It’s a trap we in the agency world fall into at one time or another – staying too focused on delivering what we promised in the “scope of work.”

Yes, our clients expect us to plan the work and work the plan, but we’re operating in a dynamic global marketplace. Things change every second, which means new opportunities spring up, and what we planned six months ago may no longer be relevant. Our charge is to help our clients succeed and meet their objectives. Today, that means being resourceful and vigilant about bringing creative new ideas to the table to meet these goals. If you don’t come up with the next big idea, someone else will, and it may be your competitor.

Big ideas can come from the strangest places. I was flying home from Dallas last week and happened to read a story in AmericanWay magazine about two 20-somethings from the UK, Sam Bompas and Harry Parr, who call themselves culinary curators. They blend their interests in food, architecture and art to develop signature events and programs for their clients. Imagine flooding a room with Courvoisier, sending visitors rafting across on giant orange slices, or making a three-dimensional map of the United States out of Jell-O, complete with scale models of famous monuments. Brilliant!

No one said creativity is easy. It may come more naturally for some, but even “creative people” can’t simply snap their fingers and find a big idea. It requires hard work and it means getting to know yourself. What are your passions – sports, pop culture, social media? What can inspire you to conceive a brilliant idea – an article, talking to a wacky friend, cooking? When are you most adept at being creative – first thing in the morning, on a plane or train?

Think about the answers to those questions and then make a conscious effort to be a creative idea generator. Set aside some time each day or each week to focus on being an idea factory. You may stray from your scope of work, but your clients are sure to forgive the digression.

--Marc Berliner, Vice President