Bob Dylan once wrote 'For the times they are a changing' - Prophetic words honestly when you think of up-to-date times. These words written by Bob Dylan in the 60s stand true in our current decade.
We live in a world of carbon trading, global warming, global economic meltdown, Web V.2 (which most of us don't understand), online communities and on and on the list goes.
Things are happening beyond our control that will change the way we do business, how we narrate and how we live.
The up-to-date global financial market changes have been immense and effecting population all over the world. In only a relatively short period of time interest rates, the dollar value, the superpowers of the world are dramatically shifting. The supervene is trickling down into firm bringing changes of assorted shapes and sizes, which in turn will bring about many changes the meetings and events.
We all know that change is nothing new. It's been around for a long time and every so often it raises it's head and causes turmoil. With change population either hide their heads in the sand or get creative, meet it head on and use it to their advantage.
Let's head back to Hollywood in 1927 when the world changed dramatically forever. At a time when Hollywood was in its prime and produced more movies than any other time in history (up to 800 per year), stars like Rudolph Valentino and Mary Pickton were considered Gods and Saturday Matinees were more popular than Playstation and Nintendo Wii.
In 1927, great change was a foot when 'Talking Pictures' arrived.
For many the arrival of sound was a major upheaval and created imponderable challenges.
Film Studios were forced to build new sound 'stages', clunky and noisy cameras were of no added use, directors and technicians needed to re-think and re-invent camera movements, microphone placements, all to accommodate 'talkies' and the new technology required to originate them.
Many actors were less fortunate - with heavy accents or trill voices some plainly didn't administrate the transition from silent to sound and saw their careers abruptly end. Stars such as Agnes Ayers, Emil Jannings, and Gilbert Rowland, (don't worry I hadn't heard of any of them either which just reinforces my case) saw their careers tumble from below them.
The arrival of sound changed the Movie commerce forever and with it the lives and careers of many. Some adapted, got creative and thrived, whilst others didn't.
Take Charlie Chaplin. Now there's a name you would have heard of. Chaplin was a Hollywood God. He entertained millions and influenced countless stars and actors (in fact still does). He brought vaudeville to Hollywood, co-founded United Artists, and is, without doubt, still considered one the Hollywood greats.
But Chaplin refused to have his 'little tramp' character talk. Of sound in movies he said 'action is more commonly understood than words'. Chaplin obviously understanding having the tramp speak would undermine and detract from his endearing, pantomime character. And who's going to argue with that! Even though he added musical tracks to films such as 'City Lights' he only ever briefly spoke once in 'The Great Dictator' when he mocked Hitler.
No one would argue the patrimony he left behind. Chaplin is synonymous with silent film. And there lies the rub.
The tramp didn't or couldn't make the transition from silent to sound. Chaplin failed to fully adapt to the 'talkies' and originate an opportunity from them. He made countless films before the arrival of sound but only a handful afterwards.
In contrast, let's look at person who saw the dawn of sound not as a hurdle but as an opportunity and turned it to his advantage
In 1928, only a year after sound arrived, a small mouse made his debut in the world's first talking cartoon 'Steam Boat Willie' and stunned the movie world and audiences alike. With Steam Boat Willies - Walt Disney had truly arrived. He saw an opportunity in sound and went with it.
And it wasn't a once off - Disney had a knack for sensing change, getting creative and turning it to his advantage.
In the 1950's, when someone else immense change rocked Hollywood and the world forever - television, once again Disney was there ready to take advantage. Television, some said, would destroy the movie commerce - why would population go see films when they could watch shows in their own home? But as one of Hollywood's foremost studios, Disney didn't see television as a threat - he saw it as an opportunity to be used to his advantage.
Thinking differently to every person else Disney had an idea. At the time he was creating 'Disneyland' and needed capital to get it up and running - he saw Tv as a fundraiser and also as a promotional tool for his new project. Having done a deal with a major network, he in case,granted an exclusive weekly show called 'Disneyland' and got the funding he needed. At the same time, as viewers all over America tuned in to watch, Disney would show them snippets of the park being built, inviting his possible guests.
Talking pictures and the arrival of Television were two part leaps beyond the control of most population in Hollywood. Some survived and some didn't, some saw change as opportunity, got creative and took control.
In 2008, once again great change is afoot and the world as we know it is changing, beyond our control.
The quiz, is how will we all deal with it. Do we hide our heads in the sand or do we start to reinvent ourselves, get proactive, see opportunities that this change will bring, and start getting creative?
It is the Creative fellowships - the ones that not only have great ideas but also have creativity as a key organizational value - that are better placed to deal with changes in their commerce and their market, adapt to new technologies and trends, and vocalize a competing edge.
Now is the time to start reasoning creatively and put processes and an organizational culture in place that allows you to tap into the creative possible of your firm and your people. Smart fellowships know that it's times like these that creativity in firm is not just a great assurance procedure against change - but a major driver to capitalize on it.
Sources
Disney's World -Leonard Mosley Scarborough House 1990
The Man Behind the Magic, The Story of Walt Disney - Katherine and Richard Greene, Viking 1991
Film History of the 1920's - Tim Dirks Filmsite.org
The Great Chaplin, moderntimes.com
The Worlds Great Movie Stars, - Ken Wlaschin, Salamander, 1979
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