Session 2 a103_iae

A103IAE Creative Thinking for Business

Simon Hill

AIM

• To understand the range of skills required for enterprise and entrepreneurship;

• To start developing creativity and creative business thinking

• Begin practical enhancement of your skills

INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES

On completion of this module you should be able to:

• To appreciate the range of skills required for enterprise and entrepreneurship;

• To understand how these skills can be improved (this week);

• To improve creativity;

What skills are needed to run a business?

Make a list of all the skills needed to start, own and manage a successful business and list what the skills would be needed

for.

Something that a person does

BEHAVIOURS:• opportunity seeking and grasping• taking initiatives to make things happen• solving problems creatively• managing autonomously• taking responsibility for, and ownership of,

things• seeing things through• networking effectively to manage

interdependence• putting things together creatively• using judgment to take calculated risks

A philosophy

ATTRIBUTES:• achievement orientation and ambition• self confidence and self belief• perseverance• high internal locus of control

(autonomy)• action orientation• preference for learning by doing• hardworking• determination• creativity

Something you can do

SKILLS:• creative problem solving• persuading• negotiating• selling• proposing• holistically managing business / projects /

situations• strategic thinking• intuitive decision making under uncertainty• networking

Video

Cameron Herold Video: http://www.ted.com/talks/cameron_herold_let_s_raise_kids_to_be_entrepreneurs.html

http://www.ted.com/talks/cameron_herold_let_s_raise_kids_to_be_entrepreneurs.html

http://www.ted.com/talks/cameron_herold_let_s_raise_kids_to_be_entrepreneurs.html

HOW TO SHARPEN YOUR ENTREPRENEURIAL SKILLS…

• Positive Attitude• Networking• Spotting Opportunities• Selling• Negotiating• Perseverance

SHARPENING YOUR SKILLSSHARPENING YOUR SKILLS

HOW TO SHARPEN YOUR ENTREPRENEURIAL SKILLS… split into 6 teams and brainstorm

• Positive Attitude• Networking• Spotting Opportunities• Selling• Negotiating• Perseverance HOW DO YOU UNDERSTAND IT?

HOW WOULD YOU PRACTICE?


POSITIVE ATTITUDE

• PMA = 'Positive Mental Attitude' “If you want to be like Linford, you have to think like Linford” (from a TV Commercial)

• Successful people believe that:• Their ideas will work• People are generally good• Things will be fun!

• Decide to be happy!


Ways to practice ?

1. Be positive when you meet people (see what happens)

2. Look for things to be happy about in your life3. Do something positive for someone else (proof

read an essay, do the washing up, buy a round of drinks, a lift to Uni)


Ways to practice ?

Good mood music, buy the Big Issue, exercise, personal relationships, be around happy people, socialising, learning to accept people/life…


NETWORKING

• Who do you know?• Make a list of who you know (no matter how

vaguely) - what skills and knowledge do they have?

• Build and maintain your network of contacts (sometimes called friends!)


Ways to practice ?

1. Accept invitations2. Talk to more people3. Remember their names, who they are , what

they do…


Ways to practice ?

Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, Business cards (get your own – collecting from others), CLUBS AND SOCIETIES (Students in Business), forums, halls of residence, family, neighbours…


SPOTTING OPPORTUNITIES

• Listen to people’s hopes, wishes, fears, complaints etc.

• Decide how you would run any given business better.


Ways to practice ?

1. Ask some of your friends for their list of complaints about e.g. university, accommodation, their part-time jobs

2. Next time you are in a bar/café/restaurant decide how you would run the place better.


Ways to practice ?

Network and talk to others (their and your ideas), research (seek gaps in markets), OTHER PEOPLE’S STORIES (IDEAS DEVELOPED – History), business seminars, Add+V module,


SELLING

• Face to face selling will be a vital skill for you in you future, whether or not you go into business for yourself.

• BUT….You do not have to be a sharp-suited , fast talking ‘salesman’ or ‘saleswoman’ in the conventional sense.

• You do need to be comfortable to persuade others to be interested in you /your product /your service.


Ways to practice?

• Car boot sale, sell some stuff at Uni• Part-time job which involves selling• Many hundreds of books, tapes, websites etc.

with loads of advice (that’s what they are selling!)


Ways to practice ?

Observe/shadow, try to advertise/market a product/service, internet selling (eBay), difficult case, convincing friends to do sth, try to get funding from parents…


NEGOTIATING

• Rule # 1Everything is negotiable

• Rule # 2In business you don’t get what you deserve, you get what you negotiate


• It’s not all about price, think about value• Get the best possible service for the best

possible pricee.g. racing bicycle wheels

• Internet price: £210• Local bike shop: £270 (includes free re-

alignment, repairs, servicing, forever)Which is best value?


Ways to practice?

• Ask for student discount in places you don’t think they offer it yet (but should!)

• Next time you buy something, try to negotiate a little (price, delivery, after-sales support)

• Go to shops who are willing to haggle (independents as opposed to big chains)

• Ask for a pay rise in your part-time job, but be ready to explain why you deserve it!


Ways to practice ?

Coventry City Market (haggle), housemates, deadline negotiation, car boot sale, …


PERSEVERANCE

• Learn never to give up!• If at first you don’t succeed, try and try again…• If at first you don’t fail, you won’t succeed• USA banks look for a number of previous business

failures before granting new loans.


Ways to practice?

• Stay up late (or get up early) and get an assignment done before it’s due (use the extra time to make it better instead of finishing it off)

• Try a sport or activity which requires perseverance (walk to Uni, bike ride, run, hill climb, hour-long gym class)


Ways to practice ?

Test your limits, find something you want and try to get it, diet, learn something new (language), …


• Positive Attitude• Networking• Spotting Opportunities• Selling• Negotiating• Perseverance


Self Study

Practice at least two of the areas discussed today, and prepare a short 3 minute outline of what you did and what else you could do.

No PowerPoint required

- Beer mat idea competition

Questions?

Session 2 a103_iae

Automotive

Transcript of Session 2 a103_iae