Breaking Bad, or for the creative good?

                                                                                                                                                                         The Stun of a Ray Gun.

The ray gun has been around for at least a century, but for most of that time, it was a pure fantasy in the science fiction genre. The gun harnessed enormous power to kill, stun, vaporise, or freeze. Today, with technical advancements, the use of lasers in industry is standard, a ray gun of sorts, though not in the way originally imagined.

I saw a short piece just after Rachel Gunn’s (aka B-girl Raygun) failed Olympic campaign in which she owned her performance. She said she knew she didn’t have the technical ability to win a medal, so her only chance was to try something risky and be more creative. I wonder how she felt after the first round when it was clear that her performance was stunning the judges but not in the way that she had hoped. And for that matter, to her credit, she carried on and didn’t freeze up.

She took a risk and failed. Such is the way with creativity.

Take Graham Obree, the Flying Scotsman, who invented a new style of race bike and a new seating position. His invention was so effective that he was banned. He was a winner but then lost.

Putting aside the discussion and theories about how and why Rachel got to represent Australia or whether Breaking should be an Olympic Sport at all, there is a valuable lesson about creativity.

First of all, anyone in business knows that, at times, you have to get creative to find a different way to thrive or sometimes just survive. Sometimes, these risks pay off, and sometimes, they fail, with the consequence ranging from mere embarrassment to the catalyst for a catastrophic failure of the whole business. Whether it is failure or success, the ones that win in the long run are the leaders, business owners, and teams that own that risk and take responsibility for their choices, whatever the outcome. It takes courage to do something different, especially for the initiator. To build creative confidence, you must know that the team has your back, whatever the outcome.

But businesses just as often fail because they don’t take any risks, creative or otherwise.

Now and then in the Melbourne Cup, a rank outsider, against all odds, wins the race. In 2015, the Prince of Penance was the first horse in 75 years to win with 100–1 odds, the first ever for a female jockey, Michelle Paine. But the Cup is not just about winning. In every office sweep I have ever participated in, there was always a prize for last place, as well as the first three across the line.

The origin of the name Breaking is unclear. I like to think that it referred to a new form of dance that was a clear break from the traditional dance of the day.

I am saddened that the avalanche of online hate toward Rachel, resulting from her reinterpretation of the dance form, is breaking her heart. I hope that it doesn’t break her creative spirit.

It’s unlikely that Kangaroo Hop will be the start of a new dance craze, but in a world where fanciful ideas like the ray gun become reality, who knows?

Good on you, Rachel, for taking a risk and getting creative.

#failure #creativity #breaking #olympics2024 #creativerisk #risk #creativethinking #raygun