So, there I was yesterday morning doing something I’ve done for so many mornings since I was old enough to read and what I’m certain many, many of you were also doing. I was reading the comics! From grade school through high school, this was part of my daily routine, and I, like everyone who enjoys a trip through the funnies, have my favorites.
“For Better or For Worse,” by Lynn Johnston, tops my list. It’s the strip to which I beeline when I have time to take a peek, and it was the first I wanted to catch up on after my college-induced comics-reading hiatus. So, when I actually had a rare moment yesterday morning to peruse the page, I started there. The original story line for the strip ended a few years ago, but it still has a slot on the page, and I made the assumption (whoops) that the strip is being rerun from the beginning.
I was giggling at the strip when my husband (another long-time FBOFW fan) said, “She’s redoing that strip, you know.” She’s what? I was confused and gave him my best “I have no idea what you’re talking about this early in the morning” look. He went on to explain that, basically, the creator was starting the strip over and redoing it including a less complicated story line and more basic drawings that don’t require as much attention to accuracy.
She’s what?! I was totally intrigued!
My brain began to process the following: The creator of this comic family – a family she introduced and grew up for us to grow up alongside – seized an opportunity to reinvent her own creation. How completely fabulous!
After spending a few minutes reminiscing about the story lines of the FBOFW family and wondering how those fictional tales might change down the road, I began thinking about the cartoonist. These yet-to-be-revealed changes were happening because of a real person after all; she is a real person with a real career and a real investment in her creation. She rethought one way of doing something she had successfully accomplished for many years and reinvented it. She changed her own rules. She broke free of expectations she no longer needed to put on herself. She’s redirecting the outcome. She reevaluated her process, tweaks details and makes changes — to her own, successful work! She does all of this to herself!
It felt like the ultimate do-over. And, all I could think was, “Awesome!!”
It takes a lot of guts to take a look at your own work and say, “Hmmm … really good. But, perhaps it could be just as good or better if I …” I think there are many reasons we might not even consider reinventing or modifying our own work, and those reasons are as numerous as there are people. But, isn’t it intriguing – if not exciting! – to think that in certain areas of our lives we can?!
Is there a process in your work place that could use an overhaul? Is there a strategy you employ that can be tweaked? Is there a method of doing something in your daily, monthly or annual routine that has served you well but might be better if you went back to the beginning and reshaped the framework? Might these changes inspire others with whom you work or supervise? Would it invigorate you to make such changes?
I think it’s easy to forget that this kind of process happens all the time. Think about the products you buy; they are always under scrutiny to see if they can be made more effective, better tasting or more desirable in some way. It’s big business to investigate and make changes! But, it doesn’t have to be so big; it can happen right there in your own workspace guided by your vision. So, let your creative process begin! Take a few minutes to survey your workplace world, and see if there is a project or process, big or small, that could benefit from some tweaks or some overhaul. Sneak a peek at the comics when you need a break; you never know what might inspire you in there!
Nancy Stoker is a Senior Client Services Representative and Research Associate with ExecSearches.com. She can be reached at nancys@execsearches.com.
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Last updated on September 18th, 2012 at 04:59 pm
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