Recognizing Creativity and New Ideas

I have found that the "majority of people" do not like new ideas. Bosses in particular are people who can be risk averse. Why change anything if it appears to be working — just fine? Years ago I read a book, "If it Ain't Broke ... Break It," which when I mentioned it to my then-boss (who was a great boss) he kind of grimaced as if to say, "Why are you reading a book like that?" What motivated me to leave Washington State Emergency Management Division — 21 years ago, was a boss who was afraid of new ideas.

Jeff Bezos, CEO for Amazon, has said that someday another company will disrupt Amazon's business model (which appears to be "Conquer the World." Get big enough and you will stop being innovative. 

Government, in particular, is resistant to change. We like it just the way it is. There are processes and procedures in place for just about everything and anything (even if they are not always followed) and anyone looking to be told "no" can find that answer pretty easily if they go around asking permission. The old maxim of, "Better to ask forgiveness than permission" is one idea that I suggest you follow. Remember this: "You were looking for a job when you found the one you have!"

See the notes I took last week at the Leadership Summit that I attend every year. The topic "rang my bell" — perhaps it will yours as well. 

Creativity, Andy Stanley

Not enough is being done to foster creativity in our organizations. 

Idea is taking information and knowledge and putting them together in a new way. 

Creativity and the speed of innovation have never been more important. 

Idea — perception: The ability to see that the world has changed. 

We human beings are not good at change.

Leaders create and followers sense this.

Every industry has shared assumptions — which means every industry is stuck. Which makes us do things the same way, in the prevailing model. 

Somewhere, somebody is pioneering new assumptions and products. Someone has stumbled upon uniquely better ideas. 

Recognizing uniquely better is much, much greater. 

Uniquely better is often so unique that a successful organization can’t imagine that it is uniquely better. 

We naturally resist change that we don’t understand or can’t control. 

The more successful you are, the least likely it is that you will recognize it — the new idea. 

We need to create a culture that recognizes rather than resists uniquely better.  

1. You have to be a student and not a critic
2. The next generation product and idea almost never comes from the previous generation
3. You have to keep your eyes and mind wide open. Listen to people outside of your industry. Outsiders are not bound by our assumptions. They are ignorant and their insights can help. Close-minded leaders, closed minds.
4. Are you a close-minded leader?
   1. How do you respond to staff who make suggestions based on what they’ve seen at other organizations?
   2. When is the last time your organization embraced a big ideal that wasn’t your idea?
   3. When was the last time you weren’t sure about an initiative, but you went ahead with it anyway? “We must pay attention to the frontiers of our ignorance.”
   4. Replace "How?" with "Wow!" In your meetings … The “how” word kills ideas and implementation. Wow ideas to life, don’t how them to death.
   5. Nothing is gained by not knowing what your staff are thinking about. 

Ask the uniquely better questions

• Is this unique?
• What would make it unique? Unique attracts attention
• Is it better?
• Is it better … really?