Developing creative and innovative thinking in the workplace

1. DEVELOPING CREATIVE &
INNOVATIVE THINKING IN
THE WORKPLACE
Dr. Oyewole O. Sarumi

3. Outine – What to learn
 Innovation - What is it?
 Types of innovation
 The Value of Creativity and Innovation
 Bill Ford on Innovation
 What is Creativity?
 Portrait of a Creative Person
 Six Tips To Help You Enhance Your Creativity… and another
one: Find what you love to do
 A Suggested Innovation Framework
 Experience Creativity in Action (The Creative Mindset) Design
a product packaging solution using a few simple materials

4. Outline – What to learn..
 The 9 habits of Creative Thinkers [Discipline, Sharing, Passion,
Association, Discovery, Observing, Questioning, Networking,
Experimenting].
 Understanding Problems from a Human Perspective Observing your
target Gathering Inspiration
 Creativity and Courage Smart risk taking Experimentation Failure
tolerance - Case Reading: The Failure Tolerant Leader
 Ideation and Brainstorming Creating an Ideation event Rules for
Brainstorming Project video
 Creativity Tools and Techniques
 Creative Solution Finding Experiential Activity
 Case Study: 3M – How do they manage innovation?
 The 3M Innovation Strategy and Leadership

5. INNOVATION IS THE ONLY OPTION LEFT
 “Competing today comes down to a leadership
gutcheck, where the first order of business is to
admitthat the boom-time 1990s were a once-a-
centuryaberration.During the past decade,
earnings and share priceswere propelled
deliriously upward by five manicforces:a huge run
up in IT investment…baby-boomermoney fed into
the stock market…round after roundof cost
cutting…a worldwide merger boom and arecord
number of share buybacks.”! Gary Hamel"

6. THE ABCS OF INNOVATION
Innovation = Creativity + Commercialization

7. Innovation - What is it?
 “Innovation is the introduction of new ideas, goods,
services, and practices which are intended to be
useful (though a number of unsuccessful innovations
can be found throughout history). The main driver
for innovation is often the courage and energy to
better the world. An essential element for innovation
is its application in a commercially successful way.
Innovation has punctuated and changed human
history (consider the development of electricity,
steam engines, motor vehicles, et al).”
**en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Innovation

8. Creativity and innovation
 Creativity can be described as bringing a unique
approach and way of thinking to the way you do things
 Innovation can be thought of as the result of a creative
process; ending up with a new and better product or
service.
Thinks up new ideas Puts into Action
(Input) (Output)
Creativity Innovation

10. INNOVATION IS...
 The process of improving, adapting or developing a
product, system or service to deliver better results
and create NEW value for people.
 The word “innovation” sets daunting expectations
that one must invent the next big thing.
 The reality, however, is that innovation happens
every day, driven by both big and small ideas.
 At its core, innovation is about solving problems for
people

11. Bill Ford on Innovation
 “….if we want to succeed as a company – and as an
industry – we must drive innovation into everything we
do: into technology, into safety, into design and into
real-world solutions for environmental issues, like the
impact of energy usage on our world.”
 Chairman Bill Ford's speech, NATIONAL PRESS CLUB
WASHINGTON, DC November 22, 2005.
 “Innovation is going to be the compass by which this
company sets its direction.” Bill Ford, Remarks On
Innovation, Dearborn, Michigan, September 21, 2005.

13. Types of Innovation
In business and economics,
innovation is often divided
into five types
Culled from: Innovative Thinking: Six Simple Secrets by Padi Selwyn, M.A.

14. 1. Product Innovation
 Prodct innovation, which
involves the introduction of
a new good or service that
is substantially improved.
This might include
improvements in functional
characteristics, technical
abilities, ease of use, or any
other dimension.

15. 2. Process Innovation
 Process innovation
involves the
implementation of a
new or significantly
improved production or
delivery method.

16. 3. Marketing Innovation
 Marketing innovation is
the development of
new marketing methods
with improvement in
product design or
packaging, product
promotion or pricing.

17. 4. Organizational Innovation
 Organizational innovation
(also referred to as social
innovation) involves the
creation of new
organizations, business
practices, ways of running
organizations or new
organizational behavior.

18. 5. Business Model Innovation
 Business Model innovation
involves changing the
way business is done in
terms of capturing value
e.g. Compaq vs. Dell.

19. ORGANISATIONAL MODEL FOR CREATIVITY

20. ORGANISATIONAL CREATIVITY
INTERNAL
FACTORS
EXTERNAL
FACTORS
“Creation of a valuable, useful new product, service, idea,
procedure, or process by individuals working together in a
complex social system.” - Woodman, Sawyer and Griffin
(1993)
Organizations are complex systems
Group Characteristics

21. Opposing Forces
CREATE CONTROL
Creativity and Control can be considered opposing forces

22. Dynamic Tension
CREATE CONTROL
Rigidity
Uniformity
Tightness
Flexibility
Freedom
Looseness
Need to manage the tension between Creativity and Control
Resources

23. The Model
Strategy
EnvironmentOrganization
Innovation is supported when there
is high congruency
External Sources
INNOVATION

24. Strategy
Goals
Product
Market
Focus
Value
Proposition
Core
Activities
Innovation
Leader or Follower
Open or Closed
Product or Process
Incremental or Radical
Short or Long Term
Align innovation strategy with environment and organization

25. Environment
Environment
Partners
Competition
Universities
Customers
Governments
Suppliers
Environment influences and is influenced by components

26. Organization
Processes: Task,
Procedures,
Programmes, Technology
Rewards Systems, Control
Systems, Communications
Systems
Project Direction & Focus
Planning & Budgeting
Flexible and Loose, but
maintain control
Organization execute strategy to produce value

27. ORGANIZATION
Internal
Controls
Boundary
Systems
Belief
SystemsDiagnostic
Controls
Interactive
Controls
5 Levers of Control to manage the Create/Control Function

28. The Model
Strategy
EnvironmentOrganization
Innovation is supported when there is high congruency
External Sources
INNOVATION

29. THE ABC OF CREATIVITY

32. What is Creativity?
According to social psychologist Teresa Amabile, there
are three basic ingredients to creativity:
 Domain skills - Domain skills are developed as one
becomes an expert in a field. To be a creative
mechanical engineer, one must first master the
fundamentals of the discipline.
 Creative thinking skills - Creative thinking skills include
seeking novelty and diversity, being independent, being
persistent, and having high standards.
 Intrinsic motivation - Intrinsic motivation implies that the
reasons for doing things come from within - from passion
and pleasure, not as a result of external demands,
pressures, or rewards.
 Everyday Creativity: Principles for Innovative Design. Dr. Larry G. Richards

33. Portrait of a Creative Person
 “Creative people pay attention to their world, see
things differently, challenge assumptions, take risks,
are not afraid to fail, and strive to generate
multiple solutions to problems. They are passionate
about creativity and seek opportunities to
innovate.”
 Everyday Creativity: Principles for Innovative Design. Dr. Larry G. Richards

34. Six Tips To Help You Enhance Your Creativity
1. Open Your Mind - Have one new experience every
day; no matter how small. New experiences stimulate
the brain and help you make new and original
connections; critical for boosting breakthroughs.
2. Diversify - Involve others in your problem-solving
efforts who bring a different perspective or cultural
experience than yours.
3. Mental Floss – Relax; Stress, exhaustion, boredom
and even pain can block our pathways to creativity.
4. Stop Looking For the Right Answer - Look for many
right answers.
5. Discover Your Creative Rhythm - Start paying
attention to when you get your best ideas.
6. Health Makes Wealth - Regular exercise not only
benefits your body, it boosts brain performance as
well.
Innovative Thinking: Six Simple Secrets by Padi Selwyn, M.A.

35. … and another one: Find what you
love to do
 “We know that people do their most creative
work when they love doing what they’re doing.
There’s no substitute for intrinsic motivation, that
is, motivation that comes from within. Although
such motivation doesn’t guarantee creativity,
dislike or lack of interest in work practically
guarantees non-creativity.”
- Ten Keys to Creative Innovation by Robert J. Sternberg, Ph.D. and Todd I. Lubart, Ph.D.

36. A Suggested Innovation Framework
Problem
and/or
Opportunity
•Do not be afraid to fail
•Take risks
•Move your idea forward
Just
Do It
• Seek novelty in design
• Diversify
• Stop looking for the right answer; look for many right
answers
Seek
Novelty
in Design
• Define clearly your goals and objectives
Set Goals and
Objectives
• Challenge all assumptions
• Seek opportunities to innovate
Identify Problems
and/or
Opportunities
• Open your mind
• Mental Floss
• Discover your creative rhythm
• Health Makes Wealth
Seek Opportunities
• Become an expert in a field
you love
• Become passionate about your
field
Find what you love to do

37. "Experiencing the Creative Process in
Action"

38. ACTIVITY - BULB Packaging Brief
 BACKGROUND
 Each table represents a packaging vendor
competing for my business. – You are to design
packaging that is “sound and stylish” for my high-
end lightbulbs. – My lightbulbs last up to 10 years
and automatically adjust to the natural light in the
room – They retail for $500 each and are very
fragile – You have 20 minutes of design time.

39. ACTIVITY - BULB packaging brief
 MATERIALS
 – Masking tape
 – Straws
 – Wood splints
 – Balloons
 – Plastic cup
 – String
 – Napkins
 TOOLS:
 – Scissors
 – Markers
 – Your brains!
 EVALUATION: – Your designs will be
judged on style and soundness.

40. Worksheet 1- Action Plan
 See the Worksheet 1 to complete for your group
presentation

41. All HUMAN BEINGS ARE
ENTREPRENEURS
 “When we were in the caves, we were all self-
employed…finding our food, feeding ourselves.
That’s where human history began. As civilisation
came, we suppressed it. We bcame ‘labour’
because they stamped us, “You are labour”. We
forgot that we an entrepreneurs” – Muhammad
Yunus – Nobel Prize winner and microfinance
pioneer

42. Is CREATIVITY A SPECIAL TALENT?
Creativity is a belief -
Think and Behave like a Five Year old.

43. “Creativity and Innovation are
NOT "the domain of "the gifted!
We have got to abandon that sense of amazement in
the face of creativity, as if it were a miracle if
anybody created anything.”— Abraham Maslow"

44. Engage both Left and Right Brain
 Some NEW ideas are as a
result of regular analytical
approaches.
 While left brain solutions have
value, it’s the more right brain
approaches which are likely to
result in breakthrough thinking.
 Right brain styled creativity
must be encouraged for teams
to give birth to uncommon
solutions to problems and
opportunities.

45. All Humans are hard wired to
create
Innovativeness is an active endeavour!

46. “ If you want creative workers,
give them enough time to play” -
John Cleese

47. Innovation is not just about "how
YOU use your brain, "but how
YOU behave.“

49. LATENT
Ability
We all have latent creative talent

50. INNOVATION IS
EVERYBODY’S
BUSINESS✔
 Maintaining the
Status Quo
 Making
Improvements

51. Worksheet 2 – CURIOSITY GROUP
 See the Worksheet

52. The 9 habits of Creative Thinkers
 Discipline,
 Sharing,
 Passion,
 Association,
 Discovery,
 Observing,
 Questioning,
 Networking,
 Experimenting

53. Good Critical Thinking Skills

54. Worksheet 3 – Creative Thinkers Skill
 See Worksheet 3 for the Group Work

55. "Understanding Problems” from a
"Human Perspective”
To do this, follow up:
 Observing your target
 Gathering Inspiration

56. Organisational Human
Perspective Perspective

57. WORKSHEET 4 - HUMAN PERSPECTIVE
 See Worksheet 4 for the Group Work.

58. Creativity and Courage
 Smart risk taking
 Experimentation
 Failure tolerance - Case Reading

59. Corporate Strategies
• “Self-Directed Work Teams”
•Team Spirit •“Z Organizations”
Company Investment is the Key

60. Google Zurich

61. Pixar

62. VW Plant

63. Mindlab at the Ministry ofEconomic and Business Affairs

64. Creativity and Courage
 “We have focused for a long time on trying to discover what’s right. We
have taken things apart, sifting through our analysis for the right answer,
creating more and more debris, surrounded by numbers that overwhelm us
with dissatisfactions. These activities are cloaked in terror. What if we don’t
find it? What if we get it wrong? What if someone else finds it before we
do? Extinction will follow quickly on the heels of any mistake. This fear of
error seems the darkest of Darwinian shadows. When error holds so much
peril, play disappears. Creativity ceases. Only fear and struggle persist.
Paradoxically, we make greater errors.! We say to one another ‘get it right
the first time.’ How can we live with so much fear.” - From A Simple Way,
copyright © 1996 by Meg Wheatley, Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc., San
Francisco, CA. All rights reserved. www.bkconnection.com

65. Experimentation
 Take “many smart risks” instead of “one big risk”
 At Amazon, Jeff Bezos encourages experimentation by
“maximizing invention per unit of time.” Amazon pushes
teams to invent as much as they can on a weekly basis. To
minimize costs, they rely on small teams, lightweight
investments, and quick build-and-development cycles.
 Define success AND failure
 Starbucks: Howard Schultz keeps copies of JOE magazine in
his office. This lifestyle magazine published by Starbucks (it
was Schultz’s idea) was poorly received, and is a reminder
to everyone who enters his office that failure isn’t going to
stop experimentation.

66. Excellent Experimentation Practices
 Samsung: their motto is “Fail often in order to
succeed faster”
 Google: teams are encouraged to have “good
failures”, to spend 20% of their time on
“Googlettes”
 Amazon—“two-pizza teams”
 Starbucks: CEO Howard Schultz keeps copies of
Joemagazine in his office
 Bank of America: 30% of all innovative projects
must fail

67. Experimentation
 Cultivate a climate of smart risk-taking:
 – Convert “risk” into “experimentation.”
 – At GE leaders must submit at least three
“Imagination Breakthrough proposals a year
 – Communicate strongly and proudly.
 – Use Innovation Champions to spread the word
 – GE’s Immelt speaks about innovation at the Clinton
Global Initiative and other global conferences
 – GE’s annual report is centered around Ecomagination

68. Worksheet 5: RISK TAKING &
EXPERIMENTATION
 See Worksheet 5 to work in your Group

69. Worksheet 6: TOLERANT LEADERS
 See Worksheet 6 for this exercise please.

70. Gaining Acceptance of Innovation
 Selznick’s Ideas:
“ Keep your
friends close, and
your enemies
closer.”
 Trained Incapacity
 Idiosyncrasy Credit

71. Should Organizations Train
Creativity?
 Training leads to...
Self-efficacy
Empowerment
Motivation

72. IDEATION & BRAINSTORMING

74. “We can’t solve problems by using
the same kind of thinking we used
when we created them.”- Albert
Einstein

75. IDEATION GUIDELINES
 1. Start with a focused challenge statement
 2. One conversation at a time
 3. Defer judgment (no negativity)
 4. Build on the ideas of others (encouragement)
 5. Have wild ideas
 6. Many ideas are better than few ideas
 7. Capture all ideas
 8. Number ideas, number flip chart sheets
 9. Written ideas must be in full view

76. The PROBLEM SOLVING FRAMEWORK
1)
DISCOVERY
2) DEFINE THE
CHALLENGE 3) IDEATION 4) DEVELOP
IDEAS

77. The PROBLEM SOLVING FRAMEWORK
1)
DISCOVERY
2) DEFINE THE
CHALLENGE 3) IDEATION 4) DEVELOP
IDEAS
DISCOVERY:
1] What Brand or Company
strength can
our innovation exploit?
2] Who can we draw
Inspiration from?

78. The PROBLEM SOLVING FRAMEWORK
1)
DISCOVERY
2) DEFINE THE
CHALLENGE 3) IDEATION 4) DEVELOP
IDEAS
DEFINING THE CHALLENGE
1] Formulate a clear innovation
Challenge statement.
..You can start with:
HOW MIGHT WE…….

79. The PROBLEM SOLVING FRAMEWORK
1)
DISCOVERY
2) DEFINE THE
CHALLENGE 3) IDEATION 4) DEVELOP
IDEAS
IDEATION
1. Trend Domination – what trend
or theme is emerging?
2. What could we do? THINK!
3. How would another brand innovate
for us?

80. The PROBLEM SOLVING FRAMEWORK
1)
DISCOVERY
2) DEFINE THE
CHALLENGE 3) IDEATION 4) DEVELOP
IDEAS
DEVELOPING IDEAS
Develop strong ideas by asking:
STOP, START, CONTINUE questions
THINK of what your Organisation need
to STOP, START and CONTINUE doing.

81. Creativity TOOL & Techniques

82. "Creativity Tools and Techniques"
 Why do we need tools?
 Because conditioning and experience causes us to
generate similar solutions time and again.
 Its as if our brains are wired to throw up the same
answers and ideas

83.  The objective is to get people to think out of the box
 The tools allow people to think about the problem in
different ways
 In the end, you should have some crazy thoughts that
can be pulled back to reality and then applied to the
issue at hand.
 We encourage people to be spontaneous and have fun
 The crazier the better, don’t worry about making sense
as you are doing it.

84. Creativity tools Types-
 Random techniques – Use Ideation methods above, Verb
dance – See below
 Engineered provocations – uses Trend domination –
Apply trend analysis, Borrow from another, and What
Good could we do?
 REMEMBER THIS:
 1) DISCOVERY
 2) DEFINE THECHALLENGE
 3) IDEATION
 4) DEVELOP IDEAS

85. IDEATION TOOL – VERB DANCE
 Use a random verb to provoke action
 Twist
 Store
 Bend
 Minimise
 Support
 Hang
 Inspire
 Collect
 Create
 Slide
 Bond
 Hinge
 Expand
 Bounce
 Dilute
 Light up
 Shorten
 Jump

86. VERB DANCE
 Step 1: Select ONE Verb.
 Step 2: Apply your Verb to
your innovation
Challenge
Ask Who, What, How,
WHERE questions.
 Step 3: Capture ideas
BOND
HINGE
EXPAND
BOUNCE
DILUTE
LIGHT UP
INSPIRE
COLLECT
CREATE
SHORTEN
JUMP
SLIDE
TWIST
STORE
BEND
MINIMISE
SUPPORT
HANG

87. VERB DANCE
 Step 1: Select ONE Verb.
 Step 2: Apply your Verb to your Challenge
 Who should we INSPIRE to solve our Innovation Challenge?
 What needs INSPIRING?
 WHAT form would the INSPIRATION TAKE?
 HOW can we solve our problem with INSPIRATION?
 Step 3: Capture ideas
How might we enable
people to make a mid
career switch
Showcase the courageous stories
of people who have switched careers
using posters.

88. IDEATION TOOL – BORROW FROM
ANOTHER
 How would they solve your problem or challenge?
 How would Richard Branson solve our innovation
challenge?

89. BORROW FROM…
 Step 1 – Select a brand or famous personality
 Step 2 – Write down their typical ways of
operating
 Step 3- Apply those ways of operating to your
challenge to generate ideas.
 PIX of VIRGIN, IKEA, GOOGLE, APPLE, MacDonald,
Madonna, Oprah etc.

90. BORROW FROM…
 Step 1 – Select a brand or famous personality. IKEA
 Step 2 – Write down their typical ways of operating
 Style for everyone
 Shopping destination for the family
 Educate us on designs through their catalogues and in-store
displays…
 Step 3- Apply those ways of operating to your
challenge to generate ideas.
 How might we enable people to make the mid-career switch?
 IDEAS …

91. WORKSHEET 8- IDEA GENERATION
 Which of the Ideation tools do I feel affinity for?
 What opportunities within our business can we use
these tools to generate solutions?

92. WORKSHEET 9 – CREATIVE THINKING
FOR OUR BUSINESS
 What big shifts are happening in our operating
landscape:
 What broad trends are impacting needs or ways
of life?
 What is the state of the relationship between
people and our category?
 Who can we draw inspiration from?

93. WORKSHEET 10 – SOME OF OUR WICKED
CHALLENGES THAT NEED CREATIVE THINKING
 PROBLEM No.1:
 PROBLEM No. 2:
 PROBLEM No. 3:

94. WORKSHEET 11 – COMMIT TO TACKLING A
WICKED PROBLEM WITH CREATIVE THINKING
 State the Problem [initial thought]
 Who will you involve?
 Who will lead this initiative?
 What will your role be?
 What resources will you need?
 What might derail progress?
 COMMITMENT:
 What can you achieve within 2 weeks
time?
 Who will you report to on this?

95. WORKSHEET 12 – COMMIT TO EMBRACING
THE CREATIVE MINDSET & HABITS
 State one way I will practice being more curious within
the next 7 days.
 One way I will practice being more empathetic
[discovery] within the next 7 days.
 One way I will practice experimentation within the next 7
days
 One way I will [or support others] to conquering status
quo [pushing boundaries] within the next 7 days.
 One way I will [or support others] encouraging
Collaboration within the next 7 days.
 PLEASE REPORT BACK TO YOUR LINE MANAGER
WITHIN 7 DAYS OF TRAINING TO DISCUSS YOUR
WORKSHEET ACTIONS

96. Case Study: 3M – How do they
manage innovation?

97. Case Study: 3M – How do they manage innovation?
 The company presents a consistent picture in interviews
and in publications – innovation success is a consequence
of creating the culture in which it can take place – it
becomes ‘the way we do things around here’ in a very
real sense. This philosophy is born out in many anecdotes
and case histories – the key to their success has been to
create the conditions in which innovation can arise from
any one of a number of directions, including lucky
accidents, and there is a deliberate attempt to avoid
putting too much structure in place since this would
constrain innovation.
 The 3M way to innovation: Balancing people and profit. New
York, Kodansha International.

98. 3M Innovation Strategy and Leadership
 Setting stretch targets – such as ‘x% of sales from products introduced
during the past y years’ – provides a clear and consistent message and a
focus for the whole organization.
 Allocating resources as ‘slack’ – space and time in which staff can
explore and play with ideas, build on chance events or combinations, etc.
 Encouragement of ‘bootlegging’ employees working on innovation
projects in their own time and often accessing resources in a non-formal
way – the ‘benevolent blind eye’ effect.
 Provision of staged resource support for innovators who want to take an
idea forward – effectively different levels of internal venture capital for
which people can bid (against increasingly high hurdles) – this
encourages ‘intrapreneurship’ (internal entrepreneurial behavior) rather
than people feeling they have to leave the firm to take their good ideas
forward.

99. Attributions
 Creative Thinking for Innovation by
invitroinnovation.com from www.slideshare.net.
 The ABC of Innovations. Culled from
www.slideshare.net