Innovate or die… many of us are likely familiar with the idea that organizations must innovate to stay competitive and survive. But, what does it mean for an organization to innovate?
Innovation is creativity in action. It is applied creativity. Organizations that develop a habit of applied creativity or a “creative habit” are more likely to be innovative and have long-term success. Louis Musante states that “Only cultures that can help companies anticipate and adapt to change will be associated with superior performance over long periods. Nonadaptive cultures were found to be complex, bureaucratic, usually risk-averse, and low on creativity.”
Forming a creative habit requires an organization to change its current habits, so that all employees work from the same habit and collaborate to innovate. Creativity and change are interwoven; creativity spurs change and change requires creativity in thought and action. Creativity and change also involve uncertainty, risk, and deviance from the norm, all of which many humans seek to avoid because our habits, our normal and unconscious way of acting, are challenged. While habits help us think and act faster and specialize in various areas, they generally limit our ability to break free, make new connections, and generate novel ideas.
Therefore, to increase creativity, organizations need to exert conscious effort to overcome their current habits. They need to move from current ways of doing business to develop a creative habit.
Another habit, you say? Yes. The difference is that, with a creative habit, organizations follow a process that intentionally moves employees to continuously think and act in a way that encourages, supports, and delivers new, novel, or breakthrough ideas.
Read more: Creative Habit_MNODN_Sept 2005
Or, learn more about how you can develop your creative habit with our Innovate Like an Artist™ workshop.