There are lots of research studies focused on getting to the bottom of whether creativity is inherited or learned. Some say creativity is in the ol' genes...while others argue it can be acquired and even fine-tuned. Personally, I don't know which side is right or wrong. What I do know is that my dad comes up with some killer ideas...and whenever he tells them to me, I always find myself thinking, "It's no wonder I ended up in the idea business."
Now, before I give you an example of one of dad's ideas, there are a few things you need to know about him. First of all, he's 85 years old and has such an amazing energy and wit, you'd think he was 75...really.
Secondly, he did NOT work in the idea business. After the Korean War, he started installing carpet (he could have played on the Cardinals AAA baseball team, but laying carpet paid more money so he took that route). He subsequently became the owner of that carpet company and retired back in the 80's.
Lastly, and most importantly, he LOVES (and I mean fucking L O V E S) going to the Shop Rite grocery store. In fact, he goes just about EVERY SINGLE DAY! Obviously, no one needs to hit the grocery store that often, so I secretly believe he adopted this routine to get away from my mom (they'll be married 61 years this coming January). Of course, he would never admit to that.
So, why am I giving you the Shop Rite backstory? Well, on Thanksgiving Day, my pop and I were sitting on the couch and he said, "I was in Shop Rite the other day and I gave the store manager an idea." Now, in most cases, if an 85 year old man said those words, you'd probably be picturing some pain-in-the-ass old guy driving some 20-something store manager crazy. But when I hear my dad say them, I start to grin and think, "Here comes a good one!!!"
Turns out my pop found the store manager and escorted him over to the butcher area where customers order their deli meat. My father made the store manager watch as the butcher took someone's order for a 1/2 pound of turkey...THINLY SLICED. The butcher started to slice the turkey...then stopped and walked a slice back over to the counter and asked the customer, "Is this thin enough?"
"RIGHT THERE!!!" my father exclaimed. "THAT'S the issue! Your butcher is wasting time going back-and-forth with slices asking customers if they are the right thickness."
He went on to propose an idea that would make the process more efficient. The concept was simple (and will make you wonder how the hell it hasn't been done before) - place a sign on the counter that features options that show the actual (real life) thickness the deli meat would be sliced. So customers can order a 1/2 pound of turkey at thickness OPTION ONE, which would be sliced at an 1/8th of an inch...or they could go for thickness OPTION TWO, which would be a size larger...and so on.
My dad even mocked-up the sign for the store manager on a piece of butcher paper and gave it to him (I had him create another one for this entry in the photo above). The manager raised his eyebrows and said, "I'm going to bring this up in our next regional meeting."
My dad continued shopping...and a few minutes later an assistant manager came up to him and gave him a gift card as a "thank you."
After he told me the idea, I said, "I love that one! They're really gonna do that, pop" My dad got up from the couch and as he walked toward the kitchen to start slicing the turkey he laughed and said, "Wait until I tell you the idea I gave them for the handicapped checkout lines."
So, no matter what the research says, when it comes to creativity in my family, I can safely say the apple didn't fall far from the tree!
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