Do you think your team or company is not creative enough? Maybe it's not true, you just may be unable to listen and get things done. People, and companies too, usually don't lack the ability to come up with new ideas, but often can't transform creative ideas into real innovation - new products and services. The problem is not creativity, but the lack of support for creative solutions.
Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, a recognised expert in psychometric testing, professor of organisational psychology at University College London and CEO of Hogan Assessment Systems, discusses this inferred lack of creativity in an interesting article on the Harvard Business Review website. He explains that before you label your team or company as less creative, you should overcome the following obstacles.
Resistance to change
Transferring new ideas into practical reality requires the ability and willingness to embrace change. This applies to every individual as well as whole organizations. If most of your people are afraid of change, don't expect innovation.
Too much focus on the customer
Customers don't always know what they want. They also often reject innovation. So if you want to come up with something truly revolutionary, don't listen to your customers.
No support for teamwork
Innovation isn't the sole work of creative individuals, but is the result of the efforts of whole teams. Most innovative teams are by far not full of creative people. Organizations should be able to appreciate the work of all those who support innovation.
Being too complacent
Success is one of the main barriers to innovation. While innovation supports growth, growth decreases innovation; Kodak and Nokia are typical examples. It is necessary for individuals and organizations to maintain some degree of aggressiveness and hunger for better results.
Weak leadership
Leaders must give people a vision of the purpose and results of collective work. They have to create a culture and provide the communication necessary for the implementation of creative ideas.
Try spending less time thinking up new things and more time bringing new ideas to fruition.
-kk-