Guy Kawasaki's Interview With Me

Recently, I did an interview with Guy Kawasaki, the popular entrepreneur, author, venture capitalist, and blogger.

He was kind enough to help promote the new 25th Anniversary Edition of A Whack on the Side of the Head. Many thanks, Guy!

To read the complete interview go here: Roger von Oech interview with Guy Kawasaki.

Here are some of the highlights:

Guy: What's changed about creativity in the last twenty-five years?

Roger: When I started doing "creativity consulting" in 1977, there were probably only four or five other people who were doing creative seminars for companies. It was a difficult sell. Now, there are thousands--if not more--creative consultants, and business seems receptive to the idea of innovation. I'd like to think that my seminars, workshops, books, and other products have played a small role in this changing creative landscape.

Guy: Generally speaking, have companies gotten more creative?

Roger: Yes. I think that the "most admired companies" of just about any age have excelled at creativity and innovation. What's changed today compared to twenty-five years ago is there's an greater expectation that a higher percentage of a company's employees should be using their creative abilities. It's gone from maybe 5% of the work force to 35%. This is a very good thing.

Guy: Can companies conduct team creativity activities over the Internet?

Roger: It depends what you mean by "creativity activities." If you mean product design, no doubt about it. I'm currently developing a successor product to the "Ball of Whacks." I have an engineer in Portland. We can shoot ProCad files over to my manufacturer's engineers in Hong Kong. Ten minutes later we're discussing design revisions. It really shortens product cycle times.

If you mean social media such as blogs and company Wikis, these can be quite useful in terms of gathering opinions and refining points of view. And some of what's said can be a beneficial prod to the creative process.

But if you mean, can you get the electricity, dynamism, and productivity that can result from some "in-person" creative and brainstorming sessions, I haven't experienced that yet.

Guy: What kind of computer do you use?

Roger: I've been an Apple user since 1981. I'm currently working with a MacBook Pro 15", a 30" monitor, and an iPhone. My relationship with Apple started in 1980 when I did my first creative session with a group of engineers--this was before they were a public company. Over the years, I've done creative sessions with various Apple marketing, engineering, and design groups.

Also, Steve Jobs was a speaker at the first "Innovation in Industry" conference I produced. I still remember his words "You make what you want for yourself." That's what motivated him to start Apple. I've found that most of what I've created is the result of something I've personally wanted or desired. And I imagine that's true for most of your readers.

Guy: What's the most important advice that you could give these newfangled "Web 2.0" companies?

Roger: This too shall pass, or to say it another way: "Every right idea eventually becomes the wrong idea." I'm not saying social media are going away; no, they're here to stay. But they will morph and turn into something else. So it's important to be flexible in your approach to your business.

I guess the best advice I would give them is "Don't fall in love with ideas." By ideas I mean: systems, marketing approaches, technologies, partnerships, whatever. Because as soon as you as you fall in love with one approach, you lose sight of other possibilities.

By the way, I hope many of these Web 2.0 companies are successful. Both my children work in the industry: my daughter Athena runs customer support at Ning, and my son Alex is in marketing at Uptake, the travel information site formerly known as Kango.

Guy: Is there a digital equivalent to your Creative Whack Pack?

Roger:  Yes! All your readers have to do is go to the Creative Think web site and click on my photograph at the top. They will receive a "Creative Whack," which is a nice pithy creative thinking strategy complete with a story, some examples, and an illustration. Each click gives you a new message. I use it myself.

To read the complete interview go here: Roger von Oech interview with Guy Kawasaki.

Comments

[Pat Fineley]

Interesting interview. How different you think your products would have been had you used a PC instead of Mac?

[Roger von Oech]

I've never considered a PC. I got my first Apple II before IBM introduced the PC later in 1981. I've stayed with Apple through thick and thin (think 1988-1997) ever since.

I developed software from 1990-1993, and I found the PC much more difficult to support with all the additional drivers.

I've probably spent more on Mac products over the years (than I would have on PCs), but I know I've saved myself a lot of aggravation.

[Motorbike transport]

Nice comment Roger.
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John Assam