The eight tips about creativity that I learned from reading Rene Redzepi's journal...

A recurring New Years resolution of mine is to read ten books a year - and most years unfortunately it is a bit of a rush to the finish line. This year however, I am happy to share that my first book is done and dusted in the first week of the year starting - which to be honest wasn't difficult as the book was an absolute gem.

I came across this book quite randomly at a local library in an effort to entertain my daughters in a quiet period over the summer school holidays, and in the few brief moments of quiet I had to browse, I came across this book.

Read in the space of a few days after the blur period between Christmas and New Years, this book captured and represented much of what I have come to learn and understand as key capabilities required in order to be a creative thinker and be best prepared for the #futureofwork.

This book provided insight into a year of Redzepi's life, work and creative process. An understanding of how the best of the best in the culinary world thinks and acts - always in the spirit of making more with less, leveraging the bounty of the local area, using the full suite of tools and processes that a kitchen can provide, commitment to zero waste, and ultimately, creating culinary magic with the customer/consumer/diner always at the centre.

Sounds familiar hey? The need to do more with less, in place, with the customer at the core?

This book was refreshing, real - a valuable and grounding read.

Redzepi highlighted, for me at least, not only the 'what' but also the 'how' behind his thinking and working process. Never routine and always with the aim of creating the best end product. Certainly outcomes that most people in commerce of all kinds aim to achieve!

There were eight insights I drew from reading the book, and I couldn't help but note them as I made my way through the book. They are:

Where creativity can come from

At various points throughout the book, Redzepi came to realise some of his most creative outcomes came from giving himself and his team 'air' to think and process ideas. On the flip side, he was also never shy to apply pressure when he felt that would also achieve what was needed.

Throughout the journal, he spoke to a major refurbishment of the Noma restaurant that occurred - which ended up inspiring great creativity. The ability for him and his team to work in an appropriate space allowed for time to be more efficiently spent and more creative ideas to be nurtured. Even the simple concept of having somewhere that the team could share a staff meal transformed the culture and interpersonal relationships of the team - and meant that there was a space and place for people to share stories and talk shop outside of the bustle and grind of a hot kitchen.

I think everyone could relate to the concept of feeling more at ease mentally when you have what you need, when you need it in an appropriate space (working from home at the kitchen bench anyone!?)

No one really has a clue at the beginning

The whole adage of 'fake it till you make it' rings as true for the world's top chef as it does for everyone else. Noma's modus operandi is to use locally-sourced, seasonal produce. When the country you live in can fall victim to erratic weather all year round, it can make for some hectic and 'creative' days in the kitchen.

The need to be flexible with what resources you have and adapt your offering to suit on any given day...again...these skills and situations are incredibly similar to what we are seeing and learning about the future of work across a number of different industries.

Redzepi coaches the reader in his book as to how he approaches these situations - and often it is through applying equal doses of creativity and intuition. Nature will often have it work out that the first instinct you have is the correct one.

Don't underestimate the influence of your environment

Affording yourself the time to catch a breath of fresh air, put your bare feet in the sand (or dirt!), surrounding yourself with landscapes and seascapes - the environments that #sparkjoy for you are likely to fill your creative cup and reinvigorate you for a challenge that you are in the midst of working through.

The impact of your mentors can be transformational

Mentors. There are some leaders who I have had the privilege of interviewing who speak praises of their mentors and the value they have offered over their career. It was perhaps one of my favourite topics to enquire about - the answers to this question often uncovered more than simply whether or not they had someone who they respected to call on when things weren't quite right.

As a career marketer, I have only in the past couple of years come to appreciate the importance of mentors, and I firmly believe that the relationship that can form can be formidable.

In the journal, Redzepi spoke to a symposium event that he hosted that saw many other global chefs converge into Copenhagen and in turn, dine at Noma. Some of these chefs Redzepi considered to be mentors, and the mere thought of them being diners at his restaurant provided an additional layer of pressure. The idea of not meeting a mentor's expectation was enough impetus to inspire action.

Mentors test and push you - often without doing anything. They motivate you to be a better version of yourself.

Diversity matters

There was this one part in the book that really hit home for me. As Noma has grown, so has the team; a team that now comprises a culturally diverse mix of people (a great model for any workplace!).

This diversity led to sharing stories of how food is prepared, the significance of various methods and ingredients, which was ultimately used to better Noma's offering. It was magic to read.

In this part of the book, it was made clear that it is only through broadening our knowledge via the heritage and stories of others can we really be more creative and inclusive.

The more you know, and the more curious you are, and the broader sources of information you access, the more you can do right?!

The detail is as important as the strategy

I can't count the number of times that I have lost sight of the detail because I have focused too much on the strategy (and vice versa to be honest).

There was a moment in the book where Redzepi hit the knives with his team to better understand the day to day operations of his restaurant. The insights he gained through this exercise were priceless, and would have been nearly impossible to capture via any other way.

Keeping your fingers on the pulse by keeping your hands on the tools - means you can understand why things are the way they are - both good and bad.

And - if Redzepi can get into the trenches with his team...any leader can get back into ops with their colleagues.

People in your team are only going to be as good as you allow them to be

The more tightly you control your team - the less creativity you will receive from them (surprise surprise!).

There are all kinds of workers, with all kinds of skills, knowledge, and capabilities. If you don't allow them to be who they are and bring their skills to the table, you will end up with some pretty boring shite.

It is a funny paradox. Leaders probably hire people on the daily because they hold the skills and capabilities to do a particular job and add value - and as soon as they are in the chair they are hindered by reporting, process, bureaucracy, etc etc.

Same deal at the world's best restaurants apparently...

Creativity = Fun + a Sprinkle of Pressure.

Such a simple equation - but one that can't be applied routinely.

The ability to turn stressful, crisis-led, and unpredictable situations into inspo for creative decision making is something that many industries faced particularly in the past 12 months. The COVID-19 pandemic certainly saw example upon example of businesses and workplaces that have transformed because they were thrusted into chaos and just had to be creative in order to survive.

How many great solutions have been ideated when the 11th hour is nigh?

The need to be adaptable, flexible, intuitive, perceptive - are just a sample of the capabilities displayed not only by Redzepi himself, but also of his team in this journal.

It was a true privilege to read this book...and I recommend you add it to your 2021 reading list if you have one.