As my friends and I hovered in the lobby of the Gaylord Opryland Hotel, the reality was sinking in that American Airlines had cancelled all of our flights and we were stuck in Nashville for one more day. As we mentally reviewed the checklist in our heads of all the rescheduling, rebooking and inconveniences we now had to deal with, none of us where very happy.

Our small group of strandees began to share our next steps when something happened that I’ll never forget. One of us got outside of the box and created a new reality. My friend and mentor Alexandria Brown blew up the paradigm the rest of us were playing in and hired a private leer jet to take us home.

It is at the very moment that you feel hopeless, stuck and frustrated that out-of-the-box thinking can trigger a whole new dimension of reality. You see, the problem is that most of us try to solve problems with the same level of thinking it was created in. We can only access ideas, thoughts and possibilities that we currently live in because, well, quite frankly, that’s our current reality!

Take my client Janice for example. Janice has desperately been trying to get a consistent high 6 figure revenue stream for two years but somehow she continues to hover around the $100k level. She spends all her time focused on getting the next client in the door or serving the client she has, rather than creating automated marketing lead sources and building leverage strategies that would allow her to focus on her bigger fish.

So what is the trick to engaging “out-of-the-box” problem solving when you need it most? Here are a few tips to help you get started:

1. Access a Role Model. Think of someone who plays at another level of success and ask yourself, “What would XX do?” For instance, “What would Richard Branson do?” Even if you don’t have the financial resources that your role model does, it can still trigger a whole new level of ideas.

2. Do the Opposite. Sometimes it pays to challenge yourself and say, “What is the opposite of what I would normally do?” If you normally get frustrated, run to the airport and demand the next flight out (which for me creates a ton of stress) then maybe the opposite would be to book a night in a fancy hotel and go to the spa (much more appealing to me).

3. Change Careers. Not in reality but in your thinking. If you are a coach or consultant what if you pretend you are a famous actress? Or if you are a dentist or doctor pretend you are a public speaker. What kind of options surface when you try on a different “hat?”

4. Review your List of Life Goals. Is there anything you’ve always wanted to do that if you stretched into right now might help you solve the problem? For instance, Ali had always wanted to fly on a private jet so she figured if not now, when!

5. What If-I-Die-Tomorrow. Another way to look at it is, “What would I do if I knew I was going to die tomorrow?” You never know what life has in store so if you always play full out, what would you do differently today?

6. Access Your Millionaire Thinking. Another twist on getting outside of your box is to ask yourself, “If I was already a millionaire/billionaire, what would I do to solve this problem.” When we solve the problem in our current state of income, we tend to limit our options. Be willing to “act as if” you are already there and access new, unlimited resources.

If you truly want to play at a higher level then it’s time to blow up the box you are playing in. For instance, my client Janice decided to start doing the opposite. As someone who tends to be very analytical and risk-adverse, she decided to be more creative and a bigger risk taker. Within a few short weeks she realized it was time to build up a team that could help her implement more automated marketing systems. The clients began to roll in and she could focus on her personal magic.

It’s time for you to start playing outside of your box – which of these keys will you use?

CLEAR GOVERNMENT�THINKING

Clear thinking is the ?new Green?

(whatever happened to Black?)

Regularly billed as ?The world?s leading expert on the brain, memory and

learning?, Government, Educational and Business adviser Tony Buzan has a mind sharper than Sweeney Todd?s razor. You?re never likely to see him suffering from what motor racing drivers (or anybody else looking for an excuse for an inexplicable lapse of concentration or memory) archly refer to as ?brain fade?. And ?Senior moment? excuses are definitely not his thing?

?Guru of the Grey Matter?

Tony is the author or co-author of over 90 books on the brain, learning and business principles (published in 150 countries, in 33 languages). The inventor of Mind Maps�, he has devoted most of his working life to promoting Mental Literacy ? teaching people how to learn and how to use their brains effectively.His diary is packed with meetings, interviews and lectures, yet somehow he finds time to write new books, develop new Mind Map products (downloadable iMindMap software is the latest addition to the roster) – and host the annual World Memory Championships, which he originated and co-founded.Although he lives and works in a quiet part of Buckinghamshire, England, Tony travels for at least eight months of the year, and at last count had visited 73 countries over his working lifetime. And in many of those 73 countries, his mission includes imparting his thinking skills to the men and women whose job it is to govern, to shape their nation?s laws and to guide their people?s development. The results of his endeavours have been truly impressive.The focus of Tony?s work with both government and business is to help increasetheir creativity, innovation skills, and leadership capabilities at all levels, to facilitate communication and to streamline processes. He also gets involved in the management of specific projects, advises on election campaigns, and helps his subjects brush up on their negotiating skills. Plus he delves into the realms of Corporate Memory, Knowledge Management and Intellectual Property.

Educating the educators

Tony recently returned from a six-week lecturing and interview tour of Asia and the Far East. In HCMC, Vietnam, he was invited to brief the Vice Minister of Education on his ways of creative thinking and learning. She has since asked Tony to consider providing input for training manuals which are to be distributed to all the teachers in Vietnam ? numbering several millions – thereby training themselves and then educating the children for whom they are responsible.

Mexican Brain Waves

Tony has enjoyed a long-standing relationship with the government of Mexico,stretching back to the turn of the century and the election of President Vicente Fox of the PAN (National Action Party). A highlight of his career in Mexico so far was in 2003 – the 5th annual United Nations Conference on Quality and Innovation at the Mexico City Stadium – where Tony was the keynote speaker for the whole event. In addition, each of the other 28 speeches delivered was simultaneously Mind Mapped by a total audience of 10,000 people, led by the Buzan Centre?s Latin America team, headed up by Jorge Castaneda ? that?s around 280,000 Mind Maps created over the duration of the conference!

Another highlight was when Tony was honoured to be given the prime keynote slot -addressing an audience of 15,000 – at the Farewell Convention for the outgoingPresident Fox, when he completed his term of office in 2006.

Tony?s teachings and systems were instrumental in helping to structure the election campaign which put Foxe in power in 2001, becoming the first Mexican opposition party President since 1929. Much of the ?outreach? campaign was planned with Mind Maps, as were many debates and political arguments. Fox?s victory was decisive (43%). One outcome of Fox?s Buzan-inspired strategy was the development of an operations manual, based largely on Tony?s Mind Mapping and learning techniques,for all senior parliamentarians, ministers and civil servants.Apart from the ex-President himself, one of Tony?s most dedicated Mexican followers is Buzan Licensed Instructor Antonio Obregon Torres, who for many years worked as a senior government official, reporting to the Mayor and Governor of Guanacuato. The Mayor presided over a massive, wide-ranging series of Buzan Learning events, reaching audiences as varied as civil servants, learning professionals, and underprivileged children ? publicly supporting Mind Mapping and Mental Literacy. So dedicated was he, that he then qualified as a BLI himself – using Mind Maps to plan his campaign for election to the Mexican Congress. With Mental Literacy in Education as major planks within his programme, he won by an unprecedented majority of well over 70% – thus becoming the first BLI to become a Congressman.

Tony?s ongoing relationship with Mexico is warm and continually expanding. On his last visit he spent time with Sergio Garcia de Alba ? the former Minister of the Economy, and now the brains behind the initiative for renovating the number one private University in Mexico, Tecnologico de Monterrey ? helping him to evaluate the benefits of a long-term alliance.

Also on that trip, and for the first time ever in the Americas, Tony trained 40 people in Stage One of the new Buzan Learning Certification programme, The Mind Map Foundation Course. He also visited the site of the impressive building in Jalpa that will house the Mexican Centre for Research and Development of Intellectual Capital, which will incorporate a State Buzan Centre. A further return visit, incorporating an itinerary of conference appearances and workshops is planned for the last two weeks of October 2007, when the new Centre will be officially opened by Tony.

Chinese inroads

In China, the government-owned Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press FLTRP, is the publisher of seven of Tony?s books, with more in the pipeline for 2008 and beyond.To back up this initiative Tony regularly speaks, at the invitation of the Chinese government, to large audiences of leading business people. He also gives regular lectures on educational techniques at key learning centres such as Beijing University.

Tastes of the Orient

In Malaysia, Tony has worked closely with former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, a renowned ?blue sky? thinker, whose vision was to be a leading first world nation by applying Mental Literacy techniques as a foundation concept. Another big Buzan Learning supporter is former Minister of Transport and current President of UTAR University, Tun Dr. Ling, who is heading up an initiative to introduce Mind Mapping and its applications into future business and educational strategies throughout the country.

Singapore fling

Tony has been equally busy in Singapore, where he leads an initiative with IPAN, the Civil Service branch of the Ministry of Manpower, to train thousands of senior and middle-level civil servants in thinking, creativity, communications and a full range of complementary learning skills. Instrumental to his success – in the city-state and beyond – has been his close relationship with Henry Toi, founder and Managing Director of Buzan Centres Asia ? who, under Tony?s direction, has in recent years established Centres in Korea,Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Thailand.Tony has also been involved in implementing an ongoing programme, organized jointly with the founder of Buzan Learning Centres Singapore, Dr Tan Buck Chye, to help the nation?s teachers to teach and communicate, using Mind Maps and Buzan Learning literary techniques. Thus far at least 5,000 of the 20,000 teachers

in the country have attended courses, which are always immensely well received.

School?s out?

The pair has also recently commenced a far-reaching, experimental educational concept, The Power Learning Camp, which arranges for children to go, out of school, to the Learning Centre. Here they are tutored, by qualified academic teachers, curriculum subjects such as English, Geography, Chemistry and Physics.

The teachers are all qualified to teach these subjects, and have been furtherqualified by Tony himself and the Buzan Centres, to utilise Buzan techniques throughout.

For instance, the physics teacher who teaches physics with Mind Maps also teaches them how to read faster, how to take notes? and how to translate these notes into essays. This is a major social and educational experience which is proving to be extremely popular with teachers, parents and children alike – and the school is currently overflowing.

Back on home territory

In the UK Tony has, in recent years, been involved with a number of large-scale regional government educational authorities, including a far-reaching programmerfor Bedfordshire Education Council.In Scotland, he is a key member of the Masterclass team operated by North and South Lanarkshire Councils? The Tapestry Partnership ? and has lectured to more than 5,000 head teachers over the past seven years. As part of this initiative, in May this year he lectured to 200 head tearchers at The Glasgow Royal Concert Hall on ?Strategies for the 21st Century? ? an important element of the two councils? ?School as the Home for the Mind? strategy.

For politicians and government officials at all levels, Tony Buzan?s advice andexpertise can be invaluable in education, in strategy and policy development, and in communications; in fact, within any facet of government that involves thinking and the use of the brain. And while it may seem obvious to say so, that really ought to be every part of government ? joined up or otherwise! – e n d s – BUZ114BX/2007

ABOUT TONY BUZAN

Tony Buzan - the inventor of the inspirational thinking concept, the Mind Map� – is the world?s foremost writer, broadcaster and lecturer on mentaleffectiveness. He has written over 90 books,achieving massive success in more than 150 countries and in 33 languages; Use Your Head alone has sold over one million copies.

Originator and co-Founder of the World Memory Championships, he is much in demand as an adviser to corporate and government leaders worldwide. In 1994 he was named alongside Mikhail Gorbachev and Henry Kissinger as one of the five greatest international lecturers.

A prominent exponent of Mind Mapping is Bill Gates who, in an article for Newsweek, wrote that ?intelligent agents and Mind-Mappers are taking our information democracy to the next stage?. A recent edition of Time magazine showed a print-out of a Mind Map prominently displayed in the Nashville home office of Al Gore, where he regularly uses

Mind Map software to ?order his thoughts?. Over the years, Tony has worked with the governments of Australia, China, Malaysia,Singapore, The Emirates, Bahrain and Mexico. His work with business and corporations has included, among many others: Oracle, Rank Xerox, IBM, HSBC Bank, Irish Management Institute, Hong Kong Institute of Management and many of

The Fortune 1000 companies. Tony Buzan is a familiar celebrity on the broadcast media. His programmes have been heard and seen by billions of people all over the world. In the UK, he continues to appear on numerous TV and Radio programmes for the BBC, ITV, CNN and many digital and satellite channels ? and, while lecturing abroad, is constantly invited onto the top high-viewership magazine and business programmes.

Tony is living proof that his theories really work. He is a passionate advocate of healthy eating combined with mind and body exercise to achieve the most out of life, and is often to be seen expertly sculling in the early morning mists on the River Thames. He has also found time to become a prize-winning,published poet.

WE?RE HERE TO HELP YOU!

Visit www.buzanworld.com For more information on any aspect of The Buzan Organisation, for high res.versions of the illustrations included in this release, to organise an EMAIL Q&A,quotes or an INTERVIEW with Tony Buzan?Or for a REVIEW COPY of any of Tony?s latest books:Grass Roots Leaders (�25.00 from Gower Publishing)Age-proof Your Brain (�12.99 from Harper Thorsons)The Study Skills Handbook (�12.99 from BBC Active)please contact:Ms Ray Hodges at HPS-PR Direct Line: 01628 894793E-mail: r.hodges@hpsgroup.co.ukYou can also download (for free trial) Tony?s new iMindMap software(launching this Autumn) by visiting the www.buzanworld.com site

We’re hearing it over and over again…Tough times…Cut backs…Expense and travel reductions…

Many executives and customer representatives are no longer allowed to attend events that might be construed as frivolous, a conflict of interest, have limited sales or marketing value to the company, or that might influence buying decisions. Some companies are deciding to cut out all big ticket events, such as sponsorships or tickets for major sporting events, or client meetings at high-end resorts that might “include” activities such as golf or spa treatments. Those days are over. And that’s probably a good thing!

However, at times it seems like the pendulum may have swung a little too far in the other direction.  Have you been told to cancel your user group meeting this year? No more customer meetings? Say good-bye to VIP gatherings? But can you really afford to cut all face-to-face interaction with customers and prospects, and squander the momentum and goodwill so carefully built up over the years? Your customers are still interested in the future of your company. They still want to have the ear of your executives, and get the inside scoop on new products and updates.  Going too far in trying to cut costs could be cutting potential sales and relationships as well.

There are ways to get around the problem, work with a reasonable budget, keep your customers happy, and perhaps even become a hero in the bargain!  The key lies in taking a fresh new look at the business meeting, breaking with past traditions and examining  the reason for the meetings, the needs, goals and budget, and then finding new, creative ways of accomplishing those goals.

There are four important steps to making business meetings work when money and appearances are under scrutiny:

1 – Understand the budget – yours and your attendee’s

2 – Location, location, location – find innovative, new, less costly but interesting locations

3 – Collaborate with your business partners – what can you do together

4 – Bring real value to your attendees – that’s what they are coming for

1.  Know the budget

You know how much was spent on your company meetings and events in the past. But what is the budget today? Even when senior management is making deep cuts, your budget probably hasn’t gone down to zero! Find out how much you have to work with for the year, and ensure that your senior management is in agreement with the final budget figure.

Then, make sure to document any restrictions, requirements or other limitations that can influence your planning decisions. For example, is there a type of venue you are not allowed to use? Is there a cap on the travel expenses? Dig deep to find out the real parameters of your event budget, so that you can make sure to do everything within those guidelines.

2.  “B” is for Boutique – Being creative in city selection

Now take the really innovative step, and choose what I like to call a “B” city.  But “B” is for Boutique NOT 2nd rate.  We’ve all been to and are used to the “A” List/First Tier city for our meetings – New York, Chicago, Las Vegas,  or San Francisco to name a few.  But these cities, because of their extreme popularity, are more expensive to go to and to hold events in.  These are cities that in today’s reality, you may be chastised for spending more money than is really necessary.  So look for the “new” city choices for your meeting.  For example, choose a city like Anchorage, Kansas City, Nashville, Sacramento, St. Louis, Tampa/St. Petersburg or the like. You will find that the pricing is much more competitive, there are lots of things to do, plentiful venues, great hotels, and fine places to eat.  Happy for this type of corporate business and wanting their city to “impress”, I find that these “boutique” cities generally go “over and above” the call of duty to get and keep your business.  They are more likely to cater to your needs, offer you better hotel rates and they tend to be really friendly and make you feel wanted, which ultimately will lead to a more impressive meeting.   Research airfares into several cities within a region – you will find there are vast differences in the costs.  Look at some of the smaller airlines, or partners of your preferred carrier – many of these fly into the smaller cities.  And, many of the “Boutique” cities often have lower airfares especially during off-season, which allows your attendees’ dollar to go much further.  Once, you have chosen your target city; do some more research on the local history, entertainment, arts and the like – if you’re creative, you’ll find some very interesting venues for off-site events and dinners or activities.  And, your attendees will probably be pleasantly surprised to find out how many interesting things there are to do and see pre or post event and in the evenings in a city they haven’t yet visited (but maybe always wanted to).

But, while being innovative in your venue selection, don’t forget that there are two budgets to consider here – your company budget AND your attendees’ budget for travel expenses.  While considering all options available, choose a hotel that is appropriate for the needs of your meeting and suits your attendees’ budgets – make sure that it doesn’t give the appearance of being “over the top”. This way you help your attendees justify coming to the meeting – they are under the same constraints as you are!  Remember that appearance is reality: even if you were to negotiate a comparable sleeping rate for a high-end resort as for a nice hotel, management will assume that the resort is more costly and may not approve the expenditure.

3. More Bang for Your Buck

Let’s say that you are accustomed to doing an annual User Group in a major city – San Francisco, New York, Chicago, Las Vegas… If your customer base is spread throughout the US, why not look at doing smaller, regional customer meetings? These can be in locations that are easy for customers to attend, without the high travel costs normally associated with their attendance.  If your customers are clustered on the East and West Coasts, consider having one meeting on each coast.

Or, piggy back with partners by offering sponsorships at various levels which basically allows you to co-host the meeting or event.  You might consider trying to tie multiple events into one city, such as internal departmental or sales meetings with customer events – this way you can kill many birds with one stone. Take advantage of having your clients and key executives in one place at the same time. By combining meetings, partners will notice that you are being budget cautious, both for them and you, but still achieving success at both meetings. Other items to consider from a budget stand point are hotel rates. Often times hotels will give discounted rates if you have a larger room block, this can be achieved by combing two meetings. Don’t forget everyone is saving on airfare as well!     

4.  Content is king

Clients are only willing to come to a meeting today if the meeting is content-rich. Make it worth their time, and don’t let them leave feeling that it was a waste of time.  Spend the time internally to put together the type and depth, of information that your clients, customers or prospects are most interested in. If need be, bring in planning resources: perhaps a strategist who could interview a sample of your clients to find out what topics are top-of-mind.

When clients leave at the end of a meeting, it’s not the beautiful location or the expensive meals that they will remember. It’s the knowledge they will have gained through your carefully-constructed program, excellent materials, knowledgeable speakers and actual face-time with your executives and experts that will bring lasting value.

There are many ways to continue to do your most important company meetings and still get first-rate results.  Think NEW – Think CREATIVE – Think INTERESTING – Think DIFFERENT – don’t let the golden opportunities of today pass you and your company by.