Creativity and innovation is about people working collaboratively to clarify challenges/problems/opportunities, identify options, develop solutions and implement these solutions to create value.
To spark creativity and innovation each day in your work and life, you need to try understanding the behaviours of creative people. They have certain attitudes and characteristics that drive their behavior, and that including the following:
#1: They Value Ideas:
Creative people value ideas. They look for ideas, pay attention to coming up with as many ideas as possible, and never throw away any ideas, no matter how absurd they may sound. They also go for quantity when it comes to ideas – pushing for more and more novelty.
#2: They Explore Options:
By thoughtfully considering and weighing the pros and cons of each idea, and asking deep and probing questions, creative people are able to explore options and select the most appropriate ones. They don’t make decisions without thoughtful exploration.
#3: They Embrace Change:
Creative people are early adopters of change. They look for the rationale behind changes in policies, procedures and processes, and they adapt quite quickly to these changes once they can relate to the rationale. They often are champions of such new changes themselves as they get very excited by the prospects that changes can bring.
#4: They Celebrate The Off-beat:
Creative people are non-conformist, so they typically take a contrarian view to things. It is this contrarian view that sets them apart and allows them to transform the status quo and add value. They celebrate being different and can relate easily to situations and people that seem to be different or “off-beat”, like themselves.
#5: They Connect The Un-connected:
Copying is the high art of creativity. However, many creative people are able to copy from things that are unrelated to their specific challenge and learn valuable lessons from same to apply to their circumstances. A lot of the ideas that people jettison in one area end up being the basis for the creative genius in another area.
#6: They Do Not Fear Failure:
To add value in the manner that creative people do, they are prepared to fail. They understand that failing is an inevitable part of success, and they accept the possibility and risks associated with failure. They learn from their mistakes, fail forward, and make improvements that will eventually add value.
