Creativity &Innovation

By: Arpita Kar

Creativity is the process of bringing something new into being. It is the act of turning new and imaginative ideas into reality.

What is Creativity?

If you have ideas, but don’t act on them, you are imaginative and not creative.

Creativity is the opposite of routine. It is when man starts thinking about ideas that the difference between man and machine emerges.

In the creative world, there is virtually no problem you cannot solve, no goal you cannot achieve, if you know how to apply the creative powers of your mind.

Looking where all have looked, and seeing what no one has seen.

Making the simple complicated is commonplace but making the complicated simple is creativity.

What is Innovation?

Innovation is the production or implementation of an idea.

From getting it to getting it done

Innovation is the engine that drives transformation. It results in an improvement, a gain or a profit.The nature of innovation has changed today from what it was in the past. Its no longer individuals toiling in a laboratory, coming up with some great invention. It’s not an individual. It’s individuals. It’s multidisciplinary. It’s global. It’s collaborative.

Difference Between

Creativity andInnovation

Creativity is the fuel for Innovation.

Myths about Creativity:I am not CreativeOnly special and talented people are creative and we have to be born that way. Geniuses such as Shakespeare or Mozart were gifted.

Money motivates CreativityMore money, more ideas.

We need some new marketing ideas for the upcoming product launch. Let's get the marketing people together and brainstorm ideasOnly the R&D, marketing, advertising groups can participate in sharing ideas as they are the creative ones.

Criticism will help my colleague improve and develop her idea.

Such beliefs diminish the confidence in creative abilities.

Myth-Busters

Creativity requires whole-brain thinking; right-brain imagination, artistry and intuition, plus left-brain logic and planning. Creativity is a skill that can be developed and a process that can be managed. Learning to be creative is akin to learning a sport. It requires practice to develop the right muscles, and a supportive environment in which to flourish.

Creative ability is determined by:• Opportunities• Encouragement• Training• Motivation• And most of all- Practise

We are all creative

An experimental research shows that a handful of people who were spending a lot of time wondering about their bonus were doing very little creative thinking.

Of course, people need to feel that they're being compensated fairly. But the research shows that people put far more value on a work environment where creativity is supported, valued, and recognized. People want the opportunity to deeply engage in their work and make real progress.

People are most creative when they care about their work and they're stretching their skills.

So it's critical for leaders to match people to projects not only on the basis of their experience but also in terms of where their interests lie.

Money is not a Creativity Motivator

Myth-Busters …

The most creative results are achieved due to the involvement of the widest variety of participants.

It need not be just the marketing group; bring in sales, accounting, human resources, financial, administrative and other people in the brainstorming event. Differences among people constitute a strength, not a weakness.

For innovation to flourish, organizations must create an environment that fosters creativity; bringing together multi-talented groups of people who work in close collaboration together— exchanging knowledge, ideas and shaping the direction of the future.Believe that together we can do anything

Myth-Busters…

Fresh ideas are fragile. They need nurturing.

Instead of criticizing colleague's new idea, challenge her to improve the idea by asking her how she could get over the idea's weakness.

Share — tools, ideas. Trust your colleagues.

Lets improve the Idea

Myth-Busters

Three Components of Creativity

Expertise MotivationCreative Thinking

SkillsCreativity

Three Components of Creativity

Expertise

Motivation

Creative Thinking

Skills

Creative thinking skills determine how flexible and imaginatively people approach problems.

Not all motivation is created equal. An inner passion to solve the problem at hand leads to solutions far more creative than do external rewards , such as money.

Expertise is, in a word, knowledge – technical, procedural, and intellectual.

Creative Organizat

ion

Creative

Team

Creative

Individual

Creative Individual + Creative Team = Creative Organization

Organizational Creativity Vs Individual Creativity

Organizations based on continuous development, on systematic research of efficiency

Successful organizations High rate of innovations

Few innovations, just imitations

Low rate of innovations, sometimes radical, based on entrepreneurial spirit of individuals

High

Low Hig

h

Tools for Defining Problems

Kipling Method

Problem Statement

Challenge Method

Kipling Method

• Rudyard Kipling used a set of questions to help trigger ideas and solve problems.

• One approach is to use the questions in a particular order to help guide you through a sequence of thoughts towards a complete answer, such as: What is the problem? Where and when is it happening? Why is it happening? How can you overcome the problem ? Who do you need to get involved? When will you know you have solved the problem?

• Any questions work because we are conditioned to answer questions that we are asked. They challenge us and social rules say it is impolite not to reply.

• The Kipling questions work because they are short and direct. They are also largely general, and ‘what’ can be applied to many different situations, making them a flexible resource.

Problem Statement

• When starting to solve a creative problem it is a good idea to define the problem you are trying to solve.

• Start by discussing the overall context and situation in which the creative activity is aimed.

• Remember that defining the problem is almost a complete project in itself. Listen and write down everybody’s opinion of what the problem really is. Find the points of agreement and then discuss the differences.

• The way you state a problem is half the problem and half the solution. Once you have identified a good problem statement, sometimes the solution is so obvious that you need little, if any, creative thoughts afterwards.

Challenge Method

• Find something to challenge and question it deeply. You can challenge many things, including:• Concepts – and broad ideas• Assumptions – and beliefs that are not questioned• Boundaries – across which you do not yet cross• ‘Impossible’ – things that are assumed cannot happen• ‘Can’t be done – things that are assumed cannot be done• Sacred Cows – that cannot be challenged

• Use it to force yourself and other people out of a fixed thinking mode.

Tools for Fuelling your Creativity

• Quit worrying about Risks: Creating unbelievably remarkable ideas can only be achieved by being confident in your abilities, taking risks, and jumping right in.

• Be Random

• Don’t settle for one idea: As Linus Pauling once said “ The best way to have a good idea is to have lots of ideas”.

• Pay attention to what others are doing

• Ask a lot of questions: Asking a lot of questions means a lot of mind mapping, and a lot of mind mapping equals a lot of new creative ideas to work with.

• Exercise your Brain: Working out your brain from time to time will help you to come up with better, more original and creative ideas when you need them most.

• Give yourself a Break: In order to fuel your creativity you need to take time to relax and find creativity in everyday life.

• Carry a notepad with you: creativity strikes when you least expect it, and when it does, you’ll need to be prepared. Get into the habit of carrying around a small notebook and a pen

Harnessing Creativity & Innovation

Creative thinking cannot be turned on and off at the flick of a switch.

Amount of challenge given to personnel to stimulate mindsThe degree of freedom given around procedures and processes to minimize hassle.The way work groups are designed to tap ideas from all ranks.Clarity in mission statements and goals.

Speed at which ideas are transformed - if the system is too slow we may be too slow to react to the market pace and turn off idea originators.Encouragement to think differently and take risks.Performance measurement systemThe instigation of incentives and rewards for innovative individuals and teams.

Process of Creativity & Innovation

Many ideas produce one innovation. Ideas are generated and recycled. They are screened and the chosen idea is checked for feasibility and finally implemented.

Why Creativity & Innovation

No progress without creativity, we would be forever repeating the same patterns.

Sets your company apart from the competition.

Meet changes with new age

Unexpected occurrences

Demographic changes and changes in perception

Incongruities of various kinds

Growth

The customer defines a job well done.

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