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by Ted Coulson, Ph.D. and Alison Strickland, M.Ed. Peter Drucker has said, "Business has only two basic functions: marketing and innovation. Marketing and innovation produce results. All the rest are costs." Clearly, effective marketing relies on innovation; therefore, of the two, innovation is the fundamental function of business. We at Applied Creativity, Inc. believe the ability to create and innovate is the crucial factor in business success. We also believe innovation requires fully utilizing the creative abilities of the people within the business. Not just a few people- companies, if they wish to become highly innovative, need all of the people looking for better ways and new opportunities every single day. That's why we have spent well over a decade searching out the key elements at work where organizations have successfully developed creative ability and consistently fostered innovation. We continually look for what enhances and what stifles creativity and what promotes and what thwarts innovation. As you read this synthesis of our learnings, we hope you will recognize things your organization is already doing (and commit yourself to making sure they continue) and get new ideas and inspiration to move you even further ahead on the road to achieving more creativity and innovation. INTRODUCTION This is a work in progress. We don't pretend to have all the answers or to offer a "magic bullet" that will transform any individual or organization quickly. Still we have faith in a simple research design. Look for what works and then continue to do it purposefully. Look for what isn't working and invent better ways until you discover something else that works. This paper is about what works. People have often told us that they are frustrated with the barriers to creativity in their organizations and puzzled about how to be more creative and innovative individually and collectively. That's why we initially thought about the issue as a puzzle and the answers to be revealed in identifying the puzzle pieces and figuring out how to fit them together into a coherent whole. Our intention was and is to bring clarity to a complex and sometimes chaotic process. Soon we found interlocking puzzle pieces too static a metaphor. Now we think about the elements of creativity and innovation pieces of a puzzle that interact fluidly with all the other pieces to create a synergistic whole…each time a piece is added it enhances all the others. For each piece of this fluid puzzle we've gathered the most effective actions leaders have taken as they have put these elements in place and connected them with the others. The interaction between these puzzle pieces is energized by these core beliefs:
Here are the key pieces we've identified so far, followed by the "best practices" we've seen while working with individuals and organizations striving to become excellent creative problem solvers and innovators. VISION & PURPOSE Vision fuels creativity with the power of purpose. Creativity and innovation become a more vital force when people are clear about where the organization is headed and why. That way all the solutions and innovations creative thinking stimulates are aligned with vision and purpose. Creative problem solving in a vacuum often turns into a "band-aid" approach. That means people too often react quickly to fix what's wrong and restore it to its former state rather than acting to create something better out of the problem. Without vision opportunities are jumped on without clearly identifying the long range purpose of the effort. With a clearly communicated vision and purpose, creativity becomes a force that takes you where you want to go and creates the results you are looking for. It's proactive, not reactive. The most compelling visions are about much more than numbers. They have a passionate, even adventurous quality and are founded on values that reach beyond productivity, market share and profit. We believe this is the most critical piece of the puzzle. To inspire highly creative people, the vision must offer room for truly new ideas and innovative approaches, not just small modifications of the existing order. Without this space to create newness, these people use their creativity outside of their work and check it at the office door. We have met some who were so frustrated by constraints that they brought it in and used it against the organization. When an exciting vision of what they want to become, where they want to go, and what they want to accomplish permeates an organization it involves everyone and impacts what they do and how they do it every single day. The vision focuses people's creativity and guides innovation. A synergy is set in motion so that creativity and innovation fuel the vision and the vision fuels creativity and innovation. In such organizations you are likely to find people doing these things:
RATIONALE What's so important about creativity and innovation? This question needs to be clearly answered when an organization begins to purposefully develop the creativity of its people and invite people to think "outside the box." A compelling answer-it's vital to meeting the challenges of our increasingly competitive and constantly changing global marketplace. Sadly, few organizations recognize their most under utilized asset-each person's creativity. Think of it as investing in increasing your intellectual capital-an asset that can give your organization a true competitive edge. Creativity and innovation make natural partners for the many promising strategies abroad today-continuous improvement, total quality management, re-engineering, re-inventing, empowered management and work groups, and learning organizations. We've found that creative thinking brings progress in all aspects of a business. The most effective creativity champions we've seen have made it clear that creativity and innovation isn't repair work. It's about thriving, not just surviving. Inviting creative contributions from everyone everyday has helped many organizations to do these things:
LEADERSHIP When leaders at all levels demonstrate a commitment to and enthusiasm for creativity and innovation, things happen. When leaders "walk the talk" it convinces people that the vision is alive and "creativity," "innovation," and their essential partner, "empowerment" are more than buzz words. Self-selected "creativity champions" really get things moving. Those who step forward to encourage creativity and foster innovation because of their own enthusiasm and commitment become effective role models and mentors to others. When they achieve measurable results, others join the cause and the effort gains momentum. The best champions have many of these attributes and do these kinds of things:
ORGANIZATIONAL AUDIT It's always useful to assess how people perceive the current state of creativity and innovation in the organization. Knowing where the "sore spots" lie reveals the best opportunities for significant change. Any audit should be conducted with a spirit of development, not fault finding. Effective auditing processes:
TRAINING Creativity is developmental. No matter where people think they fall on a continuum from "not at all creative" to "highly creative," they can increase their creative ability. We've found creativity comes from a combination of thinking skills, communication skills, and an understanding of creative process. Attitude also plays a part, beginning with valuing creativity in ourselves and others. All these things can be learned. A successful creative education effort must make it clear that people aren't being sent to be fixed. Too often people arrive at creativity programs with the impression that they were selected because management thinks they are uncreative and in need of remediation. Because creativity is a developmental process, a one-shot training program won't assure that people are now certified "creative." There is no magic bullet. Once a rationale has been established, people need access to different training opportunities and support and reinforcement when they return. Here are some of the "best practices" we know:
MANAGEMENT SUPPORT It's management's challenge to create a climate where people feel invited to come up with creative ideas and safe to offer them for implementation. Without declared and demonstrated support from key people, the call for creativity and innovation will be perceived as another passing fad with a new set of buzz words soon fade away. Here are some ways to create a climate that supports creativity and innovation:
CONTINUAL REINFORCEMENT Because creativity and the effective management of innovation is a developmental process for both people and organizations, on-going attention must be focused on reminding people of its value and encouraging them to use what they've learned. Some effective ways of reinforcing creativity and innovation are:
REWARDS AND RECOGNITION There's an old saying, "What gets measured gets done." We've observed that "what gets measured and rewarded gets done." The most effective reward programs are not based on money and promotions as long as people feel they are paid fairly. Small gestures that cost nothing but time and attention have made a huge difference. Highly creative people often say they most value opportunities to do interesting work and the appreciation of their peers. We've talked with hundreds of people about the issue of motivation and rewards. They've told us they get energized by the chance to do challenging work that interests them and makes a difference. They also want a voice in what they do and how they do it. Since few rewards remain reinforcing for long, effective recognition systems are constantly reexamining and reinventing themselves. The key is to assure that no creative contribution go unnoticed. Here are some ideas that have worked:
EVALUATION The investment of time and resources in the development of creativity and innovation in an organization can be expected to pay dividends way beyond original costs. Sometimes these benefits are almost immediate-others take more time. Organizations that track the financial payoffs directly tied to that investment have documented that their time and money was well spent. Because the connection isn't always known to those who report financial results, it's crucial that line management point out those contributions to the "bottom line." Harder to track, but equally important are "softer" issues like happier people, increased job satisfaction, and more synergistic team work. The spirit of fun and adventure that emerges pays off too. Here are some ways organizations have measured success:
Applied Creativity
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