My nephew is 2 years old. He’s a very bright, active kid. However, there are a few skills of which his parents would already like him to have a better command – most notably, the use of the English language. Currently, his talking sounds like someone who’s had a five-martini lunch and is inexplicably preoccupied with monster-trucks. I’m sure he’ll get better in time.
For most of us, the following type of mastery has been stressed from a very young age. Start something, work hard despite failures, and become a master of it. Once you’re done, it’s time to start mastering the next challenge. We move on, take our skills for granted, and they begin to atrophy. The last time I tried to calculate the interior angles of a triangle without taking a direct measurement, I had to give up, even with help from Google and Wikipedia, I was just too rusty.
In the world of advertising, it’s hard to think of mastering or “owning” a technique or medium for more than a day before someone sees what you’ve done and surpasses it. There’s fierce competition and continual change. The trend away from physical media is a prime example: Software giant Adobe has completely revamped it’s distribution model to a subscription-based platform that has no disc, no packaging. I can’t tell how soon others will follow, but the writing is definitely on the wall for the demise of physical media. Apple has been producing their desktop iMac models without any CD/DVD drive for several months now. There are literally no waves being made by this – we’re simply over the tipping point. The most exciting, challenging and relevant opportunities for business today revolve around mastering change. Like surfers, we succeed by how well we balance amidst a giant wave of technological, cultural, and economic changes. When we adapt quickly, it looks to others like we’ve seen into the future. In truth, we’re just nimble navigators riding on very powerful forces that we can’t even try to control. When we’re successful, it’s because we’re talented, insightful opportunists.
At Sparkfactor, we’ve seen this adaptability correlate positively with big (often unexpected) successes for our clients. From new production methodologies to innovative concepts that stand out, surprise and captivate audiences, when insight and opportunity are combined with active listening, we’ve seen huge results. We’ve doubled down on the artisanship we bring to WordPress and Drupal in the last year. Our clients have noticed we don’t just push buttons and look at what happens next – we’re experts.
Mastering change means chasing something ethereal, but from a distance what’s clear is that those who do this best always stand out apart from the competition. Spring reveals nature’s race to master change, and we can see it happening. Trees that begin budding in winter often waste their growth potential, but the ones that bud quickly and at the right time will be the first to bear fruit. It’s nature’s way of telling us to watch, listen, be opportunistic, and embrace changes so that we get the most from them. If this isn’t your style or you need help tackling change, there’s a ray of sun beaming through the grey Chicago skies. Sparkfactor is your partner in staying on top of changes in technology and the marketplace. Tell us your greatest business challenge and we’ll help you master it.
After all, we’re #InspiredBy change.
by Russell Lord
CREATIVE DIRECTOR