Many people in marketing seem to think they are judged on what they will do this week, while many managers think it’s about avoiding mistakes by doing very little. Rather than worry about what others may think of your actions/inactions in the short term, a recent conversation with a self-made squillionare reminded me of what it takes to become successful in business life. It’s not about you – soak up other people’s experiences.

Curiosity is the key 

This founder of many businesses was as keen to ask questions about my challenges, as I was to learn about his successes.

Creative people continue to take the passive role of waiting for a brief, hoping the application of their current skills to their next project will bring the recognition they deserve. Meanwhile marketing managers act like thought police, determined to minimise all risks on their watch. So the brief ends up something like this: do something safe, measurable (as in lets make sure there are no nasty surprises), something a bit like someone else has already done, and all for less than it cost last time. This lack of desire to explore the unknown is killing creativity in Australia. Yet it’s creativity that builds wealth. Avoiding risk guarantees smaller returns, or none at all. Cutting margins does not create wealth, it just means you’ll spend your way to mediocrity a bit slower.

Today for a business to thrive it has to be a challenger brand. That’s an old company doing things in a different way, or a new one doing new and interesting things. Being a challenger is not about fine-tuning or polishing what you’ve always done. A business that’s in a well-worn smooth groove, just like a career, soon discovers it’s actually in a rut, going the wrong way. New isn’t always better, but better is always new.

If you’re curious to know what it takes to be better at what you do, you’ll do better than your peers. Curiousity, the squillionare says in one of his many books, is what it takes to succeed. It’s more than just appreciating that you don’t know everything. It’s wanting to know what Donald Rumsfeld memorably described as “the unknown unknowns.” Rather than selectively listening to those around you that you feel comfortable with, avoid making bad decisions by seeking out the wisdom beyond your network.

If you’re an art director, it’s time you hung around with some media gurus, marketing managers with entrepreneurs, accountants with digital user experience designers. Innovation after all comes from outside an industry, it’s not found fiddling around with what your category already does. And today if you don’t innovate you and the business will die.

I’ve often explained my life as that of a sponge. From childhood I wanted to know everything about everything. As I’ve met people with passions for things I know nothing about I’ve soaked up drops of wisdom. You’d be surprised what lateral connections from my sodden sponge can draw just the right drop, at the right time, to create an innovative answer. Whatever your role or experience, take every opportunity to learn from others. It helps to be open about your ignorance in front of experts. I’m always asking the silly questions. I usually find if they really are experts, they will gladly share their wisdom. Soak it up.