Creativity Management ? Breaking Through The Mental Barrier

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation.

There are other useful definitions in this field, for example, creativity can be defined as consisting of a number of ideas, a number of diverse ideas and a number of novel ideas.

There are distinct processes that enhance problem identification and idea generation and, similarly, distinct processes that enhance idea selection, development and commercialisation. Whilst there is no sure fire route to commercial success, these processes improve the probability that good ideas will be generated and selected and that investment in developing and commercialising those ideas will not be wasted.

Breaking through the mental barrier

There are numerous blocks that prevent creative output. Taken together, they represent a severe barrier to task completion, whether that task be the innovation of a new technical product or writing a screenplay. Some of the solutions to overcoming that mental barrier include:

a) An environment of psychological safety and freedom. Where expression is encouraged and not criticised.

b) Direct links to decision makers. Where feedback and adjustments are immediate and rewards are tangible.

c) Task Completion. Where all the competencies of a task are learned.

d) Frequent task engagement. Where the task is engaged in many times in order to build up a solid range of competencies, climb the experience curve and refine methodology and knowledge.

e) Incremental goals. Which the larger task is broken into smaller pieces and engaged in on a regular basis. Produces more output than a "do your best" approach and sets the mind working on problems at various cognitive levels. Increases the frequency and duration of insight and inspiration.

These and other topics are covered in depth in the MBA dissertation on Managing Creativity & Innovation, which can be purchased (along with a Creativity and Innovation DIY Audit, Good Idea Generator Software and Power Point Presentation) from http://www.managing-creativity.com/

You can also receive a regular, free newsletter by entering your email address at this site.

Kal Bishop, MBA

**********************************

You are free to reproduce this article as long as no changes are made and the author's name and site URL are retained.

Kal Bishop is a management consultant based in London, UK. He has consulted in the visual media and software industries and for clients such as Toshiba and Transport for London. He has led Improv, creativity and innovation workshops, exhibited artwork in San Francisco, Los Angeles and London and written a number of screenplays. He is a passionate traveller. He can be reached on http://www.managing-creativity.com/

---

Mindfulness and Music: Things That Go Hmmm

Shhh... can you hear it?One of the most powerful forms of mindfulness is awareness of sound. We tend to tune out the noise of our lives in order to concentrate on the tasks... Read More

Dare to Dream

Have you ever thought of this? When you were young and at school the teachers always reprimanded the dreamers - "You live on another planet", "You've got your head full of silly notions!"... Read More

The Power Of Your Intuition

We all have enormous reserves of mental capacity that we habitually fail to use. There is no problem that we cannot solve, no obstacle we cannot overcome, and no goal we cannot achieve... Read More

The Elements of Creativity: Attributes Listing Method

Attribute listing is one of the best ways to generate ideas, whereby there any many parts to the problem/ challenge faced. If you are asked to generate ideas or solutions to a complex... Read More

Creativity and Communication Lessons from Crossing the Street

Spring is in full bloom, which means it's 'get back in shape time!' For me, that means strapping on the sneakers and going for a run (well, at this stage it's more of... Read More

Top Ten Brainstorming Techniques for Business Success

We experience creativity every time a fresh idea pops into our minds. We recognize creative imagination in everything from a pastel painting to a business plan. By trying these ten tips, you will... Read More

Gift of a Letter

"What cannot letters inspire? They have souls; they can speak; they have in them all that force which expresses the transports of the heart; they have all the fire of our passions." Letter... Read More

Attraction: What We Attract With Our Creative Choices

I used to be a jazz singer. Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, they were wonderful and I strived to sing like they did. But no one impressed me as much as Billie Holiday. The... Read More

Tap the Creative Inside You

Imagination is the source of creativity. It's a place where unlimited possibilities reside. It's where pure energy lives.People are innately imaginative and creative. However, most people are simply not conscious of their imaginative... Read More

Creativity Myths

Sustained myths about Creativity and Innovation lead to confusion, bad practice and bad decision making. Some of them include:1. Creativity requires Creative TypesWhile some theorists assert that there are creativity traits such as... Read More

3 Simple Steps To Solving Problems

You can move beyond your stuck states by contemplating all the possible consequences of your own particular situation.What is it that you want to work in your life?What inner obstacles prevent you from... Read More

Mindfulness and Teaching: Lessons From Dynamic English

Back in 1983, I was hired to teach English in rural northern Japan. I had no experience teaching, and didn't speak a work of Japanese.No matter-I had the requisite four-year college degree and... Read More

Creative Memory Tricks

What's the biggest problem with memory tricks? Remembering to use them, of course. There are many memory techniques that work well, but you'll forget them when you need them most - unless you... Read More

The Elements of Creativity: What-ifs?

What if there is no toilet paper and I am halfway through doing the "do"?What if one of my team members decides to leave the project halfway and he happens to be the... Read More

Dancing On Your Brain: The Cha-Cha Effect

My grandmother used to say that the secret to living a good life is maintaining a flexible spine and a flexible mind. Whether we're talking about joints or brains, there's just no room... Read More

Creative Dreams - What Winter Driving Taught Me

We had a winter storm the other day here in Toronto. And as I was driving, I started thinking about what my winter driving had in common with my creative dreams. Here's what... Read More

10 Ways to Thrive as a Creative Artist

1. Connect with your DREAM ? Indulge yourself in a vision of the bigger picture and get out of the mire of self-doubt, details and challenges of today. What's the purpose of it... Read More

Riches Through Creative Thinking!

When solving problems after you have exhausted the normal means of coming up with the solution, think in terms of unorthodox methods. Vary your thinking and try to solve the problems by creating... Read More

Find the Artist Within

Can anyone be an artist? People admiring my work often say, "I could never do that!" I say, "Yes, you can!" Eight years ago, during a very difficult time in my... Read More

9 Ways to Live Creatively

Creativity ? according to Webster's it means having the ability or power to create; characterized by originality and expressiveness; imaginative. Ok that sounds great, wouldn't we all like to be more creative every... Read More

Creativity Management ? Working From Real Life

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation.There are other useful definitions in this field, for example, creativity can be... Read More

Analysis of The Monkeys Paw by W. W. Jacobs: A Study in Lateral Thinking

I first read The Monkey's Paw as a youngster in Junior High School. I was touched by how an elderly couple received the gift that everyone would want, three wishes, and how the... Read More

Why Creative Visualization Works

Experience has shown that creative visualization works. It is quite possible to prove that circumstances and events follow thoughts. Take any situation or happening in your life, and go back to find what... Read More

Creativity and Broken Eggs

In 1420, the dignitaries of Florence held a competition.They offered the enormous prize of 200 gold florins to the architect whose genius could span the unfinished dome of the Florence Cathedral.This was a... Read More

Why Teach Thinking? Why Not ?

The word 'creativity' has so many diverse meanings and interpretations. I remember telling an audience of teachers that creating a mess is also creative as long as new things and views are being... Read More

Tips on Breaking the Creative Block

There's no question that creating anything is hard to do. Here are some tips if you find yourself creatively blocked.Set a GoalSet a goal for yourself. For example, it could be to write... Read More

Is Your Team Suffering from FWTS?

Who do you know who is feeling stuck, under-performing, or dealing with frustration and upset?These folks might be suffering from FLAT WORLD THINKING SYNDROME! (FWTS)"Flat World Thinking Syndrome" is the number one issue... Read More

Unlock Your Creative Secret Weapon

It seems like this week a ton of people have been asking me how they can become more creative. I even had one client jokingly accuse me of being in cahoots with the... Read More

How to be More Creative and Enhance Your Creativity

efore thinking about how to be more creative, let me begin point out some real barriers that some people seem to have when wanting to enhance creativity, have a think if any of... Read More