Creativity in business success

Steven Koonin, president and CEO of Turner Entertainment, presented “CREATIVITY: Why Good Ideas Matter More Than Ever,” to students at the University of Kansas School of Business, Monday, Oct. 15.

“You used to plop down in front of the T.V. and watch, then came the VCR and recording, and now there is online streaming,” Koonin said.

As one of the smartest people in television, Koonin has led his company to success in an industry that focuses on change. In order to be successful in business, Koonin said there has to be a vision to avoid outcomes like Blockbuster’s. Its inability to adapt led to its defeat by Redbox and various online streaming sites.

“Media is under attack by technology,” Koonin said.

To overcome changing times, to strive for long-term success in work, to avoid tunneling all focus on what is being done, there should be attention to where the company is going, Koonin said.  In his presentation, Koonin revealed some of his most helpful points to provide insights that aim to succeed.

•        Take a fresh look. Children view the world with a different set of eyes. Be the one to see opportunities that others do not.

•        Use the F-word. The scary word to a business is “focus.” The key to building a brand is by
making choices. TNT is the first and only television network that decided to focus on drama and, by making this decision, to drop WCW, its highest rated program, TNT grew its audience loyalty by shrinking its focus.

•        Place your bets.  See opportunities that other don’t. It’s possible to increase audience by eliminating the danglers. For example, 9 out of 10 television shows fail. TBS took on Tyler Perry’s show after extensive research. Turner thought that there was no good reason that this would work, but it did.

•        Know your strengths. Know what you are, know what you’re not. Conan O’Brien transformed his identity from a traditional late night host to a multimedia hit because he adjusted to changing platforms and changing times.

•        Don’t be afraid to fail. Every company has failures. Ideas are like disposable diapers – when they’re full of crap, throw them away.

•        Serious work does not have to be serious. Work should be fun and you should enjoy every day you’re doing something. I use humor as a tool to manage people. Just because someone has a hammer doesn’t mean it should be flaunted. Treat people in the same way that you want to be treated, with kindness, respect and opportunity.

Koonin said, in a technologically advanced world, there have been major advancements in the way people interact and manage their media, and there is no ending in sight. “Creativity is the currency for the future,” Koonin said.

Students learn professionalism at etiquette dinner

BY DAN DUTCHER & STEPH STOSS, KU SCHOOL OF BUSINESS COMMUNICATION INTERNS

Teaching students to act professionally during meals is no easy task, even if food is involved. The University of Kansas Career Center and the Student Alumni Association host the Etiquette Dinner twice a year, one in the fall and spring, to teach students how to conduct themselves with professional etiquette during a business dinner.  

Tuesday, Oct. 2, marked the first event of the 2012-2013 school year.

We had the opportunity to attend an etiquette dinner, which was nerve-wracking, informational and fun. 

Not only do a resume, cover letter and interview with a company demonstrate an individual’s professionalism success, but the real test comes with proper use of table manners. This isn’t a rundown of mom-and-pop’s table manners from keeping elbows off the table, it goes beyond that. Business dinners are less about the food and more about the business and manners.

The dinner featured a business attire fashion show and discussion panel before the meal. Much like opening a can of soda in a quiet room, the first question of the evening is asked and directs the panel toward resume, interviews, social media portrayal and how to land a great job after graduation. 

“The more well-rounded a person is,” said Joe Burke, retail recruiting specialist at Hy-Vee, “the better that person will transfer into the workforce.”

Most of the panel members agree that experience and involvement are more important than what kind of degree you have. Employers are more interested in an applicant’s ability to take on real world tasks in the professional world, the kind of experience that isn’t found in a textbook. 

Presentation is also important to an employer, not specifically at a dinner, but also how the individual dresses, talks and represents himself or herself on social media outlets. Anything posted to Facebook, Twitter and blogs reflects the kind of person the individual is and represents the company for which he works.

“I enjoyed the question and answer panel portion at the beginning of the evening the most,” said Kelsey McConnell, a junior in accounting from Overland Park, Kan. “They were all recruiters and provided awesome insights about the keys to interview success.”

Panel guests provided answers that stemmed beyond the questions. The answers taught students how to apply classroom knowledge and skills to position themselves as better candidates for a job. 

After the discussion panel was the business dinner, where not only the students had the opportunity to talk one-on-one with a panel member, but everyone learned appropriate table manners.

The rules flowed like wild fire, such as how to fold your napkin when it’s on the lap and rules about how to pass items on the table. When offering bread, fake left then continue to pass to the right until it reaches full circle. Each item on the table has a specific place, and when positioned in particular ways gives notion to the server how to act. There are more silverware pieces surrounding a plate than fingers on any one individual’s hand. 

“It would have been nice to have a print out of the etiquette rules, “McConnell said. “I feel like I forgot some of the things she said after the dinner.”

Practice does make perfect, which is why we created an easy-on-the-go cheat sheet, or I mean, memory bank, for back pocket access.

Dan’s advice: BMW: If you’re wondering which glass of water is yours, just remember BMW. From left to right, it’s bread, meal, water. Your bread plate, is on the left side of your plate and your water is on the right.

Steph’s advice: Only cut two or three bites at a time. Rest the knife across the top of your plate, sharp edge toward you, for easy access. When finished with the meal, place the knife down in 4 o’clock position on your plate with the fork, tines down, below it. This tells your server you have finished with your meal and he may take your plate.