Thursday, September 3, 2009

Hat in Hand

Coming to you from Montreal. The longer my post, the shorter my vacation.

Brevity is the name of today's game.

Monday is Labor Day, but we need you to come to work at www.Highlowaha.com. In fact, we need you to come to work with us all next week - Monday through Saturday.

Your job? Consultant. We're spending a few thousand dollars redoing our website and we are at a place where we need your help. The tag line must be improved. The one we have is ok, but as many of you have pointed out, "Where Creativity and Community Meet" does not fully capture the essence of Highlowaha.

With over 2,000,000 blogs in cyberspace right now, you know like I know there is a blog running circles around us for every topic we cover - crafts, baking, gift ideas, inspiration, party ideas, and the list goes on.

Our niche is community. Visit our destination to connect daily with friends new and old. Destination first. Topic second. Like Facebook, check in not knowing what you're going to get, but pleased at the chance to connect. Added bonus... you get to leave with an inspiration or idea of sorts.

Wear what you want to the office, but don't forget your hats.

You heard me hats. Hats are essential to next week's work place. You'll need six to be exact; white, red, yellow, green, blue, and black. Based on Edward De Bono's approach titled, Six Hat Thinking, we will evaluate five ideas while wearing six different hats. Each hat represents something different. Sneak peek...
  • White Hat: neutral and objective, concerned with facts and figures
  • Red Hat: the emotional view
  • Black Hat: careful and cautious, the devil's advocate hat
  • Yellow Hat:Sunny and positive
  • Green Hat: associated with fertile growth creativity, and new ideas
  • Blue Hat: cool, the color of the sky, above everything else - the organizing hat.
Work in an office? Coordinate a neighborhood committee? Or, CEO of your home? Consider using this approach to change the way your group thinks.

Let's take Six Thinking Hats for a test drive and get you all warmed up for Monday. Yesterday, the guitar cookie cutter won September's Fancy Flour Cookie Cutter Challenge. Put on each of the six hats and comment on use of the guitar as a way to celebrate next month's National Good Neighbor Day.

Green light... GO!

Signing off until tomorrow...

6 comments:

Cheryl Houston said...

My first thought was "Huh?" but here goes anyway...

Put on each of the six hats and comment on use of the guitar as a way to celebrate next month's National Good Neighbor Day.


White (neutral/facts): a guitar is made of wood and strings and creates music. NGND is a day to reach out to your neighbors.

Red (emotional): the music a guitar creates can evoke many emotions. Being a good neighbor also creates a good emotion.

Black (Cautious): Guitar- uh, don't use it to hit someone? What could be bad about reaching out to a neighbor... well, what if your neighbor is crazy?

Yellow (Positive): re-stating on emotion- guitars can create happy emotions and that is positive. NGND- what if your neighbor isn't crazy, then knowing your neighbors is good.

Green (Growth/Creativity): Music is creative. Knowing your neighbors promotes growth in your community.

Blue (Organizing): Guitars organize notes to make music. NGND is organizing a group of people.

That's a stretch on some of those but that's what I got.

Peggy said...

huh? OMG! I love you guys... but I might have to re-read that post a few more times...and how is it I'm the 2nd one posting at 9:10!!

I'm thinking about a guitar case and some rambling cowboy in (purple?) boots {hey, did I miss which boots Katie got?} hitch hiking down Route 66 meetin up with some tumble weeds, a wild doggie howlin' at the moon and some shady and mysterious characters who help inspire a ballad of achy breaky love and solitude!

heather said...

My best attempt:

White Hat: neutral and objective, concerned with facts and figures
How many cookies will you need to make to recognize your neighbors?


Red Hat: the emotional view
It makes me happy to think that you'll be spreading the message of SHINE to your neighborhood.


Black Hat: careful and cautious, the devil's advocate hat
I wonder if some of your neighbors will think you are crazy? Will they really understand why you are bringing them guitar cookies for NGND?


Yellow Hat:Sunny and positive
Of course they'll understand it and they'll love it! How could they not love cookies baked from the heart and delivered with a special greeting from the Beeny boys?



Green Hat: associated with fertile growth creativity, and new ideas
Could you use the guitar cookies in another way than just delivering them to the families? Could you use them as an invitation to a block party? Could you tell them you have a treat for them but make them come for coffee before you give them up?



Blue Hat: cool, the color of the sky, above everything else - the organizing hat.
When will you need to make the cookies in order to deliver them in time for NGND? Of course it depends if you are using them as an invite vs. just a tiding. When will you need to purchase all your supplies?

Cheryl Houston said...

Oh, Heather is good!

Katie said...

White: NGND is in 25 days.

Red: Neighbors will be happy that you are taking the time out to honor the neighborhood.

Black: Do you have any neighbors that don't care for you or that you don't care for? How will you approach that situation, will you still invite them if you have a get-together? Will you be pulling at the wrong strings?

Yellow: Even if you don't know your neighbors really well, this is a great way to introduce yourself and get to know them! Spread some cheer!

Green: Can you host a neighborhood talent show (with the guitar) to celebrate NGND?

Blue: How will you package the cookies? Do you need to get supplies for this?

Chaotic Kristi said...

comment on use of the guitar as a way to celebrate next month's National Good Neighbor Day.

White Hat: neutral and objective, concerned with facts and figures
Poll your neighbors, get to know them & know how many can PLAY a guitar

Red Hat: the emotional view
Play oldies but goodies on the guitar and wrench the heartstrongs of your neighbors until pour out their doors

Black Hat: careful and cautious, the devil's advocate hat
Decide that guitars may bring up emotional issues and pass around photos instead of playing an actual guitar

Yellow Hat:Sunny and positive
Start plucking guitar like a mariachi singing "Sunshine on my shoulder makes me happy" while knocking on neighbors doors to deliver sunshaped lemon cookies

Green Hat: associated with fertile growth creativity, and new ideas
have a flower child looking women gather up all the children (ala the pied piper) as she circulates thru the neighborhood singing kids songs & handing out information on kids projects in the neighborhood as well as collecting info for neighborhood directory (phone #s for emergencies, pets names, etc) in order to connect the neighbors

Blue Hat: cool, the color of the sky, above everything else - the organizing hat.
print fliers on guitar shaped paper urging all the neighbors to come to a block party dressed as their fave axslinger and have party into the wee hours. solicit them to bring BBQ grills and solicit neighboring market to donate meat for a cookout (in exchange for being listed on the aforementioned fliers)