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Jun 15, 2023 Elliott Davis

Innovate and Elevate

I’m thrilled to delve into our second core value here at Creative Talent Endeavors: "Innovate and Elevate." I’d forgive you for thinking it sounds a little buzzword-y because, yeah, maybe it does. But that’s not the point, the point is that this value fuels our creativity and propels us to keep pushing the envelope. In the words of Clifford Joseph Harris, Jr., “we don’t want no mediocre.”

So, why do we care so much about "Innovate and Elevate"-ing? Well, we firmly believe that thinking differently and uncovering creative solutions is the key to maintaining a competitive edge in the ever-evolving world of executive search and talent consulting. By embracing an innovative mindset, we elevate our suite of talent-related service products, ensuring that we deliver the most exceptional solutions to our clients. It also means that we continue to push each other at CTE to keep learning, keep building, and keep growing.

From all over the United States and South America, my colleagues and I embody this value by fostering a culture of creativity and exploration. We cultivate an environment where fresh ideas are encouraged, brainstorming sessions are vibrant, and thinking outside the box is the norm. We’re on the phone and feeding off of each other A LOT. Our founder and CEO, Kyle Samuels, empowers us to challenge the status quo, and experiment with unconventional methodologies to tackle complex HR issues. It is from this collaborative effort that our business continues to move up and to the right.

Now, let's address a common misconception about this value held by other companies. Some organizations mistakenly associate innovation with flashy gimmicks or useless complexity. Tell them to calm down. True innovation lies in practical and effective solutions that drive real, meaningful impact. It involves understanding our clients’ unique needs, leveraging technology to streamline processes, and delivering tangible results consistently. We try our best to combine innovation with a focus on the human aspect of HR, ensuring that our solutions are not only cutting-edge, but also client-relevant.

To illustrate the consequences of failing to "Innovate and Elevate," let's consider a scenario where teams resist change over time and rely on outdated practices. As the industry evolves, this company falls behind, losing its competitive advantage and struggling to meet the shifting needs of its clients. Blockbuster, Kodak, Quibi, Blackberry, Beyond Meat… I’m looking at all of you. In contrast, our approach to innovation allows us to stay agile, adapt to emerging trends, and continuously adjust the way we serve our clients (as necessary).

Think about this before you click off the page… How can you foster a culture of innovation and elevate the product or services at your company? Let me know!

#InnovateAndElevate #CreativeSolutions #RemoteWorkCulture #HRConsulting #FutureofWork #Values #changingthefaceoftalent #executivesearch

Elliott Davis

Elliott Davis

Elliott Davis believes that work should be meaningful and workplaces should feel like a community where colleagues support and challenge each other. His professional passion, found at this intersection of people, purpose, and performance has helped him navigate his multi-faceted, cross-functional career. That same passion continues to lead him each day as he strives to ensure his clients and colleagues can apply their best selves to doing their best work. Elliott is an alum of UNC Chapel Hill's Kenan-Flagler Business School (BSBA) and Harvard Business School (MBA). He began his career in Atlanta as a global strategy consultant and speaker at IBM and continued in Korea as a DE&I and HR talent development leader at Samsung Electronics. He has now struck an attractive balance between his consulting roots and HR interests as a Director in CTE's Advisory Services practice. Those that know him best would describe Elliott as an empathetic listener, a compassionate coach, a relentless problem solver, a perpetual traveler, and the world's most competitive Monopoly player.