4 Steps to Keep Your Organization Creative

Sometimes it is difficult to pinpoint the qualities that make a creative endeavor work, but rest assured that these steps are involved in all of them. The list appears simple and straight forward (and it is), but it does take practice and determination to create. Be Disruptive

The most lucrative and forward thinking companies disrupt the norms of the culture. Apple, for example turned a floundering computer company in the mid-90’s into a powerhouse i-everything super-corporation by changing the way the music sharing and computer hardware game is played. Change the way you see your organization and others will change how they see you too.

Control Your Emotions

Disagreement is the key to learning because the testing of innovative ideas almost always goes against common conventions, but no advancement is made if shouting is the outcome (sounds like our Congress).

Presentation is Everything

If an idea is first dismissed, it is important to assess the issue, and present the idea in a different way if you still feel strongly about its merit. Sudhir Venkatesh of Fast Company interviewed Shaun Abrahamson, an investor about ZocDoc in a recent blog post (How To Use Conflict To Unlock Creativity).  Abrahamson said that:

“Creativity arises when you consciously seek opinions from those who are different or force you to revisit your assumptions.”

In this case ZocDoc knew that they were attempting to create a network of patients finding doctors that had already failed in the past, but that criticism was a starting point for their presentation of how they could do it differently.

Be Self-Aware

Every company or organization must know what it is capable of achieving. This is set out in business plans, and it is most recently prescribed that social media interactions be mapped out and a “voice” branded into the fabric. Knowing where your limits lie will make it easier to break the framework of convention with the allocation of resources toward the end goal.

How do you spark your creativity? What do you do? [Infographic] How to Lead a Creative Life Special Thanks to Fast Company Co.Create for the inspiration ~Josef