Creativity and Innovation Management - Teach, Coach, Learn

Coaching, training or learning about creativity and innovation involves mastery of at least 12 domains.

These include:

a) Creativity and Innovation differences and definitions.

Often used interchangeably, they ought to be considered separate and distinct. Creativity can be described as problem identification and idea generation and innovation idea selection, development and commercialisation. Creativity can also be measured according to the number of ideas produced and their diversity and novelty.

b) Creative Types.

Are some people creative and others not? Why is it that some people just seem to be more so? Some theorists argue for creativity traits such as tolerance for ambiguity and intolerance of conformity whilst others counter that traits are hard to identify and not stable or transferable across situations. Further, motivation is more important.

c) Learning versus talent.

Is creativity a talent or can it be learned and developed? How conclusive are nature and nurture arguments and does it improve with experience? What do people who regularly have to produce good ideas have to say?

d) Motivation.

Motivation is arguably more important than traits. How can it be gauged, measured and monitored?

e) Organizational culture.

Some cultures inhibit creativity whilst others foster it? We can all be more creative so what is stopping us?

f) Organizational structure.

What properties of an organisational structure most foster creativity? There are many reasons why an entity has a particular organisational structure: history, logistics, market segmentation, product line, strategy and so forth. It is often unreasonable to ask a firm to change its organisational structure, so how do we get around this problem?

g) Team structure.

Some individuals who have worked alone have made great contributions to society. Yet many argue that smaller teams overcome the limitations of the individual. Still others argue that groups introduce negative such as groupthink and politicking, which gets worse with size. So, what is the most effective group structure for maximizing the frequency and quality of creative output?

h) Knowledge Management.

Coaches and leaders have to understand how to maximize and effectively use networks, collaboration and elicitation of tacit knowledge techniques if they are to benefit from the intellectual cross pollination that is the raw material of the idea generation process.

i) Radial versus Incremental leaps.

Everybody seems to want to make radical leaps, which has led to a distortion of the value of incremental movement. It is an understanding of incremental movement that is the most sure fire way to radical movement. Large movements most often result from small changes.

j) Structure and Goals.

Are structure and goals inhibitive or do they increase creative output? Research from people who continually output material (screenwriters, comedians, musicians) argue that structure is vital.

k) Process.

Is there a process that makes insight (also known as aha or eureka) more likely? It seems that there are triggers and processes that can be used to get the mind working on problems at various cognitive levels.

l) Valuation.

The first stage of innovation is idea selection. How do we make the go or kill decision between ideas?

These topics are covered in depth in the MBA dissertation on Managing Creativity & Innovation, which can be purchased (along with a Creativity and Innovation DIY Audit, Good Idea Generator Software and Power Point Presentation) from http://www.managing-creativity.com. You can also receive a regular, free newsletter by entering your email address at this site.

You are free to reproduce this article as long as no changes are made and the author's name and site URL are retained.

Kal Bishop MBA, is a management consultant based in London, UK. He has consulted in the visual media and software industries and for clients such as Toshiba and Transport for London. He has led Improv, creativity and innovation workshops, exhibited artwork in San Francisco, Los Angeles and London and written a number of screenplays. He is a passionate traveller. He can be reached on http://www.managing-creativity.com

---

Business Innovation ? Good Thinking

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More

Become an Idea Collector

Have you ever gotten a really great idea ? one... Read More

Thousands of Failures, but Thousands of Patents

Thomas Edison failed thousands of times before he revolutionized the... Read More

Putting Your Ideas Into Action

Ideas are everywhere. Some are small and seemingly insignificant. Others... Read More

Innovation Management ? Capturing Ideas

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More

Success Tip From Yachting - Try To Fix The Problem Yourself

At 28, Ellen MacArthur is a world record holder. In... Read More

Creativity and Innovation Management ? Joy and Sustainability

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More

Techno Witch II - Magick With Your PC

You've heard of applied science, well how about applied Magick.... Read More

Great Ideas and Radical or Disruptive Innovation

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More

Can A Simple Idea Change Your Life?

Ideas happen all the time. And when I say an... Read More

How To Benefit from The Power of New Innovations in the Year 2005

How many times have you heard the phrase "knowledge is... Read More

12 Tips for Taking Smart, Calculated Risks

Most of us know we should take more risks. But... Read More

Innovation Management ? moving past the wall

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More

Business Ideas ? Need a New Idea? Try Changing Your Perspective

One definition of creativity states that creative people look at... Read More

Innovation Management ? predicting winners

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More

Color Your Life

Have you ever arrived at place in your career and... Read More

Business Innovation ? the Creative Process

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More

Business Innovation ? Real Self versus the Trained Self

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More

Create An Idea Journal

When I first heard Jim Rohn talk about the importance... Read More

Going Seamless: Dissolving the Brain Divide

Are you a right-brainer or a left-brainer?The greatest thinkers are... Read More

Creating Opportunity

An enterprising person is one who comes across a pile... Read More

Imagination

Imagination is the unreal, real state of mind, where all... Read More

Creativity and Innovation Management - Good Ideas Part 2

The relative ease of i) generating good ideas and ii)... Read More

The Pendulum Swings Right - A Major Shift is Happening Inside Our Brains

The world is now changing again, it appears. The logical... Read More

Business Innovation ? the Value of Decision Makers

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More

A Time for Rebellion!

When is it right for you to rebel against the... Read More

Mother Of Invention Or Dummy? You Decide!

What would you say to yourself if when faced with... Read More

Enhancing Vulnerability To Master Perfectionism

One of the ways a person must advance past perfectionism... Read More

6 Steps to Super Mindpower

Ever hear "You can't teach an old dog a new... Read More

Business Innovation ? the Value of Being Obvious

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More

Prevention is Better Than Cure... Says Who?

You've likely heard this before... "An ounce of prevention is... Read More

Business Innovation ? the Value of Role Play

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More

Penny For Your Thoughts?

Every artifact, every tool, everything ever designed or created by... Read More