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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.
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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
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