Individuality and Team Dynamics to Innovate

Creativity is not born in a boardroom or a meeting. Brainstorming is vastly over rated. There is nothing quite so laborious and ineffective as ten people sitting in front of a blank page, even if they have a goal in mind. When it comes to first ideas, it is more productive to allow one or at most two people to first produce a straw model. They are encouraged to obtain as much input as they wish, with the caveat that ownership of the kernel of the idea always remains theirs to develop. A straw model has at least fleshed out major headings, and preferably more than that.

The strength of a well informed, collaborative group comes after the straw model stage, where different viewpoints in a collaborative setting can innovate and critique a defined idea. As with all group and meeting activities, facilitation ensures the group remains controlled and focused. Especially in incubation periods, groups are susceptible to scope creep.

Emotional Investment and Avoidance on Change

The human mind is extremely powerful and emotionally preservative. Only a very small minority of management groups acting alone and of their own volition change course during turbulent times, even when they’re on the verge of bankruptcy. This is a normal human response. Like the seven stages of grief, the first and most enduring emotions are shock and denial. Especially in emotional situations, it is inspiring, logical and helpful to seek specialized consultation. There is nothing wrong or embarrassing about it. It is actually the appropriate response given what we know about the human condition.

In an example closer to home, it is interesting to note average golfers’ reasons for not taking lessons. They also mirror the seven stages of grief, with embarrassment an additional factor. Virtually all of them are in contrast to the fact that professional golfers rely on trainers and coaches throughout their career. We are reminded of the male stereotype that refuses to ask for direction, preferring to drive around lost.

It is difficult to over-emphasize the value of emotionally detached feedback. Seeking advice or consultation does not mean you are mediocre or untrained or uncreative. It means you are intelligent enough to realize how emotionally difficult it is to critique yourself and be creative in situations where you are attached. Psychologists have psychologists, and PR firms often hire PR firms. It is an essential foundation of the idea of mentors.

If your organization does not employ consultation on a number of levels, it would be at least a helpful exercise to understand why you do not. You may well find your reasons are predominantly rationalizations of Shock (paralysis), Denial (Avoidance), Anger (Emote), Bargaining (way out), or Depression (realization of the issue but feeling alone or unique). Getting to Testing (beginning to seek) or Acceptance (finally finding the way out) with consultants jump starts the creative process and speeds up progression through the other stages(Kubler-Ross, 1997).

Tension between New vs Existent Products

The examples above also give us some idea of the psychological hill to be climbed when it comes to developing creative atmospheres in organizations that are already thriving. Even in failure, or abstract mediocrity, the human mind tends to balk. And original thinking both to create and re-engineer is first and foremost an act of destruction, with all the emotional and psychological inertia that implies.

Creative destruction has implications on existent programs, along with its attendant failures in their attempts. Occupationally, creativity must find safe harbor. It is illogical to ask Associates invested in current products or programs to create their own demise. It would be like giving tax dollars to oil companies in an effort to invent alternate fuel sources. There is a foundational and psychological reason Microsoft is not the driving innovator of web technology. Their priority and strength lies in preserving and optimizing existing annuities.

Existing product managers may be expected to actively participate in model revisions or re-engineering efforts rather than eclipses. Besides, in an era of change optimizing current revenue streams will occupy all of a product managers’ time, and define the organizational corporate culture. That is entirely appropriate, and a worthy occupation.

True creation is effectively accomplished in separate multidisciplinary project groups dedicated to the task. Notice we are explicitly describing a network architecture of specialized participants; not a silo approach with administrative and technical support ‘on loan’ or ‘on call’ from various departments. That traditional organizational structure inevitably leads to bottle necks and inordinate management intervention.

Separating new and existing functions has many benefits outlined below, not least of which is avoiding the cognitive dissonance and emotionality of destruction. If performed in organizations of considerable existent annuities, it may be necessary to occupy separate building and hierarchical space in an effort to divorce cultures and provide safe quarter. Reporting directly to the President is also a practical alternative.

10 Benefits of Creative Segregation

The benefits of separate and distinct development or ‘creation’ groups are immense. Notice that if separate accommodation is not arranged, and adequate resources allocated, the costs to the organization are the mirror of the benefits itemized below:

1. Nurtures the learning curve and specialization required for creativity and re-engineering, as well as the process of doing so. Separation means speed, production, and excellence. It also means less cost.
2. Measurements of current product management and creative investment is more accurate.
3. Encourages consistency and timeliness of deliverable.
4. Acknowledges workloads and priorities. While very small projects in maintenance positions may work, the emotional preference for the present over the future relegates even high priority projects down the list as the work day progresses.
5. Acknowledges the psychological difference between process requirements and projects.
6. Reinforces different talents necessary for detailed, repetitive work vs. project and creative work.
7. Allows different incentives between line and project work.
8. Creates safe psychological and cultural harbor by separation from existent product management hierarchy. Notice that reporting to the President or a suitable Senior Executive may be necessary if the organization is consumed with current annuities.
9. Allows a convenient and appropriate discussion for adoption or denial of ideas by the organization. Failure to approve does not mean failure of the work.
10. Provides a welcome berth and process for new ideas to aggregate.

Organizational structure or best practice is characterized by dedicated teams formed of varying number and disciplines depending on need supplemented from various organizational positions for exposure and training purposes. Detach the hierarchy from existent product management. Depending on the size of the organization, separate roving groups by specialization; re-engineering, product development, market enhancements, strategy development, etc.

Other Articles in this Series

Creativity

Practical Implications of the Biology of Creativity

7 Ways to Stifle Creativity and Innovation

My Personal Discoveries Exploring Creativity