What our CEO was verbalizing is an emerging zeitgeist in business today, a condition we call, CTPA (Creative Thinking Performance Anxiety). CTPA is a particularly nasty variety of unexpressed stress and dis-ease experienced by individuals and teams when they are put on the spot to think “outside-the-box” and deliver fresh, new ideas.

And these days, who isn’t being pressed hard to think more creatively?

Over the last decade, creativity (the driving force behind innovation) has emerged as the single most important competitive edge for success—a fact recently reconfirmed by IBM’s much-publicized 2010 CEO Study. Those companies that excel at creative thinking (the Apples, Googles and Nikes of the world) are thriving in today’s challenging economic environment, while their less creative competitors are scrambling to reinvent themselves and somehow remain relevant.

But when we speak about creativity, what are we really talking about? Or perhaps more importantly, is creativity (by any name) an ability we all possess… or a rare and special talent possessed only by a fortunate few? Researchers have actually tried to develop a reliable IQ-like test to measure an individual’s “CQ” (creativity quotient); but not surprisingly, those attempts have proven futile. It seems the subjective, non-linear, shape-shifting nature of creativity defies standardized measurement.

What does it mean to be creative?
The word creativity comes from the Latin word cero, which means “to create or make”. So every time you or I create or make anything (i.e., create a blog entry, prepare a meal, build a sandcastle, doodle on paper, or build the next online social networking phenomenon) we are being creative. We actually engage in acts of creativity every day. In fact the activity is so second nature, most of the time we are unaware we are even doing it.

Creativity vs. Artistic Ability
A common handicap facing many business people today is the self-limiting belief that they are “not creative.” Chances are those who subscribe to this belief may mistakenly associate creativity with artistic ability.

They say things like, “I’m not creative; I can’t even draw a stick figure,” “I’m not a good writer,” or “I don’t have a creative bone in my body,” That attitude perpetuates the myth that you are either born with it, or you aren’t. While many creative people do posses artistic ability, a far greater percentage of the world’s population of creative thinkers do not.

For example, Steve Jobs is lauded for being visionary creative genius; yet, can you recall ever seeing a single painting, sculpture or artistic performance created by him? Ever downloaded any music he has written or performed from the iTunes Store? The same can be said for other innovative geniuses like Thomas Edison and Henry Ford.

History has proven time and time again that anyone, anywhere, in any profession, can conjure up an “A-ha!” flash of creative insight, with the power to transform lives, markets, societies, or even the course of history. That includes you and me. We all possess that divine spark of genius within us.

The traits of highly creative people
Creativity manifests itself in many forms. There are highly creative teachers, CEOs, mechanics, salespeople, technicians, accountants, politicians, doctors, lawyers, cobblers and chimney sweeps.

Anyone who engages in his or her field of endeavor with a spirited sense of curiosity, wonder, sensitivity, imagination, playfulness and a willingness to question the status quo, possesses the traits and characteristics of highly creative people.

How many of those creative traits do you recognize in yourself?

The inner game of creativity

In sports like tennis or golf, we know that an “inner,” intellectual and emotional understanding of the game and how it is played is just as important as good “outer” physical technique. The more you contemplate, and then practice those things you consider, the easier it becomes to master the game. The same is true of creativity; with thought and practice you can cultivate your skills of observation, intuition and imagination. The more you master the inner game of creative thinking, the more innovative and effortless a problem solver you will become.

The creativity game is one of developing the confidence, discipline and skills necessary to push beyond any self-limiting beliefs about how creative you are, or can be. It is about stepping up and playing a bigger game, in order to unleash the creative genius within you. In the words of psychologist and author, Gerald G. Jampolsky, “A truly creative person rids him or herself of all self-imposed limitations.”

We will explore more about how to master this inner game of creativity in part two of this series.

Or, perhaps not. With so much pressure on organizations to create ever better, faster, more efficient, more cost effective products and services, maybe that elusive area beyond the box is just that much more elusive.

Whatever the case, these words, or variations with similar meaning, still echo the hallways in organizations of every size, in every area of industry, education and government, and at every level of responsibility.

If you asked what makes it so difficult for these organizations to “think outside the box,” chances are you would get an earful about how impossibly challenging it is for people to simply sit down together and effective develop fresh, new ideas.

The typical list of roadblocks range from “We just keep recycling the same old ideas,” “We’ve tried everything before” and “We don’t have the __________ we need to succeed” to “It’s impossible to make bold changes here” and “The boss/our customer will never go for it!” As one listens to the litany of obstacles, one can’t help but imagine that significantly more creative effort is being exerted in reinforcing limitations than in actually seeking innovative solutions.

So what really is the big problem? What core issue underlies the multitude of “good reasons” organizations have so much difficulty thinking like Google or Apple?

Simply, what we believe—pre-existing assumptions.

It is our assumptions (our firmly held beliefs about what is or is not possible…what can or cannot be done or achieved) that makes up “the box” that restrains our consciousness and limits our thinking. When perceived limitations loom larger than perceived possibilities, we diminish our ability to solve challenges creatively. In short, we cease being innovators.

Henry Ford, a legendary out-the-box thinker, said it best, “If you think you can do a thing, or can’t do a thing, you are right!” He understood that every self-imposed limitation we imagine or verbalize (and we all have lots of assumptions about a lot of things) creates a mental barrier that separates us from unlimited possibility.

When we simply accept any constraint on what is possible, we trade curiosity for caution, and seek solutions in the familiar, rather than venturing boldly into the unknown. Caution and familiarity are hardly catalysts for innovation.

When we free ourselves from our assumptions, our curiosity flows; we are suddenly able to explore, make new connections and imagine new possibilities that lead to innovative solutions.

We are able to answer the question, “What if…?”

The first step toward liberating yourself and others from limited, boxed-in thinking is to summon the courage to identify and challenge your existing assumptions.

How to successfully challenge assumptions

1. Make a list of any assumption or limiting belief you or your group may have regarding the issue you are trying to solve.

Be honest—and as thorough as possible. Really dig deep to uncover what you assume to be true. Remember, assumptions often masquerade in the guise of common knowledge, accepted practices and protocols, facts, or even proud tradition. We even harbor assumptions about the way things are, or should to be.

2. Challenge the status quo.

Here’s another inside tip: the more “indisputable” a belief, accepted truth or fact appears, the more important it is to challenge it!  Challenging the status quo creates a rich environment for the seeds of innovation to flourish.

3. Take each item on your list and ask these 3 questions:

1. “Is this ______(limitation/assumption)_____ true?” (Yes/No)
2. “Is it absolutely true, all the time, without exception?” (Yes/No)
3. “If it’s not absolutely true, what are the possibilities?”
   

Make this “reality check” technique for questioning assumptions a regular part of your brainstorming or idea-generation process. You will be amazed to find that most, if not all, perceived limitations will quickly dissolve under the analysis of objective discernment.

As each limiting belief falls away, more and more new blue-sky possibilities will begin to emerge. Before you know it, that proverbial box that once restrained your imagination will have disappeared.

Not “global focus,” not “integrity,” not even much heralded “sustainability.” But “creativity.”

Steven Tomasco, of IBM Global Business Services, found the result surprising, considering that we have just come out of (hopefully) an historic economic downturn the likes of which most of these CEOs have never experienced in their professional lives.

In terms of actual percentages, 60% of those surveyed ranked “creativity” in the #1 spot. Second was “integrity.” (With all due respect to Steven Tomasco,we would suggest this is the more surprising result in this era of “the end justifies the means” corporate management.)

In fact, for those fortunate enough to have had access to the crystal ball of business success over the past several years, in our new “innovation economy,” that “creativity” holds the #1 spot is hardly surprising. In fact, it is expected.

If there is a secret of business success today, it is the willingness and ability to continually reinvent one’s value proposition, deliver ever-increasing value to customers and recognize that the consumer calls the shots—every shot.

Consider that 88% of CEOs surveyed also ranked “getting closer to the customer” as the #1 area of focus, followed closely by “people skills” (81%) and “insights and intelligence” (76%).

Creativity, people skills, insights/intelligence… it all boils down to a consumer-driven success model.

The dominant businesses in today’s marketplace understand this. They work diligently to stay one step ahead of the consumer’s need. It’s no longer about the ability to respond—it’s about the need to anticipate. Give your customers what they want—before they even know they want it—and you will rise to the top of the competitive corporate food chain. Fail to do so, even for a moment, and prepare to fall, rapidly.

So what does creativity have to do with all of this? Why is it necessary to “think outside the box” in order to meet consumer demand?

Because your customers don’t have a clue what they will want tomorrow—even though they want it now. And they are not going to tell you; that’s too much work. They want you to tell them; and when they see it, they’ll know it. Tell them what they want, and if you are correct, you win the brass ring. And if you don’t, someone else most certainly will.

There’s a bit of alchemy involved in this, the ability to ask, “What if?”

“What if my customers had <fill in the blank>? How would it make their lives better, easier, more productive?”

This business model is not for the faint of heart. It is not built upon market data (backwards focused), proven successes (backwards focused) or established business practices (backwards focused). It is built upon vision…and the ability to manifest it.

Apple understands. So does Google. Microsoft did once. So did AOL and iomega and countless others who have tripped, stumbled and gone plummeting off the front pages of the business press. Business success means redefining oneself daily. These surveyed corporate leaders know this, even if they are not presently doing it. Those who will ultimately act upon it will be around to respond to the next IBM survey. Those who don’t???

What if? That is the pressing question. Can you provide the answer?

In many ways I was thrilled and encouraged by Bob LaMendola’s story in the May 28 Sun Sentinel, “Inventors brainstorm ways to plug oil spill.”

As a native New Orleanian, and now a part-time resident of South Florida, it is gratifying to read about so many smart, engaged and concerned South Floridians employing their creativity in an effort to help reduce the impact of this terrible disaster that threatens to alter our lives for decades to come.

That said, it is troubling to learn, not only here, but in virtually every report on BP’s and the government’s response to the spill, how slow, pondering and uncreative their efforts have been, especially in today’s innovation-driven society.

Innovation, which is clearly needed in this unprecedented event, is fueled by ideas, not by rethinking the status quo.

The situation in the Gulf worsens not every day, but every second. A few fewer engineers and a few more creative thinkers at the table may have had this problem solved weeks ago.

It is interesting to note that a recent survey of 1,500 chief executives, conducted by IBM’s Institute for Business Value, shows that CEOs identify “creativity” as the most important leadership competency for the successful enterprise of the future. And yet, corporate behemoths like BP, and even our change-oriented administration, continue to function in the ways of the past.

We can only hope that sooner rather than later, the real innovators in our world will assume greater positions of influence. Perhaps then, disasters such as these will not only be addressed faster, but may not happen at all.

Keith Harmeyer, Hollywood, FL

Don’t misunderstand—he did come up with his share of ideas, both good and bad.

But perhaps his most meaningful and influential contribution to the brainstorms was the inspiring way in which he would often open a session.

“You know how they say there are no bad ideas?” the boss would begin. “That’s not true; there are bad ideas,” the guy who held in his hands the fate of everyone’s career would continue. “Really bad ideas. Ideas so bad, they should never be spoken out loud.”

You can pretty much imagine where the sessions went from there.

The more junior people in the room, or those whose bellies were just the least bit yellow, would keep their mouths dutifully shut—except to offer an enthusiastic, “Great idea!” when the boss would serve up his creative contributions.

Those of us with a bit more experience (or foolhardiness) would carefully toss our ideas into the ring, more often than not only to have them instantly shot down by our leader. “No, no. That’s no good. Anybody else got anything?”

At the end of these sessions, we would almost always walk away with an idea. His idea.

Funny or sad, but definitely true, this true story exemplifies perfectly the single most devastating thing you can bring with you into a brainstorm—ego.

We often say, half-jokingly, “Kick out the boss” if you want to have a successful brainstorming session. While not always practical in real life, the idea behind the statement is nonetheless sound. Anyone who dominates a brainstorm, either due to seniority or just plain old arrogance and obnoxiousness, will most surely be its ruin.

The real magic and power of a well-executed brainstorm is the superior strength of the group mind—individuals, somehow working together in concert, towards a common goal. Bringing together diverse points-of-views, talents, experiences, etc. expands thinking, increases contribution and allows a well functioning team to build upon each other’s thoughts. The result: a greater breadth and depth of ideas that are far more inspired and developed than those any single individual could produce in the same time frame.

For all the brainstorming-naysayers among you, yes, there have been numerous studies that suggest individual ideation is more effective and producing ideas than group brainstorming. And no wonder. The vast majority of brainstorms are poorly planned, and facilitated by individuals who have had no formal training in the process. They are, in one way or another, like the dysfunctional examples I described at the top of this article: doomed from the start.

But when well prepared and expertly guided, a brainstorm is like a well-rehearsed symphony orchestra—each individual player sharing his or her talent and skill, working together to weave an intricate tapestry that only gets bigger and more beautiful as each new idea is introduced and expanded upon.

So if you are the one in control and just want to push your ideas forward (as ill-conceived and unenlightened as that management style may be), forget brainstorming. Save everyone the time, energy and humiliation, and just dictate the direction you demand.

But if you want to transform your organization into a super-human, innovative-thinking machine, do the right thing. Kick out the boss.

Or at least the boss’s ego.

The results of the study are hardly earth shattering. But they are important for anyone interested in developing their innovation chops and enjoying the resulting rewards.

The verdict? “Coming up with brilliant, game-changing ideas is what makes the likes of Apple’s Steve Jobs so successful…”

Stating the obvious? Well maybe not to everyone.

Business leaders around the world are struggling to crack the code of innovation. They focus on re-structuring, re-invention, short-sighted innovation initiatives, revolving door consultants, creativity boot camps, etc.

But apparently what it all comes down to is the ability to generate great ideas. Do that well, and all the other stuff more easily falls into place – if for no other reason than the fact that you are generating great ideas about those things, too.

From "Learn the five secrets of innovation," by Mark Tutton, CNN.com

According to the study, there are 5 key skills necessary to be a prolific innovator (a.k.a. idea-generator) – associating, questioning, observing, experimenting and discovering.

It seems these skills have more to do with how one acts as how one thinks. Prolific innovators are always proactively searching for new ideas, new connections, new perspectives. Theirs is not a passive activity; they don’t sit around waiting for the Muse to visit or the lightning bolt to strike. They pursue ideas daily and relentlessly.

It is this skill set, this business activity, that will forever more be the definer of success.

So how can you ensure you have a whole army of Steve Jobses generating innovative thinking in your organization?

Remove the impediments and allow it to happen. Create an environment that facilitates idea-generation. Nourish it with acknowledgment, training, tools – and rewards for achievement. In a recent post here, “Google’s 80/20 Formula – It can work for you!” we briefly described Google’s take on the issue… encourage employees to spend 80% of their time on core projects, and 20% of their time on “innovation” activities that peak their own personal interests.

How much does your organization to do foster innovative thinking? Do you invest 20% in it, like Google does? If you did, what returns might you realize?

The ability to generate innovative thinking is not an inherent trait; it is based on a set of skills that anyone can learn and develop. Exposing yourself to new ideas and observing the world around you can drive innovation.

All it takes is doing it. As one of the men behind the study, Insead’s Hal Gregersen, put it, “Studies have shown that creativity is close to 80 percent learned and acquired,” he told CNN. “We found that it’s like exercising your muscles — if you engage in the actions you build the skills.”

Start building your innovation muscles now. And watch the ideas start to flow.

After all, when you cut through all the hype and Ivy-tower debate, innovation at its core is really just a child’s game of connecting the dots in new and imaginative ways.

To begin with, creativity and innovation are not synonymous; there is a clear and important distinction between them. It is especially critical for businesses to understand this distinction before instituting a new organization-wide innovation imitative.

Before discussing this distinction, however, it is important to note that creativity is a mental ability anyone is capable of, not just the artists among us. When most of us think of creative individuals, we often point out a special talent such as the ability to draw, paint, sculpt, write, play music, sing, dance, etc. Creativity is much more than winning Mother Nature’s genetic lottery for artistic ability. Creative potential exists in all of us.

Creativity is most often defined as the mental ability to conceptualize (imagine) new, unusual or unique ideas, to see the new connection between seemingly random or unrelated things.

Innovation on the other hand, is defined as the process that transforms those forward-looking new ideas into real world (commercial) products, services, or processes of enhanced value. The result of such a transformation can be incremental, evolutionary or radical in its impact on the status quo. In other words, it can represent a natural step forward in a concept’s development, a leap to the next generation of that concept, or a completely new and different way of doing something altogether.

If we use Steve Jobs, the CEO of Apple and his company as an example, we could say that Steve Jobs is creative because he has the forward-thinking ability to imagine new ideas for products, and also to see new connections between different things (such as combining an iPod, the iTunes store, an Internet browser, a camera, a GPS, and a cell phone to create the iPhone).

Apple the company is innovative in the manner in which they interpret and execute those forward-thinking ideas to create inspired, highly desirable products of value. The company’s innovation-driven culture continuously strives to elevate the aesthetics, functionality and simplicity of their product design to museum quality levels.

Why is this distinction between creativity and innovation important?

Because it is impossible to develop a truly innovative organization if creativity is ignored or stifled. And likewise, without effective processes in place to transform creative ideas into practical, real world, value added application, creativity is of no commercial value whatsoever.

Once you understand the distinction between creativity and innovation, the road to success begins by liberating, nurturing and inspiring all the creative capital in your organization.

Liberate creativity, and watch innovation flow.

While everyone has the innate ability to engage in creative thinking, there are seven common traits that innovative leaders like da Vinci, Edison, Henry Ford and Steve Jobs share; seven traits that propel them to think outside the confines of conventional wisdom and imagine breakthrough concepts that change the way you and I live and experience the world.

The seven traits of highly innovate thinkers are:

1. Curiosity
Curiosity is the first step toward discovery. It is the “beginner’s mind,” a deep, child-like sense of wonder about the world, the relationship between different things and how things work.

2. Imagination
Before you can develop a new idea, you must first be able to conceive it, to envision the very possibility that it could exist. Innovation is fueled by leaps of the imagination, making novel new connections between seemingly disparate ideas, concepts or objects.

3. Intuition
Making decisions based on facts and figures is fine in many instances. But true innovation is more often born from that internal “knowing,” the guiding force, sixth sense or gut feeling to follow one’s instincts, no matter how unconventional or illogical the direction.

4. Inventiveness
The ability to change the status quo requires an inquisitive passion for “tinkering.” Innovators possess the desire to arrange and re-arrange ideas or things in new and different combinations.

5. Playfulness
It is when you get “lost in your work” that amazing things begin to happen. Time, self-consciousness, seriousness and any sense of limitation falls away, and challenges are handled with ease. The attitude of playfulness is, “Everything is possible.”

6. Flexibility
The capacity to suspend judgment and embrace two (or more) seemingly contradictory or unrelated viewpoints at the same time helps create a dynamic tension that ultimately stimulates creative resolutions (solutions).

7. Persistence
All the creative talent in the world is of no value if you give up before the work is done. Persistence, the passion, willpower and enthusiasm to overcome setbacks and discouragement, allows innovative thinkers to keep trying new possibilities until success is achieved.

Of course, there is no secret recipe for innovation. It requires an ongoing commitment on the part of an organization and the individuals within to relentlessly pursue new, better ways of doing business, and to never accept anything less than the best possible outcome. But these seven key traits are an excellent starting point for building your innovation foundation.

Start to recognize the individuals around you who naturally possess these traits, and encourage them to make frequent use of them. And nurture these traits in others who aren’t as naturally inclined. Acknowledge and reward creative thinking, responsible risk-taking and questioning the status quo. And in no time you will have fostered a thriving culture of innovation which can lead to only one thing: greater success.

The global economic slump only makes this need for innovation more critical, as companies are forced to do more with fewer resources, attempting to survive the string of unforeseen challenges they are facing, while preparing to take advantage of new opportunities when they eventually surface.

One of the most significant revelations companies will experience on their road to organizational transformation is that realization that while innovation is indeed the driving force in business today— behind the scenes, it’s creativity that drives it.

Once this epiphany has occurred it inevitably leads organizations to ask the simple yet paradoxical question, “Can creativity be taught?”

These two terms, “creativity” and “innovation” are often used interchangeably. However it is important to make a distinction if we are to answer these critical questions. While the various definitions of these two words could fill a volume in themselves, for our purposes we will say that creativity means simply “generating new ideas and concepts, or making connections between ideas where none previously existed.” Innovation is a more involved process, meaning “when a creative idea is transformed into a new way of doing something.” Innovation represents an incremental, evolutionary, or revolutionary change in thinking, products, services or process that generally delivers increased value.

So is it possible for ordinary individuals and teams throughout their organization to be taught how to think creatively? Can they learn how to think outside the proverbial box to solve challenges in new and unexpected ways never before imagined? Is there a “secret formula” for creative genius that can be copied, disseminated throughout the organization, and successfully applied by novices with untested creative prowess?

This question about whether or not creativity can be taught often leads to polarizing discussions. According to a recent on-line survey we conducted, 47% of respondents believed creativity can indeed be taught, 29% thought it is “somewhat” possible for people to improve their creative abilities, and 24% felt you’ve either got it, or you don’t.

Strong and diverse points of view were expressed with comments such as… “Everyone has inherent creativity, but it is often destroyed or suppressed by the education process;” “Not everyone is going to be a Picasso, Shakespeare, Vidal Sassoon or Andrew Lloyd Webber;” and “No it cannot be taught. It must be unleashed.”

When we distill the four most commonly expressed viewpoints on the subject, they are:

• All People are innately creative; so it’s not about teaching creativity, but rather finding ways to help unleash, unlock or inspire it.
• All people are creative, but in different ways. You can only help them improve in the areas in which they’re naturally creative.
• Some people are naturally creative; others are not. But you can teach people how to be more creative.
• Only some people are creative, and you can’t teach it. You either have it, or you don’t.

The lack of consensus on the subject is most likely attributed to the fact that even in the modern business world, creativity (and the creative process itself) is still shrouded in the myth, mystique, misunderstanding and media hype. It also doesn’t help that creativity is considered a notoriously subjective process— a process not easily qualified or quantified by standardized metrics. For all of its allure, creativity is still perceived by most as something magical or mysterious, a special innate talent possessed by a lucky few, blessed with the right DNA. Creativity must be a “gift from the gods.”

A better question to ask

Fortunately for those companies with a strong desire and commitment to develop an innovation-driven culture, there is a more productive (and less polarizing) question they can ask to gain clarity on the subject: “Can our people be taught to think more creatively?”

Consider the difference between “Can creativity be taught?” and “Can our people be taught to think more creatively?”

The beauty of reframing the original question in this new way is that it allows greater discernment in the distinction between the words creativity ( generally thought of as the innate talent or ability to create or perform original works) and creative thinking (the ability to make new connections between ideas or concepts). Perhaps not everyone possesses the natural ability to create or perform a work of art; but surely everyone possesses the ability to make new mental connections if taught effective processes and techniques for doing so.

So no matter how conventional a person’s imagination or creative sensibilities might appear, it stands to reason that in a non-judgmental, supportive environment, with the right structure, training, and proven tools and techniques to engage the mind in new and different ways, a person can be taught to solve challenges by making creative connections they haven’t imagined previously.

Every milestone in innovation begins as a new insight or creative connection in the mind. But businesses don’t need Picassos; they need more creative thinkers. And millions of them are just waiting to be shown the way.