The Flash Mob as a metaphor for creativity
and efficiency in the planning
Introduction
It is now common to see people acting in public spaces and even seeming disconnection, are gradually emerging as the gradual increasing groups from "spontaneous" participants who accurately develop an activity or performance involving somehow bystanders, who are really going by where group activities are developed. In some cases, it also directly involves people who really have nothing to do with the intervention plan. When it comes to dance, known and upbeat music sets, real observers become participants, in some cases, just a playful impulse or spirit of participation, in other case, a direct invitation or suggestion.
This event is called a flash mob, a variety of ephemeral events that form and break times in minutes or seconds, in the public space of a city, as a place, a park, a street.
Alzamora and Alencar (2009, p.1) state that the origin of the flash mob is in the existence of a network, allowing connection between the members of a city and the creation of contemporary spaces, spaces that can be physical or virtual and produce a shared aesthetic experience by allowing the gathering of people in the space on transit or act.
According Cobo (2006, p.3) the phenomenon arises because
"The emergence of Web 2.0 is highly attractive because it allows a more democratic and participatory Internet use. It is in this context that new perspectives are configured to analyze social manifestations articulated by communication technologies. This social phenomenon of groups of people organized via digital devices has been called instantaneous or flash mob ... mobilizations. "
The Flash mob is a gathering of "a group of people who meet simultaneously transient and voluntarily, without the need to be aware of before, in a public place to do something unusual or remarkable (usually symbolic actions) and then disappear without warning. They are usually organized through the Internet or other digital communication system "(Cobo, 2006, p.4)
The concept of smart mobs (Smart mob) or the speed with which form and disappear, flash crowd (flash crowd) is also supported; In any case, whatever the name used, and there are new characteristics due to the way society understands its role in the world.
Naturally phenomena like this cannot be declared neutral, have advantages and disadvantages, opportunities and risks; but there is discussion about the purpose of this article is not to question the validity or social value of flash mob, but to show from a management perspective the development of synchronized activities, participants have their place, employing resources, ending in a determined time and achieve a goal, generate surprise and transmit messages.
Alzamora and Alencar (2009, p.4) indicated in the "flash mobs are configured as lines of flight, moments that interfere with the landscape of the city," maybe it's valid to ask whether the flash mob interfere momentarily or destabilize the city, or just accentuate something they already own.
In the link you can see one of the many possibilities of flash mob. The Symphony Orchestra performs a Spanish city Ravel's Bolero. Completes execution, ending collective meeting, but the effect was the creation of an aesthetic feeling shared by actors and spectators.
The Flash mob Creativity as Metaphor and its relationship with the Planning
Planning activities should not be viewed as a rigid processes and, in which the executive sets the goal, decides that people and resources is achieved, decides how, procedures, processes and orders the execution structure.
Creativity is important even if the task or goal is concrete and uncreative. To ensure that staff participates in an efficient, fully and in a coordinated way creativity is needed. What should be done? Who is involved? What resources are available? In what order the activities take place? To achieve efficiency, effectiveness and efficiency much creativity is needed.
The flash mobs, seemingly spontaneous are based on a creative plan, in a script, like all plans, have a structure that reveals creativity. For example, to perform flash mob suggested in Reference 2, Find your move (2014) with the theme of dance listed the following activities:
1) Identify the place. A place where many people pass and where there is room for development of the activity is suggested.
2) Choose the type of music. Knowing which is popular music in the country; sometimes required to discuss and reach consensus among the creators of the theme.
3) Creating the choreography. The success of the flash mob depends on originality, vitality and attractiveness; for alleged copying or plagiarism of events held elsewhere is prohibited. An important condition is to find who can create the choreography and the dancers who will be needed to achieve consistency and quality of the event.
The search for a person to create the choreography does not exclude the possibility that those who have the idea of the flash mob take care of this and other activities, which is displayed is the possibility of increasing the quality, originality and options when engaged more people multiplied by synergy potential flash mob.
4) Decide the number of participants and what makes each; while the leader of the flash mob, should be chosen carefully. He may be one who besides being a virtuoso dancer, well known choreography.
5) Details. Costumes, site characteristics (amplitude, restrictions, permits authorities, security), promotional items (posters, ads in media network), promotional material, equipment should be noted.
We can draw a parallel between the flash mob and planning, as shown in Table
Table 1 Analogy between Planning and flash mob
Planning
|
Flash mob
|
Area of influence of the plan
|
Site identification
|
Project type (is assumed previous assessment)
|
Choose type of music (the best alternatives evaluated)
|
Plan development. Stages and processes. Trained staff involved in the
planning process
|
Creating choreography (originality, liveliness, attractiveness)
|
Determining people involved, leader election
|
Number of participants, flash mob
leader election |
Details (Resources, media, limitations, contingency plans)
|
Details (restrictions, permits, promotion, equipment)
|
Source:
Own Creation. Carlos Rivas R., October 2014
Why not consider planning activities as part of a script in which players are expected to perform their role to perfection, without apparently nobody forces or controls? That would be the magic of a well-crafted and creative plan designed and directed by a planner and creative leader.
In the development of Flash mob can be seen that the actions flow without interruption, each participant takes his place and executes its task without delays or errors, the planned script stick to it. At the end, the group "spontaneous" disappears; no order, no correction, no further interaction was observed. Maybe, just something that does not look, smile and satisfaction of the organizers of the flash mob, who experienced the feeling of success and triumph for achieving a successful social approach.
In an organization, regardless of size or sector, it is expected that the operational or tactical plan developed by an executive are developed to perfection in the expected time, with the right staff and strictly using disposable resources; while they have achieved the goals or objectives. If everything ran with the fluidity of the flash mob, we can say that the executive who developed the plan, in addition to the conditions shown in the planning is a leader, because it achieves the full, conscious, and total commitment of all to those who corresponds.
In real life, some actors (employees of the organization) may express disagreement, tune or out of tune with the team, blocking actions, sabotage, preventing the full respect of the plan. To detect and exclude them or change their minds, it would be much better; creativity and deployment of negotiation and leadership skills are also required.
Why not consider planning activities as part of a script in which players are expected to perform their role to perfection, without apparently nobody forces or controls? That would be the magic of a well-crafted and creative plan designed and directed by a planner and creative leader.
In the development of Flash mob can be seen that the actions flow without interruption, each participant takes his place and executes its task without delays or errors, the planned script stick to it. At the end, the group "spontaneous" disappears; no order, no correction, no further interaction was observed. Maybe, just something that does not look, smile and satisfaction of the organizers of the flash mob, who experienced the feeling of success and triumph for achieving a successful social approach.
In an organization, regardless of size or sector, it is expected that the operational or tactical plan developed by an executive are developed to perfection in the expected time, with the right staff and strictly using disposable resources; while they have achieved the goals or objectives. If everything ran with the fluidity of the flash mob, we can say that the executive who developed the plan, in addition to the conditions shown in the planning is a leader, because it achieves the full, conscious, and total commitment of all to those who corresponds.
In real life, some actors (employees of the organization) may express disagreement, tune or out of tune with the team, blocking actions, sabotage, preventing the full respect of the plan. To detect and exclude them or change their minds, it would be much better; creativity and deployment of negotiation and leadership skills are also required.
It is therefore advisable that managers as part of the formal management training, learn to develop a flash mob, without having to take to the streets, may be within the physical environment of the company; what matters is learning to develop creativity, the ability to find relationships between different activities, to find the right activity for each actor, the sequence, and especially prior learning to good performance.
During the development of the flash mob, participants receive no instructions, no one is questioned by mistakes because everything is done right one, no one is treated in a special way because everyone is equal and everyone assumes and fulfills its role. Why should not learn from these activities?
If the executive does develop a flash mob on the street, in public space, much better, because in addition to creativity, he is showing courage and ability to act in various scenarios. An organizational flash mob in public space could lean on topics that relate to the products or services offered by the company.
Strategic plans may not strictly be regarded as analogous to the flash mob because they involve longer and complex activities that overlap or develop gradually, but nevertheless also require creativity in design and execution.
The link is provided to appreciate another flash mob, a popular Greek dance.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1U2bdXZzel0
Conclusions
The flash mob, apparently spontaneous encounter and interaction of people in a public space, are possible thanks to the support that enable technology in social networks.
The flash mob, plus creativity, involves a planning process that can be compared with the business planning.
It is advisable that managers understand the characteristics of the flash mob, to apply then more relevant characteristics to specific situations in the organization.
References
Alzamora, Geane; Alencar, Renara (2009) FLASHMOB:
REFLEXÕES PRELIMINARES
SOBRE UMA EXPERIÊNCIA DE REDE. V ENECULT - Encontro de
Estudos Multidisciplinares em Cultura 27 a 29 de maio de 2009, Faculdade de
Comunicação/UFBa, Salvador-Bahia-Brasil.
Cobo Romaní, Cristóbal (2006) LAS MULTITUDES INTELIGENTES DE LA ERA DIGITAL.
Revista Digital
Universitaria, 10 de junio 2006 • Volumen 7 Número 6 • ISSN: 1067-6079
NOW WE MOVE FLASH MOB 2014 . SET THE BASIS FOR A SUCCESSFUL
MOVE WEEK 2014 BY ORGANISING YOUR OWN NOWWEMOVE FLASH MOB, disponible en http://www.moveweek.eu
