subject: Is Innovation More Important Than Creativity? [print this page] Is Innovation More Important Than Creativity?
Copyright (c) 2011 Julie AustinAfter spending the day speaking to several different groups about creativity and innovation I realized how hard it was to convince people that they are both important. Even though creativity and innovation are two different things, they also go hand in hand. To be innovative you have to be creative. It you want to come up with ideas, you have to think outside of your own head. (a better way of saying 'think outside the box')You are going to have to get out of your comfort zone if you want to come up with an idea that no one has ever thought of before. Sometimes you have to go way out of that comfort zone, and that's scary for many people. Even the most creative people tend to get stuck in a rut. Even the most creative people fall into patterns that work for them. Most humans will follow the path of least resistance. Sometimes it works if you're trying to figure out the fastest way to get to work. The process of creativity will require you to go down roads you have never been on before. And that can mean it might just take longer to get where you're going. People tend to want instant results and creativity takes its time.Adults, unlike children, are afraid of failing. The process of creativity is all about failing. It's trial and error. You have to be willing to take some chances and make a fool out of yourself.It was harder than I thought to get a room full of businessmen to jump up on stage and make fools of themselves. You can't learn about creativity without actually doing it yourself. You can't learn how to be creative just from reading a book onthe subject. Just like you can't learn to be an actor, comedian, or public speaker from reading a book. You have to just do it. But that was easier said than done. In corporations we tend to avoid being silly and saying something stupid in front of our peers, and even more important, our boss. This is where great leadership comes in. A good leader will allow their employees to go into creativity and innovation brainstorming sessions without having sensors on.Most people teach innovation without also teaching the techniques of creativity. You have to learn both if you want to truly innovate and come up with something that has never been done before.
