Managing the Creative Process: Corporate Killers of Creativity

Managing the Creative Process: Corporate Killers of Creativity

A few companies in most every industry gain competitive advantage by deploying superior creativity in product development, operations, and communications.In the computer industry, Apple produces consistently well-accepted products and superior logistics coupled with well-conceived and implemented communications programs. In the restaurant industry, McDonald's shines consistently with superior marketing to attract loyal customers. Most of their direct competitors languish.Why can some companies get consistently better products and creative services than their competitors? Is it because they have better management? Is it because of their corporate cultures? Is it because they have different advertising or public relations agencies? Often, the corporate approach to creativity and innovation distinguishes successful companies. From product research and development to operations and communications, the way companies nurture creativity often predicts long-term corporate success. This series of three articles analyzes:Part I) Corporate Killers of Creativity -- Attitudes and management styles that hamper creativityPart II) Distinguishing Attributes of Creative People -- The characteristics that differentiate creative individualsPart III) Managing Creative Teams -- How to motivate and stimulate creative employees and vendors of creative services Two inevitable outcomes undergird the quest for superior creative performance. First, innovation and superior creativity inevitably produce superior sales results. Second, a boss or client gets the level of creativity he or she deserves.Through the decades, companies which develop innovative products or breakthrough production processes are businesses that usually succeed. Innovative products supported by creative marketing and communications invariably become the market leaders.Advertising research has shown that a great creative idea can generate up to 10 times the selling power of an ordinary idea. Powerful ideas can generate spectacular returns with relatively small media investments. Mediocre ideas produce mediocre results -- even if millions are spent on media.When all is said and done, the buck stops with company leadership. Employees and vendors can deliver only what bosses and clients allow and encourage them to deliver. The corollary is that bosses and clients usually get the work they deserve. Occasionally, a vendor rises above a bad client. Sometimes, a vendor fails a good client. But, on the whole, clients get what they deserve.Killing Creativity The worst bosses and clients -- the assassins of creativity -- are among the favorite subjects of discussion at company cafeterias and creative services companies. The corporate villains can be depicted as cartoon characters.Noah Nothing Noah Nothing is the foremost assailant of creativity. Most businesses have many different types of know-nothings. Some decision-makers don't know enough about their businesses, the marketplace or competitors. The worst assassin, however, is the boss who simply doesn't understand or appreciate the power of creativity, one who can't distinguish a good idea from a bad idea. This boss truly can't see the difference between a Rembrandt and a painting by his mother-in-law. This boss (or client) thinks that his TV commercials are just as good as McDonald's or Pepsi's. They also somehow believe that the two require the same effort and resources.Dr. Noah Tall In contrast, there is Dr. Noah Tall. The know-it-alls can do everything better than anyone else. They enforce their own vision on product design. They have the strategic solution to every problem. They also write better copy. They do better layouts. They are better video directors. In the end, know-it-alls get work from employees and vendors corresponding to their personal ineptitude. The products and communications programs they create write their corporate obituary.Colonel Dick Tator Then there's Colonel Dick Tator, the dictatorial leader. These bosses and clients exercise coercive power. They move things forward through threats. They are sandpaper on people's sensitivities. In war, they're the kind of leaders who would be shot in the back by their own troops. Creative employees and vendors shoot them figuratively by delivering less-than-sterling work.Fred E. Cat At the opposite extreme is Fred E. Cat. The fraidy-cats never take any creative risks. They are consistent to a fault -- always doing things the way they were always done. They are stand-patters. They are usually sticklers for rules and regulations. They expect and receive ordinary work.I.M. Tough, MBA Then there is I.M. Tough, usually an MBA. The bosses and clients who revel in being 'tough' distrust employees and vendors -- thinking vendors are only out to make a killing off their accounts. They're also tough about time schedules. They create crises by demanding extremely fast turnarounds. They make continuous changes right up to the "drop dead" date. They're often too inexperienced to know that toughness seldom produces superior work.B. B. Sniper Then there's B.B. Sniper. Old B.B. never has an original thought. Whenever someone has a bright idea, B.B. takes aim and shoots it down. Old B.B. often plays devil's advocate. In fact, B.B. is an obstructionist. It's a wonder that B.B.'s group has any level of work productivity at all. Honorable Hiza Charmer Finally, there's Honorable Hiza Charmer. Charmers are good guys who get by on personality. They have a lot of good qualities: they are sensitive and support the creative process; they're concerned about people's sensibilities. However, they're often ill-informed, unfocused, and indecisive - resulting in incomplete work or late delivery. Each of these leader types lack an understanding of the creative personality and what motivates creative individuals. That's the subject of the next article.

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