Check out this article in the Wall Street Journal, “Better Ideas Through Failure.” It’s about a unit of WPP Grey Group’s creation of the Heroic Failure award for employees who take an edgier, riskier approach to innovation and winning.
Then there’s the recent point of view piece I read in Ad Age from a vice president of marketing at Hoover’s. He was all set to hire a candidate when something struck him; the candidate was good, and he was competent, but that’s all. Competence is no longer good enough; candidates have to show more — get out of the corporate box and prove themselves as risk takers and, gasp, be entrepreneurial!
Putting two and two together, take a look at this picture:
** The status quo in the workplace is being shot down.
** The global platform is the new sandbox, and if you don’t come equipped with unusually innovative experiences then you can’t play.
** Thinking is what’s now required; in fact, it’s demanded in the workplace.
** Entrepreneurs rule. Have you seen all the hoopla about how those who innovate and manage their own companies are supposed to save the U.S. from a double-dip?
The initial concept about failure is nothing new to parents. We watch as our babies fall only to get up and walk. I’ve written about my failures as a blogger with the back end and analytics of this site (which can also be construed as lack of knowledge or failure to learn in a timely fashion, perhaps). Others can share failures as learning experiences all the time.
In business, though, failing is an expensive endeavor, but if that’s the new path to innovation, then by all means…make some stupid mistakes! Am certain the expectation is intense to learn from the errors, establish new and creative methods of winning and get teams to reach key performance indicators without failure, without negative effect on the bottom line, and efficiently.
Here’s what else the Wall Street Journal piece says of innovators:
** Take time off so original ideas can incubate.
** Be free to take risks, work on multiple projects at once to spark flexible thinking.
** In society and culture, civil conflict, political fragmentation and cultural diversity can trigger divergent thinking.
** What also helps individual creativity (and I don’t agree with this one IMHO) is “aggressive, egocentric or antisocial behavior makes it easier to ponder ideas in solitude or challenge convention.”
Fascinating stuff, eh? I’m sure you readers of the Harvard Business Review can muster some further food for thought on this topic? Or, perhaps an actual workplace experience might trigger a story or two?
Jayme, I do believe you would suffer greatly on a silent meditation retreat! Your last point there re: what helps creativity (anti-social behavior) is one that a client of mine embraces wholeheartedly with annual 10 day SILENT retreats and a sabbatical this summer. He’s also wildly successful and has a very creative business – make that 2 now. I do think there’s merit in going off on your own and reflecting. I also think physical activity gets the juices flowing! I ran 3.5 miles this morning (holla!) and have 3 blog post ideas out of that one run. And, I was not alone. It just got my brain working…
I love the concept of working on multiple projects at once (hello, that’s my life). I often wonder if that’s the most efficient use of my time, but for me, it’s hard not to do it. There are certainly times where I “buckle down” and focus on one task because I’m on deadline, but for the most part, it’s a free for all ordered chaos. 🙂
Oh, you know me well…I think we have a bit of twinnish behavior (uhmm, hi, @ginidietrich!). Indeed. My finest thinking comes during or just after exercise with all the endorphins flying and lactic acid at its lowest.
Nope, could never do a meditation retreat; heck, I can’t even sit still for Reiki. Now, I do like to sit alone by the fire with a glass of wine and stare at the flames (outside); I think that is very calming, but my brain is also on fire!
G’Day Jayme,
When I read this sort of thing, I remember the comment of a colleague: “Creativity is merely inventive plagiarism.” The man who made the comment is one of the most genuinely creative people I’ve ever known.
I do become concerned about the use of labels such as “innovation.” What does the writer mean by it? I’m a first rate, card carrying technical nerd. What may seem highly innovative to me, may be second nature to someone who’s a technical whiz. What authority does the Wall Street Journal author have to make judgements about innovation and it’s value.
I think that we’d all be much better served if we said exactly what we mean. After all, it was Albert Einstein who said, “If you can’t explain it simply. you don’t understand it well enough.”
By the way Jayme, I consider myself neither “creative” nor “innovative.” I’ll leave that for others to judge. But I am a bit of a risk-taker. Otherwise, I wouldn’t make blog comments like this.
Make sure you have fun.
Regards
Leon
Gosh, Dear Leon, you think this is a risky comment…at my house? Heh.
It is interesting when you take the words “innovation” and “creativity” and attempt to slap them on your forehead. Invariably, they’ll fall off of everyone unless of course those arrogant enough to believe they are or have it also have enough glue to keep them attached.
Now, if you followed that, you’re much more creative than you assume. And, I know that to be true in spite of your modesty.
Sincerely,
Jayme