Creativity Management and Behaviour

What behaviour maximises the chances of thinking of great ideas? What behaviour maximises the ability to nurture ideas until they begin to reveal their potential?

To begin answering the above questions we will briefly explore five areas:

a) Creativity versus innovation. It is correct that the above questions are separated, as they refer to two distinct disciplines ? defining problems and generating ideas (creativity) and selecting those ideas, developing and then commercialising them (innovation). It can be seen that the two disciplines require different competencies and that those competencies do not necessarily need to be contained in the one individual. In fact it is unusual that all competencies are contained in the one individual ? often people who generate good ideas require the competencies of many other people to successfully bring that product to market. For example, screenwriters begin to lose control at the point that their agent receives and accepts their final draft.

b) Creativity can also be defined as generating a quantity of ideas and a quantity of novel and diverse ideas. It follows then that this is more probable if the individual is used to engaging in a quantity of divergent and novel behaviours. Those individuals with a life long interest and curiosity in many subjects tend to produce the greatest number of ideas and the greatest number of novel and diverse ideas.

c) A tendency to build networks and a propensity for collaboration also increases the probability of generating good ideas. These allow the intellectual cross-pollination that overcomes parochialism and path dependency, allowing frame breaking.

d) Conscious idea generation increases the quantity of good ideas and therefore the probability of good quality ideas. Individuals that set out to consciously produce 5 ideas every half an hour produce 80 at the end of an average day ? a quantity that would not normally be produced.

e) Focused creativity increases the chances of good ideas that have commercial possibilities. Franklin (2003) writes that the most successful ideas are the result of conscious solution finding. If you are stuck for a good product, go out and find a problem and search out a solution.

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.

---

Communicating CEOs

I see a PR firm has done a survey on... Read More

Quick Tip - Effective Meetings Have a Complete Agenda

Most agendas for a meeting look like this.* Budget* Payroll*... Read More

Commercial Collections Billing Practices Advice

Swiftness is the key to collecting past due commercial accounts... Read More

Making Assumptions - A Critical Communication Mistake In Business And In Your Personal Life!

We draw conclusions about people through observation, their behavior, past... Read More

Book Summary: Mind Your Own Business

A maverick is an independent person who will not go... Read More

The Seven Cs: Partnership Danger Signs - Communication Breakdown

An ongoing series of articles exploring the seven critical areas... Read More

A Facilitators Guide to Running a Stakeholder Analysis Workshop

This facilitator's guide to running a stakeholder analysis workshop is... Read More

Reflections in the Glass Ceiling

The recent news about one of America's most powerful woman... Read More

Smart Staffing: Replacing a Key Manager

Have you been in this situation? One of your top... Read More

Performance Appraisal - Ten Stupid Things Managers Do To Screw It Up

Performance appraisals aren't fun. But a lot of the time... Read More

5 Management Decision Making Lessons from a Long Shot. A Heartening Belmont Victory

Like many, I watched the 134th Belmont Stakes hoping to... Read More

Dont Wait for Tax Time to Look at the Bottom Line

A curious thing happens to entrepreneurs in the spring of... Read More

Effective Meetings - Quick Survey

Here's an easy quiz to check the health of your... Read More

Creativity and Innovation Management - Turning Ideas into Action

The phrase "turning ideas into action" is a Russian doll.Managing... Read More

Lack of Operations Manuals Stunting Your Growth?

Lack of Operations Manuals stunting your growth?CONTENTS:1. Do you lack... Read More

Relationship Building - 5 Tips and 5 Questions

And is isn't hard - it's more about focusing on... Read More

Focus and Shoot

One of my earliest childhood memories is watching Lew Alcindor... Read More

Dissenion Down On The Cubicle Farm

How content and satisfied are American employees? Not very!According to... Read More

Status Quo Pep Talks That Can Threaten Your Leadership

Organizations live and die by results. Yet most organizations get... Read More

Five Strategies for Profitable Services Growth

In today's era of Professional and IT Services competition and... Read More

Business Fit

I have been an entrepreneur for over twenty years and... Read More

Creativity and Innovation Management: The Creative State

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

Business Innovation ? the Value of Work Processes

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

Agendas Make Meetings Productive

Having an agenda template that works well for you, week... Read More

5 Ways to Work More Effectively With Your Administrative Assistant

Stop hiring new administrative support staff. And learn how to... Read More

Manage Your Time - Save Your Business.

If you work from home, chances are you already know... Read More

Top Ten Things About Creating a Business Vision

To visualise where you are going, is deeper and more... Read More

Forecasting Support Costs

Did you know that maintenance accounts for 50% to 80%... Read More

Problem-Solving Success Tip: Look For Sponsors And Solution Owners

Look for sponsors and solution owners rather than problem owners.Everyone... Read More

Dealing with Marginal Performers: The Therapeutic Approach

--PREPARATION: The purpose of the therapeutic approach is to spark... Read More

Towards Intercultural Understanding

An individual's ability to forge effective relationships across cultures is... Read More

Computer Consulting Profit Secrets

Do you own or manage a computer consulting company? Are... Read More

Basic Management Skills

Recent studies have shown that industrial supervisors are working at... Read More