Creativity Management - Overcoming Blocks

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation.

There are other useful definitions in this field, for example, creativity can be defined as consisting of a number of ideas, a number of diverse ideas and a number of novel ideas.

There are distinct processes that enhance problem identification and idea generation and, similarly, distinct processes that enhance idea selection, development and commercialisation. Whilst there is no sure fire route to commercial success, these processes improve the probability that good ideas will be generated and selected and that investment in developing and commercialising those ideas will not be wasted.

Overcoming Blocks

There are essentially two groups of blocks, the first being evaluation apprehension or evaluation anxiety and the second being task hindrance.

a) Evaluation Anxiety blocks include: fear of being unoriginal, fear of being perceived unintelligent, negatively assessing own ideas, risk aversion, the illusion of difficulty etc.

b) Task hindrance blocks include: lack of finance, no access to decision makers, lack of appropriate resources, no movement of ideas etc.

As blocks can be grouped into two, so resolutions can be grouped into two.

a) Psychological and Cultural resolutions. These include engendering a culture of psychological safety and freedom, individuals becoming aware of their own evaluation apprehension and consciously countering, developing confidence through improving their task competency and success rates etc.

b) Structural resolutions. Organisations creating management structures that allow direct access to decision makers, tangible movement of ideas, access to knowledge bases, reduced competition for resources etc.

These and other 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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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/