be with for a small amount of time inputting creative direction, thoughts or moments, but its not an ongoing opportunity with the same group of people.
Discovering a team of people who I can create large with and trust with the vulnerability of the creative process is a huge journey.
That is what I miss most about being in a part of a team who work towards a common goal. Often its not until you loose something that you realise its value.
I’m naturally a people person and I really enjoy throwing ideas around and living a communal life of creativity.
In the charts of a personality type I land very close to the middle of introvert and extrovert.
(insert here this song; cracks me up! For those who watched X factor last year)
I’m not extreme in the extrovert graph scales, I like time to process and when my house is quiet and I walk the tiles by myself and something peaceful settles on top of me. It’s actually something sacred. The quiet, the space, the moment of reflection arrives.
I can’t stay in that place to long though. The walls start to crowd, the noises start to creak and I want to talk to someone, anyone or anything…
Yesterday I did a creative workshop with a group of radio presenters and one of my discussion points in the workshop was ‘Who is your creative posse?’
A posse, is a group of like minded people who have your back. A group that is travelling in the same direction, yet not the same, just a group that celebrates strengths, forgives weaknesses, doesn’t steal others ideas, takes time to honour each other and listen.
A group that travels the sacred path of creativity safely, knowing that the creative process is a vulnerable one.
People who have your back.
People who you don’t have to tread lightly over massive egos.
People who bring out the best in you, not your worst.
People who are loving and kind.
These kind of friends, or posse don’t come along everyday and often you don’t realise how special the posse is until they have disbanded.
How can you create a posse?
How can you keep a posse together?
How can you create well with other people?
I have found in my experiences, the thing that kills a posse quickest is arrogance and pride.
When people access creativity with humility, acknowledging that WE is more important than ME, something very unique occurs.
Humility doesn’t mean shrinking back though in the presentation of ones ideas, thoughts, or creative endeavours. It just means we hold our ideas lighter and realise that as we sharpen the reflection of the ideas as a team, we can bring something so much more solid, than the one perspective that you bring alone.
Nothing of value in the history of the world has been built by one person. It is always built by a posse of people working together for the greater good.
If you see someone who looks successful, famous or inspirational, there is always someone in the background who has sacrificed for that person to excel.
Always.
A mother.
A father.
A stylist.
A producer.
A teacher.
A husband.
A wife.
A child.
There is always a posse.
It’s just whether we value the input the posse brings or not.
Value and appreciate your posse today and if you don’t have one, humble yourself and begin to build.
This week I have had a few conversations with creatives about task management and effective planning. (I have probably lost half of you already)
Most people I know (who are overtly creative) struggle with time management, especially those who are creative entrepreneurs who work full time or mummy 24/7.
It is so funny, in this season when people ask me what I do, I tell them ‘I’m a stay at home mum and more?’. It is always said with a smirk and a smile.
The reality is, I have all the time in the world but it is broken into small segments. Between toilet training, climbing practice, toy smashing and food championship throwing, I am running a business, a key leader in a women’s network, on the board of a creative enterprise, always writing a new book in my mind, big sister, speaker, collaborator, husband cheerleader, head chef and consultant in creativity.
I need tools for time management. I mostly use my emails to set my task lists but as my consulting business grows and more networks are created, this is not working for my new season.
I recently read an article about a time management technique called ‘POMODORO’. It was designed in the 1980’s by a man called Francesco Cirillo. You can read more about this technique here: Pomodoro Technique
It is actually quite simple and I have found it lately really effective.
Here is my modern mummy take on it:
1) Turn your phone onto silent or flight mode
2) write a list of what needs to be accomplished: tool one
3) Set your timer 25 mins (a kitchen timer, your iPhone or download an pomodoro app)
4) Close down all social media applications or windows or apps.
5) Close down your email. (mum’s put your children to bed, close the door and turn your music up.)
6) Start your timer and start task one.
7) After 25 mins, have a 5 min break. Go get a coffee, a glass of water, chat to a friend, flick onto a website/ social media something for 5 MINS ONLY!!!
You will be so surprised at how much you can get done in two hours. If you work in an office setting. Block out two hours in your diary and do this process and you will be astounded at how fresh your work space will be and what you will achieve.
I have made a downloadable task managment sheet here: get stuff done
This will also help you define what you need to do in a couple of hours.
Honestly I spend so much time mucking around, to be more effective and to bring my best to the opportunities in front of me is such a good thing.
I wholeheartedly believe in the power of creativity to change a nation. When creative people are released to dream, create, inspire, relate, cities become alive.
A dark and dreary city, with no colour, creativity and innovation is a dreary landscape.
Michelle Obama said it so powerfully;
If you would like to explore creativity and innovation with me, get in touch and book an appointment today.
