Creativity: it’s more than just chickens confronting existence

As I wandered around Edinburgh this weekend enjoying the atmosphere and sights of the start of the annual Edinburgh Festival and Fringe, creativity, like love in the song, was all around. Not just in the creative (ok, frankly sometimes downright bonkers) names of fringe shows; ‘3 Chickens Confront Existence’ or ‘Mitzi Fitz’s Glitzy Bitz’, don’t ask or indeed even try to say after a couple of sweet sherries!

Then there was the street art where a perfectly ordinary pavement in the hands of a skilful artist looked for all the world like one wrong step and it was down into Dante’s inferno for the hapless mis-stepper.

“Ah, those crazy creative types”, I mused to myself as I walked past a 20-foot Tin Man from the Wizard of Oz. But, if this is art, and negotiation is an art – or a very clever formula could result in the perfect deal for every negotiator every time- maybe we have more in common with those arty folks than it might at first appear.

Creativity and a creative mindset are crucial skills for a negotiator. Not just a nice to have or, “If I’ve got a bit of spare time I might work on some extra fluffy bits of value to ask the other side for”. No. Crucial. As crucial, I’d wager, as some very sturdy stilts and lots of balance practice to the 20-foot Tin Man.

Creativity is so important to a negotiator because just like an artist knowing what brushes to use to create the effect they want, the mental creativity to think beyond the current circumstances and bring agility of thought and the right skill to the table can make all the difference. Creativity can help the negotiator break out of deadlock, bring value to the other side that can make the impossible suddenly much more likely or turn an already good deal into an even better one.

We talk about the importance of having a Wish List at Scotwork and I sometimes think the phrase, to some, may suggest small stuff, fluffy stuff, and almost trivialise the importance of taking time to build a list of creative variables that add value for us or them. A skilfully executed list of creative variables in a well-thought-through wish and concession list can often help the other party see sufficient value for them that they may be able to give us movement where we want it and that ‘small stuff’ well, that can put an extra turn on a deal at the end to give us a bit of extra value and a better deal as a result.

A creative mindset and a well-thought-out list of variables can be a game changer for a negotiator.

Now, I’m off to see if there are any tickets left for ‘of Mike and Men’…….don’t ask but apparently it's hilarious!