Creativity Management - Finding Your Voice

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.

Finding your Voice

Finding your Voice is related to stripping away the psychological blocks that prevent the real self from emerging. Often we are not even aware who this real self is. Practical methods for finding the voice include:

a) An environment of psychological safety and freedom. Where the individual is free to express without critical evaluation; where the individual is accepted as having worth and that worth not being based on producing.

b) Engaging in the task. Through engagement, task methodology is refined, tacit knowledge base expanded, competencies learned and performance gradually optimised.

c) Moving out of comfort zones - here new and valuable competencies are learned that can cross pollinate with existing skills.

d) Direct access to decision makers. Feedback is quick and adjustments immediate. The experience curve is scaled faster.

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

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Kal Bishop 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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