There are many paths

I was watching a program on Sky Arts called ‘Portrait Artist of the Year’, which is well worth a watch. One of the most fascinating aspects of the competition, whereby artists must paint a portrait in 4 hours, is the sheer variety of ways in which they approach their goal.  Some sketch an initial outline in pencil, some quasi-sketch it with a paint brush, still others paint the entire canvas a solid colour first or use a palette knife instead of brushes. Some use a iPhone or iPad to help them compose or review their composition.  It is extraordinary to watch and some of the talent on view is fabulous. 

This is a wonderful example of both people’s creativity and individuality.  If you allow people to express themselves like this, they will find many ways to deliver what you or your customer wants, but it is very easy (and also sometimes appropriate) to drop into the “We do it this way..”  This can offer advantages but it is important to realise that it is easy to become stale and and allowing people to express themselves stimulates them and encourages them to bring more of themselves to bear on the job. 

This entry was posted on Monday, November 10th, 2014 at 08:00 and is filed under Business Change, Hints, Tips & Techniques. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.