Gabor George Burt - Reimagineering: The path to finding your next blue ocean

What in your life, business or industry needs reimagining right now? I’m guessing for many of us it’s a lot. In my world – the world of influence, speaking at events and working with clients to make an impact with their ideas and expertise. Well that’s a world that pretty much needs reimagining from the ground up right now.

I’m of the belief that the those that will come out of this chapter - being held up as the influencers or authorities of whatever new age comes next – will be those able to reimagine. The ones with the grit and tools to translate the road forward – with clarity, certainty and no small amount of courage.

Which sounds like a great strategy when the road ahead is clear. But what happens when it’s not? 

In those moments the big question becomes this – if this is a job you want to take on – that of the trusted authority or advisor in your space - and believe me there is a huge opportunity for those willing to do so at the moment. Then you need to pay attention to the answer to this question… How do I currently approach the process of reimagining a new path? What currently happens to my mind, energy, team and processes when the road disappears?

One of the wisest pieces of advice I ever heard is this: ‘How you do one thing is how you do everything’. How we handle the uncertainty of recreation in one area of our lives, is how we handle it everywhere. So, if the answer to the above question is not great – then well we need new tools.

My guest today brings exactly that and more. Gabor George Burt is one of the leading experts behind Blue Ocean Strategy – which as many will know was one of the most influential business books and approaches to growth strategy of the last decade. As part of that he then spent 10 years working with companies across the globe to identify and build their own Blue Ocean. 

However, as time went on he discovered something strange. Although most companies loved ideas within Blue Ocean – they just weren’t able to implement. Confused as to why he set off on a journey of discovery that culminated in his latest book ‘Slingshot’. The principal idea being that – just like a slingshot – where there’s tension, there’s room for acceleration.

In this conversation we dive into:

·       Going beyond the wall. How to use the ‘slingshot principle’ to transform the tension of disruption into accelerated growth.

·       Why ‘Infatuation wears off’ – and no I’m not talking about online dating here. And how to ‘re-infatuate’ your target audience with what you have to offer.

·       How to break down your next blue ocean into manageable lakes and seas. Then systematically apply creative thinking to find the edge.

·       How to get other people past fear and onto the journey of reinvention – this includes a six question test that exposes exactly how we limit ourselves on the possibilities

·       Why our childhood creativity is this amazing resource - that we all too often neglect

·       And why all of this isn’t just about business – but the framework of a creative, energy fuelled and resilient life

What I want you to reflect on here is how you approach the process of reimagineering. Do you freeze, fight against it, collapse (internally or externally) at the enormity of it – or hold on for dear life onto what used to work in the thin belief that it’s possible things to remain unchanged. Even as change accelerates around you on a daily basis – as it is now. 

Or do you show up energized and curios, willing to experiment and share what you find? Are you able to let go of perfect and double down on progress instead – or in the words of a friend of mine recently: ‘Willing to get scrappy and keep moving’.

For me – at the moment – I’m calling BS on myself. Although I’m pretty good at moving quickly – and fairly practised at disrupting myself – sometimes by choice – sometimes not. I’m also very good at fighting the process the entire way. Inviting in exhaustion by running the same mental monologues over and over again: ‘Why do things have to change again’ ‘I just built that, how can all that work now be redundant’ OR my favourite ‘I might just sit this one out, look busy and wait for it all to blow over’

Oh I do it quietly – but I do it hard core.

This episode is a call to become infatuated with the process of creation again – whether this is your first or 50th rodeo. Basically, falling back in love with the exploration – just like a child. Because when the stakes are higher than they have ever been – so too is the level of energy and curiosity we need to bring to the table.

On that note – enjoy my conversation with the creative visionary that is Gabor George Burt.

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