Best blogs 2013: Andrew Horton teaches us how to develop the skill of innovation

Everybody knows they need to be creative and innovative in business, but few people know how to tap into inner resources to come up with ideas that no-one has thought of before. A notable exception is popular South African and international speaker Andrew Horton, who has extraordinary insights into how to do business better.

In this blog, one of the most popular on Biznews.com in 2013, Andrew reveals some techniques for unlocking creativity in teams at work. One strategy that seems to work well for DreamWorks is to keep reducing the sizes of teams. Studying creativity and applying specific models can help generate ideas, too, he says.

Also worth considering are what Andrew calls “creativity mentors”. Sounds like a smart idea in an era in which routines and red-tape can easily get in the way of innovative concepts taking shape and being implemented. – JC

Being innovative and creative not as hard as you think – here are some useful tools

By Andrew Horton*
If any organisation wants to thrive, innovation should be a way of being. Not just something they occasionally do when trying to come up with new and innovative ideas.Bill Damaschke, chief creative officer for DreamWorks says each of their new movies starts out with tiny teams of two people. He believes that is where true innovation comes from. Two people given free rein to be creative and innovative. As the writer and director need more support, more people are added.As the teams get bigger, they once again break up into smaller creative units. This keeps people thinking, being creative and no one feels like just a cog in the wheel. Everyone feels valued and remains creative. Lines of communication between the various teams are kept open with regularly weekly “show and tells”, where all the teams get to share and support each other’s creativity.Bill Damaschke also believes companies should avoid the lure and comfort of their brand, as this can severely restrict and limit any organisation’s ability to be innovative and creative. He believes the key to innovative success is to forget about branding altogether. He says the moment you allow yourself to think narrowly about what you do is the moment you become restricted and lose your ability to innovate. When you allow yourself to be too attached to your brand, you kill any possibility to be really innovative and creative.Branding is a crucial part of any business, but take cognisance of Bill, the leader of one of the most creative and innovative organisations around. The secret is to find a positive compromise between building and supporting your brand, yet never allowing this to limit the culture of creativity and innovation within your organisation.Learn the art of Living in the NowOne of the most important requirements to be innovative and creative, is to be observant. Learn the art of always being present, observe what is going on around you and try to uncover better or new ways of doing things. You can only innovate, if you have open eyes and see opportunities to innovate and create.Most people are creative when encouraged and supported to be so. As a leader, encourage your team to be innovative and creative. The best way to do this is to project an attitude of creativity and innovation yourself. People always mirror what they see. When they observe an atmosphere of innovation permeates through the organisation and they experience it as a way of being, you will be amazed at how innovative and creative people will become.

Encourage people to believe in their ability to be creative by showing support and understanding for any innovative ideas they may have. When it comes to creativity, nothing will support people to be creative, more than their own self-belief in their ability to come up with great new ideas. Society has forced people to comply with rules for so long that most people doubt their ability to be creative. When you encourage, support and reward creativity, you create and environment, which is conducive to innovation. As your team experiences this new supportive environment; creativity will gradually become a way of being, within your organisation.

Creativity Mentors

If you are really serious about creating a culture of innovation within your organisation, then it is crucial that you support key people with creative mentors to help them to unlock their creativity. These mentors can come from within your organisation or they can be external people you hire to support your team.

Encourage your teams to study creativity. The more books they can read around creativity, innovation or the use of creativity models, the better equipped they will be to become creative. As they discover new ideas or strategies, which will help them with their creativity, encourage them to have the courage to try them. Support your team to incorporate the study and use of creativity into their daily routine. Encourage your team members to study the history of your business, markets and environment and to search for better or more innovative ways of doing things.

Here are a few examples of books on creativity I recommend that you get your team to read.

  • Serious Creativity – Edward De Bono
  • Lateral Thinking – Edward De Bono
  • Cracking Creativity – Michael Michalko
  • Thinkettoys – Michael Michalko
  • Six Thinking Hats Edward De Bono

Creative Models

There are a number of excellent models in these books. All of them work really well. As I am in the business of sales, I like the SCAMPER model for sales people. Based on your industry and requirements, you may find a more appropriate model for your industry.

Creativity and innovation is not an exact science. To become successful and to consistently flex your creativity muscle, you must accept that not every idea is going to work out quite the way you wanted it to. You must make your team feel safe to innovate. Never punish people for any failures, as this will put a huge damper on any creative concepts and ideas, any other team members may have. You must encourage team members to put their necks out and risk failure. As Tom Watson, President of IBM said, “If you want to succeed, double your failure rate”.

Creative and innovative organisations are the ones, which are flourishing and prospering in these times of massive change. If you want your organisation not to only survive, but to thrive going into the next 10 years, it is crucial that you start the process of developing and encouraging a culture of innovation and creativity within your business. Innovation is no longer a nice to have. It has become a crucial cog in the wheel of every business.

* For more about the writer, see Andrew Horton’s website.

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