INNOVATION & CREATIVITY
HOW TO MOTIVATE AND INSPIRE INNOVATION
Developed for FASSET by SynNovation Solutions
Workshop Objectives
Part 1
To create awareness and understanding of the key factors that promote – or could prevent – innovation and creativity in a business.
Part 2
To equip delegates with proven practical skills and tools to foster innovation in their own firms, and in those of their clients.
INNOVATION & CREATIVITYPart 1 : Awareness and Understanding
DEFINITIONS, BENEFITS, THINKING STYLES AND CLIMATE
WHY, WHAT & HOW OF INNOVATION
Workshop overviewPart 1 : Why, what and how of innovation• Definitions and thinking styles• Benefits of innovation• How to foster innovation : Climate and behaviours• Ground rules• Overview of key creativity and innovation approaches
Part 2 : How to get and grow new ideas • Idea generation : Ground rules and tools• Selection of ideas• Idea development : Ground rules and tools
Conclusion : Taking this back to business• Systems approach to integrate innovation
Definitions of Innovation & CreativityBUZZ SESSION
• In 2s or 3s – discuss how you would define Innovation
• What is the link between innovation and creativity?
Innovation is people creating value by implementing new ideas.
Innovation: the creation of business value through the development and implementation
of new ideas.
Some definitions of Innovation
"Innovation is creativity with a job to do“. John Emmerling
“The successful exploitation of new ideas” - DTI in UK
“People doing new things, things they have not done before” – taking risks in business, community and personally….
Some more definitions of Innovation
Vincent Nolan : This leaves a great deal unsaid -
“like defining Reproduction as ‘the birth of healthy babies’ which, while accurate, leaves out a lot – the exhilaration of the conception process (including the unsuccessful attempts), the nurturing and monitoring of the incubation process, and the upheaval and pain of the delivery process.
Defining Innovation & Creativity
Creativity – • mainly in the fields of the arts? • any kind of novel ideas we get
Innovation – • selecting new ideas with potential • developing them so you can make them happen
“The trick is not the inventive idea: discoveries which will set the world alight are a dime a dozen. The trick is co-
ordinating the 101 little things that make an idea happen. Think of the percentage of boardroom decisions that
never get further than the minute book”. Clem Sunter & Chantell Illbury
Levels of Innovation
Continuous improvement • Quality Assurance, ISO 9000
Incremental, Adaptive
• Improve systems that already exist• Better, faster cheaper • "Market Pull" Innovation
Radical, Breakthrough• New technologies, new business models• Breakthrough businesses • "Technology Push" Innovation.
The 2 worlds of thinking
Buy-inOPERATIONAL CYCLE
INNOVATIONCYCLE
Thinking is
Analytical FamiliarOperationalIn the present
Thinking is
Creative DiscoveringExperimentalFuture oriented
ProceduresRules
Routine
Known solutions
Speculate
Select few ideas to develop
Various possible solutions
Refine
Decision
PilotsReview
SuccessPro
blem / Opportu
nity
Laws
Problem SolvingAnalytical vs. Creative
Analytical Problem = deviation from
the norm
Requires analysis
Fixing what went wrong
One, “right” solution often obvious once identified
Requires in-depth knowledge of the problem
Problem = gap between where you are and where you want to be
Creative
About a future state – analysis of the past does not really help
Creating a new solution
Solution not immediately feasible or obvious
Little knowledge of the problem is needed
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Part 1 Why, what & how of InnovationOutcomes of Part 1
By the end of this session participants should be able to
• Identify the benefits of innovation to their businesses• Identify what they need to do more of to succeed with innovation• Identify how to implement known strategies that support
innovation • Demonstrate awareness of the behaviours that help or
hinder innovation• Demonstrate that all have the ability to innovate and how
little time it takes
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The benefits of innovation
Research by Synectics in the USA and DTI in
the UK has shown:
– 80% of companies say that innovation is important for future success
– Only 4% of companies say they are good at making innovation happen
INNOVATIVE STARS
HIGH PERFORMING companies who have successfully INTEGRATED innovation and creativity into their way of thinking and behaving - into daily business practices
SPECTATORS
Firms SAY innovation is important but do not back that view up with action. Often avoid formal innovation programmes and are reluctant to look for outside ideas and perspectives
The benefits of innovation
BUSINESS RESULTS
• Increase in sales (%): 11 vs 5,7
• Increase in profits (%): 51 vs 14
• Increase in market share (%): 59 vs 27
• Employee retention (1-5): 3,9 vs 3,4
• Employee satisfaction (1-5): 3,5 vs 2,6
• Rating of service quality (1-5): 4,1 vs 3,4
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INNOVATION STARS• 83%
• 68%• 68 %• 55%• 48%• 66%• 79 %
• 75%
• 3,9• 3,9
SPECTATORS• 35%
• 25%• 19%• 27%• 30%• 45%• 42%
• 36%
• 2,9• 2,4
How to foster innovationWHAT THEY DO DIFFERENTLY
ACTIVITY• Use complete recognised process for
creative problem-solving • Formal idea generation programme• Formal Innovation programme • Use of designated highly skilled facilitators• Use of outside consultants• Using suggestion boxes• System to reward individual innovation and
creativity• System to reward team innovation and
creativity• Leaders work together (1-5)• Break down barriers between different
functions (1-5)
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• CEO involved in innovation and innovation reflected in policy/mission
• Place importance on managing change
• High importance on cross-functional communication
• Open to ideas from outside
• Emphasis on talking to customers
• Formal programmes for idea generation innovation and problem-solving
• Invest in R&D
• Reward individual creativity and innovation
• Spend lots of time in productive meetings with innovative results
How to foster innovationWHAT STARS DO IN COMMON
INNOVATIVE STARS
HIGH performing companies who have successfully INTEGRATED innovation and creativity into their daily business practices
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Strategies to succeed at innovation
EXERCISE 2
Research has recommended that the following strategies could assist organisations to become more successful at innovation.
– Encourage team work and open communication– Ensure meetings are more productive and creative– Create formal innovation programmes to create and develop ideas– Look for ideas from external sources
Discuss what you think can be done to implement ONE of these in your firm/s
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Strategies to succeed at innovation
Encourage team work and open communication• Encourage interaction between different divisions, reduce “turf” • Overcome communication barriers between functions• Allow everyone to be heard• Give constructive feedback• Encourage cross-functional teams, rotate jobs.
Ensure meetings are more productive and creative• Plan meetings and set goals and time lines• Use ground rules to create a positive climate• Focus on doing “new” or “undoable” things• Get different perspectives
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Strategies to succeed at innovation Create formal innovation programmes to create and develop new ideas• Have a shared process for creative problem-solving • Train staff in innovation skills at various levels • Have formal idea generation programmes • Have formal innovation programmes and plans / structures to implement• Have designated facilitators for idea generation and development• Have a system for recognising innovation
Look for ideas from external sources • Successful financial companies in other countries• Successful firms – large or small – in other industries or professions in
SA• Your clients • Customer satisfaction information
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Supportive internal environment,
characterised by management support,
rewards for CE and autonomy of employees
Supportive internal environment,
characterised by management support,
rewards for CE and autonomy of employees Degree of entrepreneurship
of an enterprise, reflected in the innovative, risk-taking
and proactive orientation of an enterprise
Degree of entrepreneurship of an enterprise, reflected in the innovative, risk-taking
and proactive orientation of an enterprise
Munificent environments, filled
with technological opportunities, demand for new products and
dynamic changes
Munificent environments, filled
with technological opportunities, demand for new products and
dynamic changes
Within control of management
Factors that promote innovation and entrepreneurship in SA companies
Study in 315 JSE listed & ITC companies – Retha Scheepers
From the King III Code, 2009
Innovation, fairness, and collaboration are key aspects of any transition to sustainability –
• innovation provides new ways of doing things, including profitable responses to sustainability;
• fairness is vital because social injustice is unsustainable; and
• collaboration is often a prerequisite for large scale change.
• Collaboration should not, however, amount to anti-competitiveness.
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Strategies to succeed at innovation
EXERCISE 2
Research has recommended that the following strategies could assist organisations to become more successful at innovation.
– Encourage team work and open communication– Ensure meetings are more productive and creative– Create formal innovation programmes to create and develop ideas– Look for ideas from external sources
Discuss what you think can be done to implement ONE of these in your firm/s
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Who can innovate
• Most people have simply unlearnt their creative thinking ability
• It requires the right environment to re-access creativity
Anyone has the creative thinking ability that can lead to innovation
Creating the climate for innovationT
ota
l En
erg
y of
In
div
idua
l/Te
am
Climate
Threatening
AdversarialNeutral
CooperativeSupportive
Energy required foremotional survival
Energy available fortask and success
Looking after selfChallenging othersProtecting own turf, defensive
Trusting, open-mindedSharing, encouraging others
Building on others’ ideas
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Positive behaviours
Increase chances of success
AcceptConnect withJoinBe openBuild on itSpeculate along withShare the riskListen
approximately
Paraphrase
Deal as an equal
Eliminate rank/status
Give up rights to punish/discipline
Take on faith
Suspend belief
Assume it can be done
Share the burden of proof
AcknowledgeGive creditProtect vulnerable beginnings
Be attentiveListenBe interestedShow approvalGive early support
Be optimisticSee value in
Focus on what is going for idea
Take responsibility for understanding
Waste no energy on evaluating earlyJump to favour-
able conclusions
Set up win/winMake it no lose
Support conclusions
Value the learning of mistakes
Use ambiguity
Negative behaviours
Reduce chances of success
Put burden of proof on othersAsk questionsCross examineGive no feedbackBe non-committal Put on a stone face
Make no connections
Assume no value
Be dominantCommand Threaten/ warnOrderDemand
Be impatient
Nitpick
Interrupt
Be bored
Play devil’s advocate
Pull rankGet angryScareBlame
Act distantDo not ListenBe inattentive Do not joinUse silence against
Be pessimisticPreach /moralise Be judgementalBe criticalDisapprove
Point out only flaws
MisunderstandDisagreeArgue or challenge
React negativelyDiscount / Put downBe cynical/scepticalCorrectInsist on early precision
Be competitive
Name call /make fun of
Set up win/lose
“No ??s” applies mainly in Creative Cycle
Be aware: Questions can * make people defensive
* hide ideas* get you in the “hole”
YOU NEED LESS INFO THAN YOU THINK… NO NEED TO BE EXPERT
How to limit, manage questions at work
Therefore* Limit why? questions* Tell people the thought behind the question, and what info you need* Paraphrase to check understanding
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Creating the climate for innovation
Ground rules to create a climate for creative meetings
• Assume positive intent • Handling of questions and information
- Avoid questions that get you in the “hole”
- Paraphrase for understanding
- Give a brief description of task • Find value in ideas – every idea has merit• Recognise and build on ideas• Suspend judgement – own & others’ ideas, anything goes • Share the airtime
Overview of leading creativity and innovation approaches
• Brainstorming – Osborne• Buffalo Approach – Creative Problem-solving• Synectics – George Prince & Bill Gordon• Edward De Bono – “Six hats”• TRIZ – Technical approach based on key factors• Michael Hicks – Comparing 3 key approaches• Many websites with new developments and examples
Links between innovation, diversity, creative behaviours and leadership
• Emotional, Social and Cultural intelligence• Diversity – far more than culture, gender and race • Ubuntu culture – Respect, Recognition, Relationships • Transformational v/s Transactional leadership• Thoughtful and responsive v/s Forceful and directive
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Ground rules for classical brainstorming
Principle 1:
Suspend judgement: Evaluate ideas later, not during brainstorming
• No criticism – verbally, nonverbally, or in your own head
• Freewheel – Anything goes: impossible, immoral, illegal, irrelevant
Principle 2: Quantity will result in quality• Go for quantity of ideas: Keep up the pace • Hitch-hike: Give credit and build on others’ ideas. • Give others air time
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Where are creative ideas born?
Buzz session
Where/when do you get your best ideas or do you feel your most creative ideas are born?
• Bed, Bar, Bathroom, Bus • Give your ideas a “home”
Ideas can flourish in an environment… …. where judgement is suspended.
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Where do we get creative ideas?
SOURCES OF IDEAS
• Identify places and people that trigger bright ideas for you• Keep an ideas book, review from time to time• Read, use, innovation websites & newsletters (see resource kit) • Keep magazines or pictures handy• Read / keep magazines on topics you know nothing of – fresh
perspectives• Include other functions, “naïve” resources in your firm in discussions
Creative Ideas come from building links between……. seemingly dissimilar objects, functions or worlds.
INNOVATION & CREATIVITY Part 2 : Practical approaches
IDEA GENERATION & DEVELOPMENT
HOW TO GET & GROW NEW IDEAS
Workshop Objectives
Part 1
To create awareness and understanding of the key factors that promote – or could prevent – innovation and creativity in a business.
Part 2
To equip delegates with proven practical skills and tools to foster innovation in their own firms, and in those of their clients.
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Part 2 – How to get & grow ideasOutcomes of Part 2
By the end of this section learners should be able to
• Identify and use sources for new ideas• Identify and use tools and rules to generate ideas• Demonstrate that even ridiculous ideas can have merit• Identify and use tools to develop ideas• Demonstrate knowledge of what tools to use for various
tasks and situations
SynNovation Approach
IdeaGeneration
Idea generation (unfocused)
SelectionIdea selection (on intrigue)
Development
of ideaIdea development
(focused)
Basic parts of the process
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Idea generation: Ground rules
GROUND RULES FOR IDEA GENERATION
• Learn to listen for ideas
• Phrase ideas so everyone knows an idea is coming
• Don’t judge ideas – verbally, or in your head, others’ ideas, or your own
• Quantity will produce quality during idea generation sessions – So have many ideas, and record ALL
Tools to generate & develop ideas
Lateral thinking
Wish-thinking
Comparisons & differences
Linking different worlds
Constructive evaluation
There is nothing in a that tells you
it's going to be a
... Buckminster Fuller
Idea Development Rules & Tools
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Selection of Ideas
Low
HighLow
HighLow
HighNEWNESS
FEASIBILITY
PERSONAL INTRIGUE
Typical brain storming vs. Innovation
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Idea development: Ground rules
• Don’t judge ideas verbally or in your head – too early
• Select based on newness/ fascination rather than on feasibility
• First see the value in ideas
• Use concerns for direction – put concerns as “how to…”
• Combine with “linking different worlds”, tools of Comparisons and Differences, if you get stuck finding new ways of doing things, for Actions to address Concerns, or for activities like “communication”, “getting buy-in”
Summary – Taking this back to workPart 1 : Why, what and how of innovation• Innovation benefits go far beyond better business• Use positive behaviours and ground rules to build an
innovation-friendly climate• Management support, autonomy and reward are key
Part 2 : How to get and grow new ideas • Basis for creativity and innovation is seeing connections
where there seem to be none• Use ground rules and tools, open-mindedness• Select on newness rather than feasibility
Back to business• Model positive behaviours to encourage innovation• Systems approach to integrate innovation into strategies
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Summary of tools and where to use them
Idea generation• Wish-thinking – for any situation, more so with customer
or future oriented tasks• Lateral linking – to improve products or services• Linking different worlds and comparisons – to improve
the way things are done
Idea development• Constructive evaluation – to evaluate and develop any
idea (whether feasible or not) – to turn into action plan • Linking different worlds – to gain fresh perspectives on
an “action” identified in constructive evaluation, for example communication, finding funding, promotion
From Ideas to Action Plans – Example Suggested Action No.
ACTIONS – KEY WORDS WHO WITH WHOM WHEN
2. & 5. Survey client needs
3. & 8. Explore possibility of branch office
4., 6. & 7. Use Intranet to improve in-house communication
7. Develop induction plan for new staff
IntegratedInnovation
Programme
What you doEnabling strategic
innovation, through creativity
Why you do itEnergising
people and ideas, fostering climate
How you do itOptimising operations
and systems, for implementation
What you needDeveloping, enabling
individuals,through autonomy, skills
& knowledge
A systems approach to innovation
Integrating Innovation in the organisation strategy An open Innovation Programme & Change Management System
Implementation Process & Measuring ROI In Innovation (ROIII)
5. IMPLEMENT
Select quick-win sites for pilots, and
cascade the system through all levels
Phase 5
IMPLEMENT
Phase 1
TEAM
1.TEAM
Deciding who
will drive innovation
through organisation
Phase 3
DEVELOP
SKILLS
2. DEFINE & DESIGN
Measure current status.What system needs to do for the organisation.
Initial programme plan
Phase 2
CONSULT & DEFINE
Phase 4
DEVELOP SYSTEM
4. SYSTEM & ACTION
Activities & systemsfor sustainableinnovation, & tomeasure ROIII
Phase 6
REVIEW & CELEBRATE
6. CELEBRATE
Measure, review results.ROIII, Reward.
Celebrate achievements
and improvements
3. TRAININGPractical, participative
innovation skills, tools & groundrules
on various levels,
Empower individuals