Creativity Management: Structure and Goals

What do creativity managers do?

Replace the word management with the word optimisation.

That's what creativity managers do: they optimise the quality of the idea pool (creativity) and the implementation process (innovation).

There are many methods of optimisation and the creativity leader must be aware of all of them, in other words, he or she must synthesise them for optimal effect.

Areas [within creativity] that need managing include motivation, organisational culture, organisational structure, incremental versus radical effects and processes, knowledge mix, group structures, goals, process and valuation.

Areas [within innovation] that need managing include idea selection, development / prototyping and the art of commercialisation.

It is worth noting that 4000 good ideas result in 4 development programs, which in turn results in 1 winner.

Structure and Goals

Do structure and goals enhance creative output or is a "do your best" approach more effective?

Structure and goals are often resisted. Common complaints include "I feel like I'm conforming" and "you cant force creativity."

However, defining the problem, setting boundaries and incremental goals moves the creator from an original state to a goal state, gets the creative juices flowing and forces out ideas. With structure, you can complete a screenplay (for example), within a set period. Without structure, I wont be surprised if that screenplay rots half-finished under your bed for years.

Structure and goals have to be tempered with the concept of incubation. The reverse of the above is that richer ideas result when the problem is allowed to fester in the unconscious mind.

Hence a combination of time pressure and incubation achieve the best result.

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Kal Bishop, MBA

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Author Bio: Kal Bishop Kal Bishop is a management consultant based in London, UK. His specialities include Knowledge Management and Creativity and Innovation Management. He has consulted in the visual media and software industries and for clients such as Toshiba and Transport for London. He has led Improv, creativity and innovation workshops, exhibited artwork in San Francisco, Los Angeles and London and written a number of screenplays. He is a passionate traveller.