Radical Creativity from Incremental Creativity ? large movements from small changes

Positive radical movement is the holy grail of nearly every decision maker. Every CEO wants to radically shift his profit and loss statement into the black, every inventor yearns to find the next killer gadget and every screenwriter wants to make the next significant leap in film.

Radical creativity (also known as transformational and disruptive) is the root of radical movement. The polar opposite of radical creativity is incremental creativity. A pervasive perception is that the two are separate and distinct, whereas in fact they are intricately linked.

There is significant data to suggest that radical creativity results from incremental changes:

a) The IT revolution took over sixty years. The first computers were monoliths made up of vacuum tubes and magnetic drums. Particular problems over a long period led to the development of the solid-state transistor. This in itself was a radical leap in technology and resulted in computers evolving into slightly smaller, faster, cheaper and energy efficient entities. The development of integrated circuits was the next leap, resulting in transistors being placed on silicon chips. The next radical leap was the coming of micro-processors which allowed thousands of integrated circuits to be placed onto silicon chips. The first Intel chip paved the way for Microsoft et al, but it still took years of incremental improvements before the first desktops arrived. Desktop computers led to their interconnectivity and the Internet was born. The Internet triggered e-commerce etc.

b) Many artists tend to incrementally experiment with certain ideas, after which new knowledge or other inputs will lead to radical shifts. This tendency exists with artists (review any artist over a period of time) and also on the macro level - cubism, German expressionism, Italian futurism, Russian constructivism, Dada and Surrealism and continuing to developments in American art (e.g. the Harlem renaissance, social realism, abstract expressionism).

c) The French Connection chain significantly boosted profits by a very small change ? the FCUK campaign.

In conclusion, radical change results from incremental changes and the input of new knowledge, which itself will have been the result of incremental improvement. Through the use of organised, systematic and structured processes it possible to speed up positive radical movement.

This topic is 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

Kal Bishop, MBA

**********************************

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 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.

In The News:


pen paper and inkwell


cat break through


Print Buying Consultant

Ten Money Saving Tips for Print ManagersDespite their stated desire... Read More

9 Strategies for Writing Accounts Payable Procedures

The Cash to Cash Cycle Part Four of SeriesNext: Complete... Read More

25 Super-Practical Steps to Build Your Business!

For the past several weeks, we have focused on some... Read More

Top 10 Things Every Business Should Provide for Every Worker - Including the Boss!

Doing business and meeting the needs of workers is increasingly... Read More

Align The Enterprise & Make Beautiful Music Together

Q: Why is a great business like a great marching... Read More

Delegate, Dont Abdicate

One of the key skills for the leaders of growing... Read More

Presenteeism: The Hidden Costs of Business

(prez.un.TEE.iz.um) nPresenteeism, a relatively unknown concept, is the complement of... Read More

Project Management, A Forgotten Perspective

Effective project managers know how to get the job done,... Read More

How to Approach Group Decision Making

GROUP DECISION MAKING -- IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM: Tell specifically what... Read More

Innovation Management ? does the idea fit with the firm?

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

How to Manage Your People Well: Tips for Managers of Training

As a training manager, there are two important aspects to... Read More

Communication: Managements Responsibility

I've just watched, again, an episode in the Back to... Read More

Dont Take New Hires for Granted

Hiring good people is only half the battle. The other... Read More

7 Strategies for Sustained Innovation

The need for constant reinvention is a given in today's... Read More

Management Development - Micromanagement Works!

Getting into the detail of everything each of your people... Read More

Planning Your Recruiting Efforts Can Help You Find Great Employees

Today, companies have an ever-expanding list of options available to... Read More

Is Your Business Healthy?

Most business owners I work with want to grow their... Read More

Plans & Goal Setting - Kicking winning Goals

Kicking Winning Business Goals The competition for business... Read More

Develop Your Managers and Keep Your Staff

Following on from the last edition of The Organised Times... Read More

Nine Vital Lessons For Avoiding Training Fads That Waste Time, Money and Enthusiasm

Unfortunately, at least two thirds of much of the training... Read More

Catch Your Staff Doing Something Right

A long time ago, I learned something about being a... Read More

Indecent Proposal in the Workplace ? An Overview of Workplace Harassment & Employer Liability

An allegation of harassment in the workplace is a growing... Read More

The Few & the Many: Free Trade, Outsourcing, & Communication

Have you noticed that some sound ideas get bad publicity?... Read More

Whatever it Takes!

I have a sign on my office door. It pretty... Read More

Building Bridges of Communication

Building a 'bridge of understanding' between parties is... Read More

Muggers in Our Midst - When Rumour and Gossip Pay You a Visit

'I heard it on the grapevine' the old song goes.... Read More

Travel the World - for Free!

I have been very fortunate to travel to several countries... Read More

Working with Hearing Impaired Employees - Giving Them a Fair Go

Hearing impaired people often encounter difficulty at work because their... Read More

Magnificent Meetings - 5 Tips for Success

Your impact at meetings will determine in a big way... Read More

Is Your Business Ethical?

Ethics - in a profession or trade - is that... Read More

The New Five Truths of Employee Motivation

Motivation is a term that is so widely used, yet... Read More

How To Manage A Difficult Employee

Having to manage a difficult employee is never fun and... Read More

Managing After Downsizing

So, you survived the downsizing. Your company did something that... Read More