Creativity and Innovation by John Adair

ECONCISEAdair on
creativity
and
innovation
Edited by
Neil Thomas
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THE
CONCISE
The Concise Adair on Creativity

and Innovation
Edited by Neil Thomas

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The author and editor
John Adair
John Adair is internationally acknowledged as having had a
significant influence on management and leadership development in
both the business and military spheres. He has seen military service,
lectured at Sandhurst, worked extensively as a consultant, held
professorships in Leadership Studies and authored well received
management and leadership books, including Inspiring Leadership,
The Adair Handbook of Management and Leadership, The Concise
Adair on Leadership, The Concise Time Management and Personal
Development and The Concise Adair on Communication and
Presentation
Skills. (www.johnadair.co.uk)
Neil Thomas
Neil Thomas is the Chairman of Thorogood Publishing Ltd and
Managing Director of Falconbury Ltd. He has been involved in
publishing and seminar/training for over twentyfive years.
(www.thorogood.ws, www.falconbury.co.uk)
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Contents
Introduction 1
Part one: Creative thinking 5
The creative process 7
Obstacles which inhibit creativity 7
The non-creative person 8
Developing creativity 9
Remember 16
Decision-making and the creative thinker 16
Key elements of creative thinking and
decision-making 20
Analysis 20
Synthesis 23
Valuing 25
Other useful approaches to creative thinking
and decision-making 26
Imaginative thinking 26
Conceptual thinking 29
Intuition 29
Checklist: How does your mind work? 30

Using creative thinking to evaluate the options 32
Checklist: Options 34
Calculating the risks 36
Part two: Innovation 39
The process of innovation 41
Five factors to create the right climate for
innovation 43
Innovation and organisation 44
Characteristics of an innovative organisation 45
Checklist for the innovative organisation 49
What qualities should a chief executive as a
leader have? 51
Motivation and innovation 53
Characteristics to look for when recruiting 53
What do innovative people expect from the
organisation they work for? 54
Distinctive characteristics of the creative leader 55
The generation of ideas 57
Team innovation 58
Communicating about innovation 60
Checklist for building on ideas 60
Brainstorming 62
Checklist: Brainstorming 64
Two more methods of collecting ideas 66
Suggestion schemes 66
Quality circles 67
Checklist for the generation of ideas 68
Dealing with change and overcoming obstacles
to innovation 69
Criticism 70
Exercise: Overcoming obstacles 70
Part three: Summary 73
A creative thinker and innovator in practice 75
The seven habits of successful creative thinkers
and innovators 77
1 Thinking outside the apparent confines of the
problem/situation 77
Checklist: Beyond the nine dots 79
2 Welcoming chance intrusions 80
Checklist: Chance intrusions 81
3 Listening to your depth mind
(the unconscious mind) 82
Checklist: Are you listening to your
depth mind? 84
4 Suspending judgement 85
Checklist: Suspending judgement 86

5 Using the stepping stones of analogy 87
Exercise: Putting the stepping stones of
analogy into practice 88
6 Tolerating ambiguity 89
Checklist: Tolerating ambiguity 90
7 Banking all ideas from all sources 91
Checklist: Banking ideas 93
Conclusion
Checklist for creativity and innovation 94
Appendix
Solutions to problems 97
Quotes about creativity and innovation 99
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Introduction
New ideas are essential for industry, they are the lifeblood of
successful organisations. Creative and innovative thinking, the
means by which ideas are born and nurtured, are not products of
clearly defined steps, they can be encouraged in various ways.
We all have new ideas but really good, creative new ideas vary in
quality and frequency. A good idea can be classed as one that a
critical mass of people consider to be both useful and original. Those
people who have a high rate of excellent ideas are the true creative
thinkers. Most creative thinkers can be placed on a scale relative to
their quality and quantity of ideas.
High A C
High productivity and Many quality ideas in
few quality ideas high quality
B D
Not very productive and Many quality ideas with
not producing many low productivity
‘pearls’
Low QUALITY OF IDEAS High

INTRODUCTION
Really good managers (and all successful businesses have them) are
capable of having, or recognising, good ideas and using them to
make things happen in a new way: of translating ideas into useful,
practicable and commercial products, services or systems.
1
Innovation (to bring in or introduce something new – a new idea,
method or device) draws together new ideas and their
implementation, whereas creativity is the having of new ideas which,
in an organisation, are generated or spotted by individuals or teams.
It is important for all managers and leaders to:

• understand creativity and the creative processes
• eliminate impediments to creativity and creative thinking
• widen their field of view as well as that of their staff
• build on ideas and not merely criticise them
• tolerate doubts and uncertainties
• adopt a creative attitude in listening, observing and reading
• be confident in your own creative skills
• make time to think
• participate creatively as a leader, manager or member of a team
• use teams to innovate effectively
• manage innovation in your business.
How far you develop your and your teams’ creative abilities is
largely up to you. Your motivation to succeed will dictate how far
you exert yourself to learn all you can about the art of being creative
and innovative. Personal experi-
ADAIR ON CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION
ence is a great way to learn once you understand the basic principles
and thought processes.
Use the principles set out in this book to build your mind and
encourage the right mind set to become more creative and
innovative. The benefits this book can bring to you include:
2 THE CONCISE
• Developing your understanding of the creative process
• Overcoming the barriers to having new ideas and creative
thoughts
• Enlarging your parameters of vision and information
• Building on your ideas as well as criticising them when relevant
• Increasing your tolerance for uncertainty and doubt
• Reading, listening and absorbing information around you with a
creative mind
• Making you aware of having time to think
• Giving you confidence in yourself to be creative
• Encouraging you to be a more effective manager or leader to
build creative teams
• Managing innovation within your organisation for the most
successful outcomes.
Remember, the future of our civilisation depends on the creative flair

and innovative genius of people like you.
This book is divided into two parts: Part one: creative thinking
looks at obstacles to creativity and ways to improve it personally and
organisationally; and Part two: innovation details how best to
manage creativity and encourage innovation successfully in
business.
INTRODUCTION
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3
ADAIR ON COMMUNICATION AND PRESENTATION SKILLS
PARTPAR
T
ONE?
??
Creative thinking
The creative process
Obstacles which inhibit creativity
Developing creativity
Decision-making and the creative thinker
Key elements of creative thinking and decision-making
Other useful approaches to creative thinking and
decision-making
Using creative thinking to evaluate the
options
1 DEFINING COMMUNICATION
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4 THE CONCISE
5
Part one: Creative thinking
The creative process

Creativity can be improved by remembering that the creative process
has four main stages and each needs to be properly ‘worked’:
1 Preparation: information gathering, analysis and solution

exploration.
2 Incubation: letting the mind work to continue the process sub-
consciously.
3 Illumination: inspiration – which can come when the individual
is not necessarily thinking about the problem but is in a relaxed
frame of mind.
4 Verification: testing ideas, solution, hunches, insights for
applicability.
Obstacles which inhibit creativity

1 Negativity in individuals and in teams: focusing on the
negative aspects of a problem as opposed to using your energy
to seek opportunities for a solution.
2 Fear of failure: a fear of appearing foolish in front of
colleagues.
3 Lack of quality thinking time and experiences to draw from:
being over-stressed can make it difficult to think objectively and
inhibits the natural thinking process.
6 THE CONCISE ADAIR ON CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION

4 Over-conformance with rules and regulations, a lack of
freedom to develop: too many rules can encourage mental
laziness.
5 Making assumptions that are not necessarily true: failing to
identify the assumptions you are making will inhibit the process
of developing new ideas.
6 Applying too much logic and not listening to the depth mind:
too much logic excludes imagination, intuition and synthesis
from your thought process.
7 Thinking you are not creative: the biggest barrier of all!
The non-creative person

These obstacles can be seen in the profile of the non-creative person;
someone who is:
• not able to think positively about problems (and does not see
them as opportunities)
• too busy or stressed to think objectively or at all
• very self-critical
• timid in putting forward a new idea (fearing ridicule)
• viewed as a conformist by friends/colleagues
• prone to apply logic as a first and last resort
• sceptical that many people are capable of being creative
• unable to think laterally
• uninspired even when confronted with a new idea.
On the other hand, creativity can be encouraged in people (including
oneself) by exploring some of the qualities and characteristics of
creative thinkers and the activities and steps that can be undertaken
to improve the processes involved.
PART ONE: CREATIVITY 7

Developing creativity
To be creative an individual should:
1 Think beyond the invisible frameworks that surround
problems and situations.
Think ‘outside of the box’. Be open to new observations and
thoughts, however ridiculous they may seem at first. We tend to
see what we expect to be there but if we opened our minds
beyond the ‘normal’ we would be more observant, objective and
creative in our thoughts. Considering a new starting point and
perspective when looking for a solution can be very inspiring.
Approaching the problem from a different angle can encourage
new ideas. Creative thinking should be an adventure into the
unknown.
2 Recognise when assumptions are being made and challenge

them.
Never assume anything as you are making the supposition that it
is correct or true. Preconceptions are the ideas you have before
you gain actual knowledge. Assumptions and preconceptions are
often unwarranted and misleading, and are great blockers to
creative thinking. Challenging assumptions can open up a whole
new creative process.
3 Spot blinkered thinking and widen the field of vision (to
draw on the experiences of other individuals and
businesses).
It is very easy to only ‘think within the box’ when you are faced
with a problem but if you widen your parameters the answers may
be closer than you think. Technologies and practices in industries
other than your own may spark an idea, leading to a solution.

Travel can widen your horizons and your span of relevance and
open up all sorts of new avenues for thought.
4 Develop and adapt ideas from more than one source.

As humans we cannot make something out of nothing, our minds
need something to work on, so we combine ideas and elements
which are already in existence, to create new ideas and products.
The creative mind can see possibilities, bonds and connections
between various elements which others cannot see.
5 Practice serendipity (finding valuable and agreeable things

when not particularly seeking them) – having a wide
attention span and range of interests is important.
When we’re involved in trying to solve a problem we tend to have
a narrow focus but we should always be open and aware of the
unexpected. What may seem irrelevant at first could later become
significant in creative thinking. It may take a while, perhaps
weeks, months or even years, which is why the creative thinker
should retain as much information and as many experiences as
possible.
It’s these experiences that may be the trigger to a creative thought
which might just solve a difficult problem.
6 ‘Transfer technology’ from one field to another.

Keep an open mind when faced with a problem and look outside
of your own situation. Often other departments, organisations and
industries can give you the inspiration to develop ideas to solve
your challenges. The most successful creative thinkers have
knowledge about more than one field and often make their names
appear in quite a different sphere than they are normally
associated with.

7 Be open and prepared to use chance or unpredictable things
and events to your advantage.
Have a wide focus of attention and develop your powers of
observation to make use of the chance happenings you come
across in your life. Use your experience to interpret these things
as something useful without having preconceptions. You may
have to invest a lot of time exposing yourself to chance
experiences but they will give you a good reference base for
future creativity.
8 Explore thought processes and the key elements of the mind

at work in analysing, valuing and synthesising.
Creative thinking cannot really be broken down into a specific
process or system. The very nature of creativity can mean it is a
disorderly process. However, we usually begin by analysing the
problem in hand and then playing around with restructuring it
(synthesising). Next we set about using our imaginations and
valuing the thoughts we have in relation to a possible solution.
We should be aware of these thought processes and use them to
our advantage, not let them get in the way of being creative.
9 Use his/her ‘depth’ mind (the unconscious mind) for

example by sleeping on a problem to generate creative
solutions and ideas.
The value of ‘sleeping on a problem’ has been long known.
Apart from actually dreaming of a solution, the time in bed
before you sleep is very relaxing and allows ideas to be
generated. Dreams allow you mind a total freedom to make
connections you would not normally consider. Although this
may not give you the exact answer it could be enough to direct
your waking thoughts in the right direction. You should note

down your dream thoughts as soon as you wake so they are not
lost.
The brain is capable of analysing information that you may not

even realise you have absorbed. By switching off your
conscious thinking you allow your depth mind to begin
analysing, valuing and synthesising your inner most knowledge.
You cannot control this type of inspiration but you should stay
alert and expectant, so you are aware when it shows itself.
10 Note down thoughts/ideas that apparently drop into the

mind unsolicited so that they are not forgotten.
Keeping a notebook is a good way of recording materials for
your future use. Make notes of conversations (real or from TV
or radio), quotations from articles or books and observations and
thoughts. Your instinct will tell you what may be relevant to
future problem solving and creative thinking. There is no need
to be too systematic as when you look back through your notes
you will make connections between points which you didn’t
initially see.
11 Use analogy (to improve imaginative thinking) to find

‘models’ or solutions in ‘nature’, in existing products,
services and/or in other organisations – not always
reinventing the wheel.
Nature holds many answers to our problems. We have the
challenge of realising them and applying what we discover to
our individual situation. Other models can be found in existing
products and organisations but we must be aware not to copy
them directly as this could lead to more problems. We should

keep an open mind and be very observant when looking at our
surroundings and use what we see to our advantage.
12 Try to sometimes make the strange familiar and the familiar

strange to spark new ideas.
Creative thinking is the search for something new. Sometimes
that something new can be found within the familiar. By making
the familiar strange you begin to look at it differently and this
can lead to many creative thoughts. The reverse is also true. By
becoming more familiar with the strange you open your mind to
exploring new avenues you may not have realised existed. Both
these processes can lead the creative thinker to new ideas. 13
Make connections with points that are apparently irrelevant,
disguised/buried or not easily accessible, outside your own
sphere of expertise and lacking authority.
Look beyond the ‘normal’ for your inspiration. Learn to think
freely about a situation or problem and don’t be too hasty about
defining a problem and boxing it into a category. Look outside
of your knowledge sphere for the answers.
14 Suspend judgement to encourage the creative process and

avoid premature criticism – analysis and criticism repress
creativity.
Criticism has it’s place but shouldn’t be embarked upon too
early in the creative process as it can have a negative effect.
When exploring and experimenting with new ideas, too much
negativity can cut short the creative flow. Constructive criticism
should be invited when you reach the evaluating and testing
stage.

15 Know when to leave a problem (remaining aware but
detached) for solutions to emerge – patience is important
here as is the suspension of judgement. Sometimes you can be
too involved with a problem and you need to take a step back to
be able to make progress. By switching off your attention you
allow your depth mind to become more active. You need to
have the confidence that your unconscious mind will take over.
Ideas often appear when you are involved in another activity,
such as driving, sitting on a train or walking. Try to resist the
temptation to start thinking consciously about the ideas that
come to you in this way, and instead allow them to develop in
their own time.
16 Tolerate ambiguity and occasionally live with doubt and

uncertainty.
Successful creative thinkers are able to tolerate ambiguity,
uncertainty, complexity and apparent disorder in their quest for
a solution. It can be difficult to resist coming to a premature
conclusion or solution. The challenge is to hold many ideas in
your mind at once and to work with them to a satisfactory
conclusion.
17 Stimulate your own curiosity (in everything including

travel) and the skills of observation, listening, reading and
recording.
Curiosity is the appetite of the intellect. Creative thinkers are
naturally curious because they have a desire to learn, know and
develop new ideas. Curiosity in creative thinking is a great
motivator; it’s the thought of ‘I wonder what will happen next?’
That is the link between thinking and learning.

Travel can be a great mental stimulant, arousing a curiosity and
interest in the world and other cultures. Experiencing other
cultures can make you ‘wake up’ to the one you normally live in
and put a different perspective on it.
Reading requires your mind to be imaginative and creative.

Always stay alert when reading as books, newspapers and other
matter are all sources of ideas, thoughts, facts and opinions,
which, taken out of context may be relevant to your present or
future thinking.
Good listening skills rely on a certain amount of humility – the
understanding that we don’t know everything. Having an open
mind and being curious when you are listening, allows you to
really absorb what you are hearing without being critical and
analytical. Make sure you fully understand what you are hearing
before you analyse and evaluate. Don’t easily dismiss what may
seem like useless information but be curious enough to see if
you can develop it into something more.
Remember
Managers should remember that creativity should challenge the
status quo to test continuously for improvements, because:
• a thing is not right because we do it
• a method is not good because we use it
• equipment is not the best because we own it.

Decision-making and the creative thinker
Decision-making is an attribute which is mastered by all successful
creative thinkers. Many effective decisions have to be made
throughout the creative process.
The effective thinker and decision maker is skilled in analysing,

synthesising and valuing. He knows when and how to use his depth
mind and he’s tuned in to his intuitive mind. His imagination can
help to find new ways of approaching situations and problems. He is
always open to new ideas, even if they come via unlikely analogies
as his span of relevance is wide. He has enough self awareness to
know that others may have a greater specialised knowledge than he,
and he is able to consult with them in the search for solutions and the
truth.
To make an effective decision these six processes should be

followed:
1 Define the objective
2 Gather sufficient information
3 Identify the options
4 Evaluate those options
5 Make the decision, choose the option to follow 6 Test its
implementation.
The three essential skills of an effective decision-maker and creative

thinker are:
1 analysing
2 synthesising 3 valuing.
Effective decisions result from thinking things through using the

crucial elements of: • establishing the facts

• considering all the options • deciding on the course of action.
The truly effective creative thinker:

• has skills of analysis, synthesis and valuing
• is open to intuition
• has imagination
• is open to new ideas
• has a sense of humility – recognising that others may have better
powers or knowledge and combining these with their own ideas.
Never make false assumptions or jump to conclusions. Don’t be

prone to faulty reasoning or to not listening to others. Always
operate in the context of facing reality and of seeking and speaking
the truth.
The logical or rational creative thinker will follow this decision-

making model:

Define objective
Collect
information
Sense
effects
Develop
opinions
Monitor
consequences
Evaluate
and decide
Implement
Decision makers don’t always choose the optimum solution as they
are affected by emotion, power, politics, the influences of other
people and by their own values. Often a decision is a compromise
between different courses of action, being one that:
• agrees to some extent with one’s own personal interests, needs
or values
• meets the value standards of superiors
• is acceptable to those affected (by the decision and for carrying
it out)
• looks reasonable
• has an escape element of self-justification if it all goes wrong.

Clearly such approaches to decision-making must be removed from
your approach!
Managers need to be prepared to make time to think creatively about

decisions – to devote quality time to this crucial area of activity,
because the thought behind the solution is as important as the
action itself.
Key elements of creative thinking and
decision-making
Analysis
The ability to break up the whole into more manageable parts,
dissecting complex matters into simple elements.
An analytical mind can:

• establish the relationship between the parts and the whole
• find the root cause(s) of the problem
• identify the issue(s) at stake.
Analytical, logical thinking is the ability of being able to draw proper

conclusions from the information available.
Analytical ability together with the knowledge of how to develop

and use analytical techniques is not enough for real achievement as a
creative thinker. You also need flair, perseverance and self-
motivation to be really successful. Analysis plays an important role
in problem solving. It helps to sift through facts and opinions,
dissecting the problem into parts and moving you towards a solution
to the problem. The hallmarks of an analytical mind are:
• simplicity, • originality; and

• clarity.
Analytical ability can be improved by:

• working from first principles
• establishing the facts and separating them from opinions,
assumptions or suppositions
• asking questions such as ‘When did the problem first arise?’ and
considering Who, What, When, Why, Where and How
• constantly checking the logical steps which can undermine good
reasoning
• thinking backwards from the desired outcome
• organising the facts
• seeing the problem as a solution in disguise.
Two other terms with regard to logical thinking are ‘inductive’ and
‘deductive’. These are both ways of inferring things: deduction is a
means of drawing a particular inference from a general proposition,
while induction is the forming of a generalisation from a number of
particular instances.
To test your logical thinking ability, consider the following two

scenarios:
1 A businessman on the way to a meeting has some time to kill.

He is in a small town and decides to have his hair cut. The town
has only two barbers, each with his own shop. The businessman
looked through the window of one shop and saw that it was
extremely untidy. The barber needed a shave, his clothes were
unkempt and his hair was badly cut. The other shop was
extremely tidy. The barber was freshly shaved, impeccably

dressed and his hair was neatly trimmed. The businessman
returned to the first shop for his haircut. Why?
2 Two trains are 100 miles apart. They are moving towards each
other, one at 40mph and the other at 60mph. A plane flying
backwards and forwards between the two trains is travelling at
80mph. How far does the plane fly before the trains meet?
80mph
40mph 60mph
100 miles
Don’t spend more than 10 minutes on each scenario then turn to the
Appendix on page 97 for the answers.
Often the end result is clear, the problem is how to get there. Using
your imagination to visualise the end result, work backwards
logically to find out the solution. Using this method try to solve the
following problem.
3 Sandra has to get her two babies, Jennifer and Carl, as well as
her cat, out to the car. Because Sandra has a broken arm she can
only carry one baby or the cat at a time. Neither child can be left
alone with the cat. How does she get all three of them to the car
in as few trips as possible?
The solution to this problem is in the Appendix on page 97.

Part of the process of logical thinking is re-arranging the available
information. A problem is often a jumble of information that needs
to be:
• Separated into its component parts
• Re-arranged or restructured
A problem is often a solution in disguise. Try sorting out the

available information in a systematic way. Sometimes using a pen
and paper as a tool is a great strategy. Consider the following
scenario:
4 Louise, Donna and Jane live next door to each other. Donna has
the flat in the middle. They work as a teacher, a TV presenter
and a nurse, but not necessarily in that order. The TV presenter
walks Jane’s dog when Jane is working late. The teacher taps on
Louise’s wall when Louise’s music is too loud. What career
does each woman have?
The solution to this problem is in the Appendix on page 97.
Logical thinking is only a small part of effective creative thinking. It

can be very useful but be conscious not to overanalyse as it can lead
to inactivity or ‘paralysis by analysis’.
Synthesis
Synthesis is the opposite to analysis, it is the ability to combine parts
or elements to form a whole. ‘Holistic’ is a useful word to explain
this approach. ‘Wholes’ are produced by grouping units together
where it is difficult to analyse them into their parts without losing the
wholeness. When thinking creatively, there is a need to be able to
see the wood for the trees (holism) rather then just the trees
(analysis).

The ability to be able to think about organisations and teams,
opportunities and problems as wholes is extremely important. In
business, the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. Creative
thinkers in business need to see the whole view to be able to yield
solutions. It is not productive to see things just as a marketing
problem or a production problem, for example. By deliberately
refraining from analytical thinking beyond a certain point, synthesis
will take over and the whole will take shape.
The Gestalt school of psychology bases itself on the following

principles:
• the overall significance of behaviour rather than a mechanistic
explanation
• the relationship between events, rather than just the events
themselves
• events don’t happen in isolation, but in a context which gives
them significance.
Managers without holistic minds tend to take a narrow view of

problems, seeing them related only to a single function, e.g. ‘This is
a Marketing problem’.
When we synthesise we are putting elements together to make a

compound. This is how ideas can begin as seeds and grow inside our
minds.
The idea of ideas growing can bring a reluctance to analyse ideas too
early, but rather to let them develop before submitting them for
criticism from others. By becoming more aware of holistic thinking
and it’s importance you will be able to deliberately refrain from
analysis and develop the skills to allow the whole to take shape in
your mind.

Valuing
Valuing is the third essential skill in effective thinking and decision-
making. To make decisions you must be able:
• to establish the true facts; and
• to know what to do.
Time should be taken to discover the true facts as this will make
knowing what to do easier. In the process of establishing the truth we
use the skill of valuing alongside analysis, synthesis, depth mind and
intuition.
Another form of valuing is knowing who to trust and when to trust to

get the truth. This is where educated intuition comes in. Questioning
is a valid method of establishing the credentials of the adviser and
the credibility of the advice.
Experience will help you to recognise the people who:
• tell you what they think you want to hear
• express a view thinking it will agree with your own
• are watching their backs
• try to hide things.
Be scrupulous in establishing the truth as bad advisers may give you

interpretations of the situation which are from their objective. They
may give you information to help you follow a particular course of
action which they want you to follow. Beware of inaccurate figures,
errors in facts and assumptions as they will divert you from the truth.
You should try to surround yourself with advisers you can trust, who
are in touch with the reality around them and who are loyal to their
commitment to truth. By the same means, be willing to admit when
you are wrong, you will be setting a good example.
Other useful approaches to creative

thinking and decision-making
Imaginative thinking
Being imaginative is part of being creative in the approach to
decision-making. It is a form of holistic thinking which can be used
to originate and innovate to find solutions. We can use it to surprise
the competition, to exploit the unexpected, to invent new products or
services, or to solve problems creatively.
An imaginative person can:

• recall events easily and visually
• foresee what may happen before an event actually takes place
• be creative artistically, mechanically or verbally.
All these elements contribute to the process of creative thinking.
There are a range of imaginative abilities which can be used by the

creative thinker:
• Recalling: to be able to bring something back into the mind that
is not actually present at that time.
• Visualising: to be able to form a picture in the mind of
something not experienced, such as a walk on a faraway beach
or the moon.
• Creating: to be able to form an image of something that doesn’t
exist at present.
• Foreseeing: to be able to see a development or an outcome
before it actually happens or takes place.
• Fantasy: to be able to invent the unreal by changing or
combining elements of reality with no logical constraints.

A good manager, trying to work out a problem, needs to be both
imaginative and careful about the facts they use to ensure they
properly deduce the solution. They must think imaginatively but be
coherent, methodical and in touch with the reality of the situation at
hand.
Imagination should not be your number one skill in creative thinking

but it should feature as part of your skill set.
Being imaginative can lead us to be innovative, inventive, exploring,

risk-taking and adventuring. It is an aid to creative thinking but we
must remember to stay in touch with the true facts of the situation or
problem in hand.
John Sainsbury, chairman of the highly successful chain of
supermarkets, states:
‘‘ The characteristic in a good manager which
I appreciate almost above all else is that of

imagination. The good manager has to be imaginative
in order to be a successful innovator. Success in that
respect brings not only a valuable contribution to any
enterprise, but also the considerable personal
satisfaction of creative achievement.
It is imagination which is needed to anticipate events

and to respond to change. It is only those with a lively
imagination who can really develop a sensitive
understanding of others, be they customers, colleagues

or shop floor workers. To be able to do that is a vital
ingredient of success in commerce and industry. ’’

Practice using your imagination by imagining yourself in five years
time as the chief executive of your organisation. Create a credible
scenario to explain your rise to this position.
Use all your senses to really flesh out the fantasy.
Conceptual thinking
In many cases the analyst is trying to break down the particulars of a
problem or situation into something more general and less concrete.
This is known as ‘abstracting’ but this term can generate unpleasant
overtones in some people, such as:
• It’s difficult to understand
• It’s remote from apprehension
• It’s insufficiently factual
• It’s theoretical
• It’s impersonal
• It’s detached
• It’s visionary.
To think conceptually is a similar process to analysis but a concept

should be thought about holistically. A concept is something
conceived in the mind. It can come from the practice of analysis but
it is different in that it is a whole and is an entity that can be
developed in its own right.
Conceptual thinking in business addresses such issues as:

• What business are we in?

• What are its strengths and weaknesses?
• What are its purposes and aims?
Concepts grow with the aid of creative thinking, reading, listening,

experience and our depth mind. The quality of your concepts and
your ability to develop them through creative thinking is a basis for
good decision-making.
Intuition
Intuition can be described as an instinct, a first impression, a feel, a
hunch, a sense or flair.

Being intuitive is undoubtedly a help in creative thinking and decision-
making. It can be said to be a form of valuing done without conscious effort
and carried out very quickly. The intuitive person discerns the truth about a
situation or a person almost instantly.
Intuition is central to the way successful thinkers work. It is an unconscious

ability to select the right option or evaluation, a recognition of truth from
the depth mind.
To be more aware and in touch with your intuition even if it is only a faint
whisper. To recognise it you need to trust your intuitive powers. You should
be prepared to give your intuition the benefit of the doubt but also be aware
it can be affected by your emotions surrounding the situation or problem.
Stress and tiredness can upset the intuitive thinkers immediate
comprehension of the reality of a situation so remember to evaluate your
intuitive thoughts carefully.
CHECKLIST: HOW DOES YOUR MIND WORK?
• Consider how developed your mind is at using: Analysis,

Synthesis and Valuing. Which is the most developed and
which the least?
• Can you recall an experience of using your depth mind to

synthesise two or more different courses of action?
continued
28 THE CONCISE
CHECKLIST: continued
• Can you recall putting an issue to one side and

then finding your mind has discovered a solution
while you weren’t consciously looking for one?
• Would you consider yourself an analyst or more of

a holistic thinker?
• How much do you rely on your intuition when

meeting new people?
• Can you recall being aware that your depth mind

has evaluated something after the event when you
weren’t conscious of it?
• Do you balance spending time thinking with

spending time interacting with others?
• Can you recall visually things that you have experi-

enced with great accuracy?
continued

CHECKLIST: continued
• Can you visualise things that you have not experi-

enced?
• Do you find it easy to use your imagination to

choose colour schemes to decorate a room, or
think up stories to tell your children?
• Do you use all of your five senses when imagining

situations?
Using creative thinking to evaluate the options

You should choose a course of action out of a range of ‘options’. You
should never assume that there is only one option open to you. Consider a
number of options, as many as you can think of. Information gathering will
help you to collect options. Even consider options that you think might be
closed to you; for example, price increases.
‘Possible’ options are those which include everything that could be done
within the limits of the situation. Whereas
30 THE CONCISE
‘feasible’ options are those that can be put in place using the existing
resources.
The first step in evaluating options is to sort out the feasible options from
the possible options. Then, working only with the feasible options reduce
them to two alternatives – the either/or. The process of evaluation then
allows you to opt for one of them, both of them, or you could consider
combining, mixing or blending them.
This process resembles a funnel:
POSSIBILITIES
Identify the
1 2 3 4 5 possible
options
Identify which 2 4 5
of those are
feasible Reduce the
feasible options
2 5
to two choices,
Choose one of the ‘either/or’
these, or more A
than one
SOLUTION

You may also need to consider whether any action is necessary at all, either
now or later. The final strategy would be to consider keeping your options
open and not making the final choice just yet.
CHECKLIST: OPTIONS
Throughout the creative decision-making process

consider the following and make notes:
• Which options are feasible?
• Which of the feasible options are practical

alternatives?
• Are they mutually exclusive, or can we use both,

or a combination of the two?
• Will the result they bring achieve the objective

we set out to meet?
continued

CHECKLIST: OPTIONS continued
• Would it be better to postpone the decision or

to do nothing at all?
• Under what circumstances should we keep our

options open?
Whilst considering the options be aware of making sure you have all the
correct facts. Factors which can limit the range and choice of options
include:
• Time: How much have we got? Is it enough? Is someone else dictating
the time limit? Can it be altered and with what consequences?
• Information: Do we have all the relevant data? Do we have enough to
make an informed judgement? Is the information we have reliable?
• Resources: Do we have enough funding? Do we have the correct
machinery and the staff to operate it?
• Knowledge: Do we know enough about the field we are in or are
entering? Are our managers and staff fully trained and up to speed?
Generating options through creative thinking and innovation will usually

lead to better decision-making. Judgement should be suspended while
generating options to allow the free flow of creativity. The ability to
consider fresh possibilities can increase the range of options. Do not be too
eager to settle for the ‘good option’ too early, there may be a much better
one just around the corner.

Be aware of the negative critic who may not be open minded enough to
consider all the options and may distract you from making the right
judgements. You can recognise them as they use phases such as:
• It won’t work
• We always do it this way
• It can’t be done
• It failed before
• It costs too much
• I don’t like that idea
• It’s impractical.
Calculating the risks

In weighing up the options you must consider the possible and the probable
consequences. Judgement and experience should be used to select from the
range of options which have been carefully assessed in light of all the facts.
The desired outcome will be one that realises the purpose, aims and
objectives of the organisation.
It is quite often the case in business that the larger the risk the greater the
potential gain. But risks should be carefully calculated and as much done as
possible to minimise them. This is an assessment of the risk and reward.
Can you accept the risk of failure? If the risks are too great the strength of
mind needs to be found to say ‘no’ before the idea is implemented and the
consequences become reality.
Key questions to ask yourself to avoid making a bad decision:
• Have I defined the objective correctly?
• Do I have sufficient information?
• Have I considered all the feasible options?
• Have a evaluated all the options correctly?
• Does the decision ‘feel right’ now I’ve begun to implement it?

If you do make a mistake, identify where you made it. This will help
commit the information to your depth mind and enable you to learn from
experience.

Blank page

PART TWO Innovation
The process of innovation

Five Factors to create the right climate for
innovation
Innovation and organisation
Characteristics of an innovative organisation
What qualities should a chief executive as a leader
have?
Motivation and innovation
Characteristics to look for when recruiting
organisation they work for?
Distinctive characteristics of the creative leader
The generation of ideas
PART TWO: INNOVATION

Team innovation
Communicating about innovation
Brainstorming
Two more methods of collecting ideas
Dealing with change and overcoming obstacles to innovation
Criticism
37
Part two: Innovation
The process of innovation

The innovative process has three main stages:
1 Generation of ideas: individuals and teams producing new
ideas and improving existing ones.
2 Harvesting ideas: the act of gathering the ideas, sifting through
them and evaluating them.
3 Developing and implementing the ideas: the research, testing,
improvement and development of the ideas and their
implementation.
To innovate is to introduce something new – an idea, method or

device – it is a combination of two processes: generating new ideas
and the implementation of them. Innovation is a type of change
which can be either a series of steps or one huge leap towards in a
desired direction.
Innovation calls for good leadership and management at all levels of

the organisation. Good leaders will stimulate people to be more
‘hands on’ and interested in their work, and in turn, this will lead to
the generation of more good ideas. Managerial leaders are needed for
change to be able to happen and change brings about the need for
leaders.
A general interest in all things leads to ideas. The recognition by

management of these ideas leads to greater job interest, a deeper
involvement and commitment from staff. But innovation is more
than having new ideas; it is about successfully implementing them –
turning ideas into useful, practical and commercial products or
services. Most change happens gradually, a development of existing
ideas, products and services.

Everyone can participate in team creativity and innovation. Everyone
is capable of using creativity, experience and ingenuity to implement
change.
Some of the key players in an organisation who are responsible for

innovation:
Creative thinker: produces new and original ideas Innovator:
brings new products/services to the market or changes existing ones
Inventor: produces new and commercial ideas Entrepreneur:
conceives or receives ideas and translates them into business reality
to exploit a market opportunity Intrapreneur: responsible for
innovation within an organisation
Champion: has the determination and commitment to implement an
idea
Sponsor: backs an idea and helps remove obstacles
Effective innovation requires:

1 a blend of new ideas
2 the ability to get things done
3 sound commercial sense
4 customer focus
5 a conducive organisational climate.
Five factors to create the right climate for
innovation
1 Management commitment
Top management needs to visibly show their recognition and
commitment to innovation; to encourage and facilitate a good
attitude to change at all levels. Without a leadership team that
values new ideas and who constantly struggles to keep moving
towards innovation, there will be no sustained and profitable
growth.
2 Positive strategic change

PART TWO: INNOVATION 39
Organisations should consider the following questions:
• What is our business?
• Where is our business at this time?
• What do we want to achieve in three to five years’ time?
• What do we want to achieve in ten years’ time?
• What are our strengths and weaknesses?
• Have we got the necessary resources to enable us to
implement our strategic plans?
• What are our competitors’ plans? Do they pose a threat to
our plans?
• Are we equipped to deal with the unforeseen?
3 A long-term perspective
Innovation should not be reactive but be part of a long-term
strategic plan under the direction of good leaders and managers.
4 Flexibility to deal with change
Flexibility is a key quality in dealing with change in an
organisation. This can mean flattening the hierarchical
management pyramid and pushing decision-making
downwards. Effective, open communication at all staff
levels is essential for this to happen.
5 Accepting the possibility of risk

New ideas nearly always come with an element of risk but the
possibility of failure shouldn’t be used as an excuse not to
innovate. Managers should be aware of risks and face the
possibility of terminating potential failures before too much
damage is done. However, management should not be too
critical if mistakes occur as this will smother initiative in the
long-term.

Innovation and organisation
Organisations need a certain amount of order in them; rules and
procedures to be followed, but individuals also need a certain
amount of freedom – without it they’re innovative thoughts are
curtailed. Freedom of thought leads to people expressing themselves
and being creative and innovative.
Management structures that are as flat as possible are more

conducive to informal and flexible relationships in an organisation.
These types of structures permit and encourage different departments
to communicate and cross-fertilise.
Managers tend to be people who like order but they need to be aware
that innovation is often a disorderly process. Although control is an
important leadership function it should be exercised with skill and
sensitivity. Organisations need to find a balance between structure
and productivity, and innovation and creativity. An organisation
which is only interested in reproducing existing products and
services would soon go out of existence as technological and market
advances are made all around them.
Characteristics of an innovative organisation

• The management is personal and informal
• There is not a strong emphasis on functional specialisation
• Workers have been allowed to have freedom of thought
• The management structure is quite flat with leaders being very
approachable
• Clearly laid down procedures are kept to a minimum
• Workers are encouraged to be creative and flexible, and to
develop themselves.
A bureaucratic organisation is the opposite of this. Over the years,

and as companies grow in size, they increase their bureaucratic
tendency. Paper proliferates and even minor decisions start to be
referred upwards. Systems regulate people and become restrictive.
Senior managers become more remote and people gradually feel
isolated and alienated. This curbs innovation and creativity.
To be successful at innovation organisations should apply five main
ingredients to their management style:
1 Top level commitment

This must be visible and audible and top management must
ensure that blocks are removed and that inhibiting
bureaucracy/individuals does not foul up the process. Chief
executives and senior managers must value new ideas and
innovation, and participate actively to ensure that all know of
their commitment to positive and useful change. Sometimes the
need for short-term profits can dull the edge of creativity and
innovation. Only top management can prevent this happening –
taking the long not the short-term view.
2 Flexible in organisational structure

The antithesis of the innovative organisation is the bureaucratic
one and Weber’s characteristics of bureaucratic organisations
are as follows:
• authority is impersonal and formal
• strong emphasis on functional specialisation
• a rule for every eventuality
• strong emphasis on hierarchy and status
• clearly laid down procedures (red tape)
• proliferation of paperwork
• security of employment and advancement by seniority.
At the opposite end of the scale would be the flexible

organisation which is one:
• capable of responding to changing situations

• where barriers between staff in different areas are
minimised
• with a flat rather than pyramid organisational structure
• where decision-making is pushed downwards to where the
organisation meets its customers/suppliers
• with entrepreneurial flair present at all levels
• which can develop and test more than one solution to
problems encountered
• with efficient rather than stifling monitoring systems
• which has enough ‘discipline’ to get things done
• which balances freedom and order.
3 Tolerant of failure
Innovation and risk go hand in hand. Management which goes
into critical overdrive when mistakes occur (rather than
analysing them to learn from the failures) smothers creativity
and innovation. Risks can yield failure, but not taking risks can
spell total disaster and an end to profits and growth. Unless
failure results from negligence, recklessness or complete
incompetence, managers should not seek out scapegoats or exact
revenge. Profits are the reward for taking risks and innovative
organisations learn to live with risk.
4 Encouraging teamwork and innovation

In innovation it can be said that none of us is as good as all of
us. Teamwork and innovation are better in organisations where:
• the climate is open
• participation is encouraged
• facts and information are readily available
• change is managed positively
• resources are provided for training and development
• rules are at a minimum (with policies and guidelines
instead)

• internal communications are good and more by mouth than
memo
• respect is given to all colleagues (but not on demand by
management – it has to be earned)
• managers are themselves highly motivated
• teamwork often transcends departmental boundaries.
5 Good at open and constructive communication

Communication should be good laterally and vertically (and
flatter organisations should – in theory, at least – encourage
good lateral communication). Managers should ensure a good
flow of information – ideas can emerge as a result. Cross-
fertilisation can create more (and better) ideas, particularly
where departmental, divisional boundaries are crossed.
Feedback about ideas can maintain interest levels and
information about progress can stimulate further activity. Good
communication can improve innovation and should:
• stress the importance of new ideas and show how the
business has improved because of their implementation
• indicate why ideas have been rejected or accepted
• give progress reports of ideas originated by individuals and
teams
• recognise and reward appropriately for successful
innovation.
CHECKLIST FOR THE INNOVATIVE ORGANISATION
• Is the top management team committed to innovation?
• Does the organisation express clearly its vision (which

should include an emphasis on innovation)?
• Is the Chief Executive openly enthusiastic for change?

• Are mutual stimulation, feedback and constructive criticism
all at high levels of activity?
• Is the organisation good at team work including the use of

project teams?
• Are mistakes and failures accepted as part of risktaking?
• Do creative people join and stay with the organisation?
continued
CHECKLIST FOR THE INNOVATIVE ORGANISATION continued
• Is innovation rewarded (financially or by promotion or

both)?
• Are lateral communications good?
• Can ideas be exchanged informally and are opportunities

provided to do this?
• Does the organisation raise excuses not to innovate?
• Are resources given to new ideas?

• Is the structure flexible?
• Is decision-making pushed down to the lowest level at which

decisions could be taken?
• Do all staff see themselves as part of the creative and

innovative processes?
continued
CHECKLIST FOR THE INNOVATIVE ORGANISATION continued
• Does the organisation take a long-term view of the benefits

of innovation?
• Is innovation part of the organisation’s vision and strategy?
• Is it fun to work in your organisation?
What qualities should a chief executive as a leader

have?
A chief executive should have the ability to build teamwork and
build a team approach at every level of an organisation. They should
be able to make the most arduous work interesting and create a good
team spirit amongst workers.
The chief executive should have the ability to:

• think deeply
• communicate clearly and openly
• implement and manage change
• project infectious enthusiasm and have a sense of humour.
A successful chief executive will have a team of executives and
administrators who can think strategically and build the corporate
culture towards greater teamwork. They will have the knowledge
and ability to get results from the individuals who make up the
workforce. This is known as action-centred leadership and is a
means of realising a company’s potential. This is a recognition of the
need to lead rather than merely manage. Some of the best
organisations are led by a team rather than an individual but the team
itself needs a leader. This is the core responsibility of the chief
executive.
Sir Raymond Lygo, former head of British Aerospace and a former

admiral in the Royal Navy, says:
“Management is the art of organisation, the art of

organising people and things to produce and achieve
objectives. Leadership is the ability to inspire other
men and women to achieve things much greater than
they would have done if they were left to their own
devices.”
All organisations that aspire to innovate need both leadership and

management to achieve productive order without sacrificing freedom
and creativity. Chief executives should give their organisations a
sense of direction and a clear vision of the future. They should also
be able to guide their organisations towards that clear vision.
Motivation and innovation
Innovation will not happen without motivation. People must want to
innovate, they need to be enthusiastic and interested in the subject at
hand. It is important to recruit people who have the potential for this.
This type of person tends to be adventurous and independently-
minded. Young people are often more future-orientated and open to
new experiences, with fewer preconceptions and assumptions.
Therefore, it is good for organisations to recruit intelligent,
enthusiastic and creative young people who have a willingness to put
new ideas into practice.
Characteristics to look for when recruiting

• A superior general intelligence with an ability to store and recall
information
• A high degree of autonomy, self-sufficiency and selfdirection
• Relatively little gregariousness; creative thinkers tend to be
ambivert
• An independence of judgement and a resilience to group
pressure towards conformity in thinking
• A sense of honesty and the ability to express that honesty
• A broad range of interests to stimulate the mind
• A special motivation to solve problems and to take up the
opportunities to do this
• A sense of curiosity and good powers of observation
• Dedication and commitment to projects
• An awareness of the purposeful unconscious mind
• An ability to hold many ideas together in creative tension,
without reaching a premature resolution.
But, remember, selection is a two way process. Creative people are

looking for an environment which allows them to explore their
talents and for those talents to flourish. Otherwise they become
stifled and frustrated.

organisation they work for?
1 Recognition and appreciation: There is often a delay between
an innovative idea and the results of that creative work. To
encourage the continuation of that creativity it is important for
management to show appreciation and to give recognition as
soon as possible, even if the idea has to go through much more
development before it comes to fruition.
2 The freedom to work outside normal department boundaries

in areas of particular interest: Creative people are most
effective if they are allowed to work in the areas which interest
them the greatest.
3 Contact with colleagues outside of there normal team:

Conversation, both formal and informal, with colleagues from
different departments can be very stimulating for the creative
person. Random meetings in communal areas often generate
new thoughts and ideas.
4 Encouragement to take risks: Innovations all have a certain
amount of risk attached to them. Management should encourage
calculated risks while being aware of potential disasters.
These environmental conditions are motivational to the creative

person and give them the drive they need to move forward. Without
these conditions creative and innovative flair can’t flourish. This will
lead to a team of unhappy workers with very low motivation.
Distinctive characteristics of the creative leader

• A willingness to accept risk: By giving workers a freedom to
be creative you take on a certain amount of risk of failures or
financial losses. As a leader you should not abdicate risk but

take some responsibility for it. You should be aware and
sensitive to possible consequences from an innovative idea. Do
not dwell on mistakes – learn from them and use that knowledge
to make better decisions about future innovations.
• An ability to develop half-formed ideas: New ideas are rarely
fully formed, they can take much development. Do not easily
dismiss an ill-formed idea as it may be the basis of a great one.
Leaders should listen and facilitate team creativity to develop
ideas further.
• An ability to be flexible: Rules and systems have their place
but they shouldn’t be restrictive to creative people. Sometimes
procedures should be stretched if
they can’t be broken. Don’t get bogged down in organisational
treacle.
• An ability to respond quickly: Some new ideas need to be
actioned quickly. Leaders should be able to deploy resources
without having to delay by referring to top management.
• A personal enthusiasm: Highly motivated leaders impart that
enthusiasm onto their workers. This leads to intellectual
stimulation and the generation of ideas.
Creative leadership is the kind of leadership that encourages,

stimulates and guides the process of innovation from beginning to
end. The challenge is in leading creative people to reach their full
potential.
With these characteristics managers should be able to:

• Manage for creativity and innovation
• Provide an organisational environment in which innovation can
thrive
• Use a variety of techniques to stimulate ideas for products,
services and systems, and to generate ideas for bringing these to
fruition.

To manage innovation and to draw ‘greatness’ out of people, the
following process is used to guide individuals and teams:
1 Defining the task: clearly explains what needs to be
accomplished or what area needs to be considered.
2 Planning: the organisation of resources – people, materials and
time.
3 Briefing: makes sure all participants know their role and
importance.
4 Controlling: keeps people on track without being too
restrictive.
5 Evaluating: makes insightful judgements and appropriate
criticism as necessary.
6 Motivating: keeps interest in and commitment to the task.
7 Organising: keeps structure within the project team.
8 Setting an example: practices the behaviours needed to be seen
in others.
9 Supporting: builds and maintains a team spirit and is accessible
at all times.
The generation of ideas

It is interesting to note that organisations can get ideas from,
amongst other sources: • R&D (internal or external)
• Staff
• Competitors
• Suppliers
• Customers
• Quality circles.
One survey demonstrated that SMEs (small and mediumsized

enterprises) can get ideas from, in order of importance:
1 Staff
2 Customers
3 Market and competition
4 Board and Planning Group
5 Sales department
6 Suppliers
7 Managing director
8 Consultants
9 Shows and exhibitions.
Ideas have to be sieved – by individuals or by teams – to choose and

refine the selected ideas to be developed. When selecting ideas the
following criteria should be considered:
• originality of thought
• ultimate benefit to the customer
• business potential
• quality improvement
• cost savings
• viability in implementation.
Three specific questions should be asked about each new idea:

1 Is it needed?
2 Is it practical?
3 Is it commercial?
Team innovation
New ideas and innovations often come from an individual but they
are often only half-formed. These half-baked ideas should be
developed by one or more others working as a team. This process is
called ‘team innovation’ or ‘team creativity’.
Team creativity should be encouraged in the innovative organisation.

The natural, negative response to half-formed ideas should be
pushed aside and a positive attitude to build on them encouraged.
Attitudes should not be critical but positive and constructive.
Belbin identified nine team member roles:

1 Plant: solves difficult problems.
2 Resource manager: explores opportunities and develops
contacts.
3 Co-ordinator: clarifies goals, promotes good decision-making
and delegates effectively.
4 Shaper: has the drive and courage to overcome obstacles.
5 Monitor/evaluator: sees all options and judges them accurately.
6 Team worker: listens, is co-operative and diplomatic.
7 Implementer: turns ideas into practical actions.
8 Completer: tests for errors and omissions, and delivers on time.
9 Specialist: provides knowledge and skills in specialist areas.
A good team will exhibit all of the above ‘roles’, not necessarily
with nine different people, but with fewer team members adopting
different roles to complete the task.
Encouraging creativity in teams (besides helping individuals to

‘perform’ the Belbin roles within a team) depends on a manager’s
skills at:
• using the different skills within the team (having first identified
the attributes of each individual)
• ensuring conflicts of ideas are allowed to happen and are
tolerated by all
• recognising particularly good contributions
• helping the team generate ideas (e.g. by brainstorming)
• creating an open environment where individuals can speak up
honestly.

Communicating about innovation
The good team leader will communicate effectively about progress,
giving the team regular feedback as well as listening to their
thoughts and ideas. Progress is a great motivator. The leader should:
• make regular opportunities to talk and listen to the team about
progress and changes that are being made along the way.
• Explain why certain ideas have been implemented or chosen for
further investigation and why others have been rejected at that
time.
• Give recognition to those ideas that are developed and provide
rewards to the people who generated them.
CHECKLIST FOR BUILDING ON IDEAS
• Do all the team members understand the problem?
• Do they focus together on each aspect of the problem?
• Do they work as a team building on each others ideas?
continued
CHECKLIST FOR BUILDING ON IDEAS continued
• Do they make sure everyone in the team understands each

idea?
• Do they discuss things at a high enough level?
• Do they use analogies to develop ideas?

• Do the team listen to each other?
• Do the team members reserve criticism for an appropriate

time?
• Do the team members improve on incomplete ideas?
• Do they completely explore an idea before dismissing it?
Brainstorming
In leading a brainstorming session the four main steps are:
1 Introduce the aim of the session
2 Warm-up if necessary by doing a practice exercise
(eg. 20 uses for a hammer)
3 State the problem but don’t be too detailed
4 Guide the participants by giving them time to think and generate
ideas and then help them maintain a free-flow of ideas.
In leading a session which is ‘sticky’ and short of ideas to start with,

ask ‘what if ’ questions to stimulate thought.
The rules of team brainstorming:

• There should be no judicial judgement: A brainstorming
session is not the place for criticism of ideas. All thoughts and
ideas should be voiced, however outlandish they seem, as they
may stimulate someone else to be creative.
• All crazy ideas should be welcomed: It is easier to tone down a
wild idea than it is to build one up.

• Quantity is wanted: The more ideas that are generated,
however ill-formed, the more likelihood there is of finding a
good one.
• Idea combinations should be encouraged: Team members
should be invited to suggest how a colleague’s idea could be
developed, or how two or more ideas could be amalgamated.
Brainstorming sessions can often lead to a ‘chain-reaction’ between

workers as ideas are developed openly. A small spark from one
person can lead to many other ideas, building gradually into a great
innovation.
The right climate will encourage the team to express ideas, however
ill-formed. Creativity cannot be organised but some structures will
encourage it. Communications should be positive and confident but
also realistic and essentially constructive.
Brainstorming sessions should always be followed up, perhaps in

smaller groups and ideas should then be evaluated by:
• deciding the selection criteria
• selecting obvious winning ideas
• eliminating the unworkable ideas
• sifting ideas into groupings and selecting the best in each
• applying the selection criteria to obvious winners and
‘best of ’ the various groups
• testing the selections by ‘reverse brainstorming’ (i.e. in how
many ways can this idea fail?)
• informing the participants of further developments.
Team training is important to improve team performance. Training to

improve effective thinking and communication skills can really help
a team to develop and work more efficiently together.

CHECKLIST: BRAINSTORMING
• Do you use brainstorming as a technique

whenever the appropriate situation arises?
• Do your brainstorming sessions work and if not,

do you know what you can do to improve them?
• Are you leading the sessions effectively?
• Have you considered appointing another member

of the team to lead the session?
• Have you experimented with any variations on the

basic brainstorming method?
• Can you think of examples of when brainstorming

has generated good ideas and improved creative
thinking in your organisation?
continued

CHECKLIST: BRAINSTORMING continued
• Do you and your organisation make use of creative

thinking project groups and teams?
• Do you and your managers have a list of problems

that could benefit from brainstorming?

Two more methods of collecting ideas
A leaders challenge is to elicit new ideas and thoughts from the
workforce. Brainstorming is a good way to do this but two other
proven methods are:
1 suggestion schemes; and 2
quality circles.
Lets look at each of these in turn.
Suggestion schemes
Suggestion schemes need enthusiastic support from top management
for them to be successful. Management should ask specific, thought
provoking questions to give people a direction for their thinking. A
management team which is eager for innovation, expects ideas to be
forthcoming and is determined to generate them is much more likely
to have a successful suggestion scheme. Management should also
give a quick response to all suggestions made, even if this is just a
letter or a quick meeting to acknowledge receipt and to say the idea
is being looked into in more depth.
It should be remembered that money is rarely the motivating factor

in generating new ideas: recognition and a sense of achievement are
usually far more important to the individual.
The drawback of suggestion schemes is that they don’t adhere to the

key principal of team creativity – they are highly individualistic. By
contrast, Quality Circles do involve team creativity.
Quality circles
Quality circles involve a group of four to twelve people from the
same work area or department voluntarily meeting to solve their
work-related problems.
For quality circles to flourish they need:

• Top management commitment

• Members to voluntarily participate
• Members to be trained in teamwork
• Members to have a shared work background
• To be solution orientated
• Recognition and support from top management.
The main reason quality circles fail is because of lack of support

from management. A commitment to provide training and resources
on a long-term basis should come from all levels of management.

CHECKLIST FOR THE GENERATION OF IDEAS
• Is there an internal market for innovative ideas?
• Do teams allocate time to consider ideas?
• Do you and your teams spend time away from the

office to review performance and plans?
• Are customers/suppliers involved in innovation in

your business?
• Do you have successfully innovative teams and/or

individuals and can you identify reasons for their
success?
• Do you have a suggestion scheme that works?
• Are new ideas properly rewarded?
continued

CHECKLIST FOR THE GENERATION OF IDEAS continued
• Do you help ensure ideas are not lost through poor

presentation?
• Do you know of an alternative route to profitability

and growth other than through innovation?
Dealing with change and overcoming

obstacles to innovation
It is human nature to resist the unknown. Change, if it is very great
or very sudden, can be alarming. We are more likely to respond to
change in a positive way if it is gradual and expected. Innovation
tends to mean a series of small changes over a period of time, a form
of evolution within an organisation. This evolution needs to be
carefully guided by leaders with personal and professional skills as
well as enthusiasm.
Managers must ensure that creativity and innovation are not killed
off by:
1 an initial response of outright condemnation, ridicule, rejection,
damning criticism or faint praise
2 the vested interest of a particular person or department 3 too
early an evaluation/judgement – sometimes suspending
judgement early on can see an idea grow and reach a strong
stage where it will work.

Criticism
Criticism has its place but should not be introduced too early in the
creative process. All relevant criticism should be handled with tact
and diplomacy, and explanations given where necessary. Sometimes,
challenging accepted views and persisting in criticism, despite group
pressures to conform, may penetrate fixed ideas and create new ones.
Exercise: Overcoming obstacles

• Consider what obstacles exist in your organ-
isation that may prevent individuals from
putting ideas forward.
• Can you think of examples of when potentially
good ideas have come to nothing because of
these obstacles?
continued
Exercise: Overcoming obstaclescontinued

• Make a list of ideas for best practice which
would allow the organisation to overcome
these obstacles.
• Circulate your list to the managers in your

organisation and discuss them further, and
hopefully put them into action!
Blank page
PART THREE Summary
A creative thinker and innovator in practice

The seven habits of successful creative thinkers and innovators
Blank page
Part three: Summary
A creative thinker and innovator in practice

In his autobiography, Long After Sixty (1975), Lord Roy Thompson
of Fleet wrote:
‘‘ In my office I have always made myself accessible;
I have always insisted upon this, to the extent often of not

allowing my staff, or of not waiting for them, to vet strangers
who came to see me before permitting them to come into my
office. It is surprising the things that have sprung from this,
the surprising things I have learned.
I am always curious, always hopeful. I still often duck out of

an office meeting to see what some visitor looks like and to
find out what he wants. Likewise, I take quite a few telephone
calls if my secretary happens to be busy or out of the room for
the moment; I have told the switchboard that if there is not
one of my personal staff to answer a call, to put it straight
through to me. I don’t want any information or opportunity to
go elsewhere just because no-one could take a call.
I try to make friends wherever I go and it is my fond belief that I

usually succeed. The way I look at it, everyone has an idea and one
in a dozen may be a good idea. If you have to talk to a dozen people
to get one good idea, even just the glimmering of an idea, that isn’t
wasteful work. People are continually passing things onto me,
because I have given them to believe that I will be interested.

Sometimes, usually when it is least expected, something comes up
that is touched with gold. ’’
PART THREE: SUMMARY 67

The seven habits of successful creative
thinkers and innovators
1 Thinking outside the apparent confines of the

problem/situation
• challenging the accepted
• ensuring you have defined the problem correctly
• not assuming existing practices, procedures or theories are
absolutely correct
• widening your span of relevance by considering how other
industries deal with similar problems.
Beyond the nine dots

Consider the puzzle below to discover how your mind works.
Connect up the nine dots by using four straight lines without taking
your pen or pencil off the paper. Allow yourself
3 minutes to solve the problem before turning to the Appendix on
page 98 to find out the answer.

To be able to solve this puzzle you must challenge the assumption
that the ‘rules’ mean that you should stay within the confines of the
dots. Unconsciously imposing assumptions about a problem will put
constraints on being able to find an answer.
We need to be able to think outside of the problem. We impose rules

and frameworks around situations when we should be thinking more
creatively than those boundaries allow. We need to have a wide span
of relevance to be able to take our thinking outside the boundaries.
We need to learn to ‘leap over the wall’ into what is the unknown
and make it the known.
We should be aware of misconceptions, preconceptions and

unconscious assumptions in our thinking. Listening to others when
they challenge or test our assumptions may lead your ideas down a
different, more beneficial path.
Making some assumptions deliberately and making connections

between ideas that are apparently distant will involve a greater
degree of creative thinking. This may help you explore ways forward
but be aware not to commit yourself to these assumptions and make
sure they are fully tested at a later date.
‘‘ Discovery consists of seeing what everyone has seen
and thinking what nobody has thought.

Anon
’’

CHECKLIST: BEYOND THE NINE DOTS
• Did you manage to solve the problem within the

three minutes allowed?
• Are you able to appreciate the differences between

unconscious and deliberately made assumptions?
• Are you aware of making untested assumptions?
• Are you able to find a balance between making

imaginative assumptions and realistic assess-
ments?
• Are you comfortable exploring options outside of

the assumed boundaries?
• Are you able to evaluate your span of relevance

and that of others?
continued
CHECKLIST: BEYOND THE NINE DOTS continued

• Do you find yourself blaming your lack of creativity on not
having the correct specialist knowledge or education?
2 Welcoming chance intrusions

• being aware of the unexpected
• being open to chance.
Chance meetings or events can often provide the mind with creative
food, providing the missing link in the solution to a problem. But, the
creative thinker must be observant of everything around them in
order to be aware of the chance and its meaning. This will open up
many new ideas to you when you are not looking for them.
Having a wide span of attention and a broad range of interests will

give you more opportunities to have chance meetings and
experiences. Be open to the possibilities of transferring technology
and ideas from one field to another. You will be more capable of this
type of thinking if you have worked in more than one industry or
have travelled abroad through your work.
Look out for chance meetings and events and don’t wait for them to
happen. Be sensitive and observant when interpreting these
situations, realise their possible significance and add to them your
own touch of creative thought.

CHECKLIST: CHANCE INTRUSIONS
• Can you recall seizing an opportunity because you

were ready for it?
• Can you recall a chance event or meeting that

aided some creative work you were undertaking?
• Are you observant of the happenings around you

to be able to identify them as relevant to your
creative thinking?
• Have you ever stumbled across opportunities

when you weren’t expecting them?
• Do you have a wide span of relevance which opens

you up to more opportunities of chance meetings
and events?
3 Listening to your depth mind (the unconscious mind)

• allowing your conscious mind the freedom to create
• sleeping on problems.

Creative thinking can be helped but it cannot be forced. If you are not
making progress working on a problem sometimes it is best to put it
aside and let your subconscious mind take over. Mental blocks can
come from:
• The lack of a starting point: If the problem is so large
it can be difficult to know where to start but jumping in
usually provides some inspiration, even if it means
beginning again at a different point.
• A lack of perspective: Sometimes you can be too
close to a problem and therefore unable to see it
clearly. Leaving it alone for a while can make it more
approachable.
• A lack of motivation: Maybe you don’t want to find a
solution enough and have been put off your sense of
purpose.
• A lack of consultation with others: Creative thinking
should be a social activity to gain inspiration from
others.
Allowing your mind to delve into its depths will allow you to
develop new ideas and solutions not previously considered. Your
depth mind is capable of analysing, synthesising and valuing at a
subconscious level.
Sleeping on the problem often brings benefits. Your dreams,

although not always directly relevant, can give you ideas and clues
which will lead you to a solution. Sometimes you may not remember
your dreams but they will come to you suddenly during the day.
Some of our most valuable thoughts are those that come unsought.
Guidelines for improving the use of your depth mind:

• Practice makes perfect so use your depth mind as much
as possible to innovate.
• See relationships between your thoughts and decisions
despite their apparent differences of time, place and
scale.
• Look at your mind as a sort of computer which holds
lots of data and information. Allow your mind time to
go through the sequences to piece together the
information it holds to aid your creative process.
• Don’t allow your mind to be lazy. Making your depth
mind work for you can be hard work but if you
persevere you will reap the benefits.

CHECKLIST: ARE YOU LISTENING TO YOUR DEPTH MIND?
• Are you aware that your depth mind can work

productively for you, and are you willing to let it?
• Do you build time into your creative thinking to

allow you to sleep on a problem?
• Do you consciously allow your depth mind to

analyse complex problems, restructure theories
and reach judgements?
• Do you recall experiencing a situation when your

unconscious mind has solved a problem for you?
• Do you take note of and record your fleeting

thoughts or half-formed ideas?
• Do you understand how your depth mind works

and therefore how others work?
4 Suspending judgement

• not dismissing half-formed ideas prematurely
• only listening to creative critics.
Don’t be too quick to criticise your own ideas or half-ideas, give

them room to breathe and grow. They may just turn into something
more productive. Also be aware that premature criticism from others
can put a block on your creative thinking.
We should all be open to criticism from others if it is constructive

and provided at the appropriate time during the creative process. This
type of feedback is a way for us to improve ourselves and our ideas.
Remember, two heads are often better than one.
It is useful to hear another person’s perspective on a problem. They

may have more experience or knowledge in that particular area, and
they are likely to spot your unconscious assumptions and allow you
to challenge your preconceptions.

CHECKLIST: SUSPENDING JUDGEMENT
• Do you tend to evaluate your own ideas or half-

ideas too soon?
• Have you ever abandoned a promising idea

because of someone’s premature criticism?
• Can you think of situations when other people

have had a positive impact on the development of
your ideas?
• Do you know when and how to criticise others

constructively?
5 Using the stepping stones of analogy

• looking at analogies in existing products and organisations
• making the familiar strange and the strange familiar.
Analogies can be a source of new ideas or new ways of approaching

a problem. Many analogies come from situations in nature, where
nature has evolved to solve a particular problem or necessity.
Creative thinking often involves a leap in the dark to find something
new. It often takes more than one step to reach the destination but if

you can find an analogy of what the unknown idea might be like it
will help you on your way.
Familiarity breeds conformity. We stop thinking about things we are

over-familiar with. If we make the familiar unfamiliar it will give us
a different perspective on the situation. Also, making the strange
familiar can save you having to constantly reinvent when there is
already a solution in existence.
Exercise: Putting the stepping stones of analogy

into practice
• Identify a situation or problem in which you would
like to try solving using an analogy.
Next, think about analogies that are like the situa-
tion or problem you are trying to solve:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
• Use these analogies to list the alternatives to your

problem:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
• Transfer these suggested solutions to the problem

or situation in hand.
6 Tolerating ambiguity

• not jumping to certainties in the face of ambiguity
• allowing your depth mind time to work.
It can be easy to make a quick decision in the face of ambiguity and

uncertainty but truly creative people are much more tolerant of being
in a state of not knowing. They are better at overcoming and
controlling the impulse to prematurely find a solution, which may be
a good one but there is likely to be an even better one just around the
corner.
Being in a state of not knowing can lead to stress and anxiety. To

deal with those emotions, and not act prematurely, takes courage,
perseverance and patience.
By being aware of your emotions you can make the decision to leave
the problem for your depth mind to deal with for a while. Even then,
when ideas start to emerge leave them alone for a while longer to
develop themselves. Your detached interest will create the right
climate for the seeds of ideas to grow.

CHECKLIST: TOLERATING AMBIGUITY
• Do you tend to whittle down your options to two

decisions, the either/or, prematurely?
• Do people who cannot make decisions quickly

irritate you, or do you have more patience?
• Can you think of three possible side-effects of living

with uncertainty regarding a problem or situation?
• Are you able to switch off your stress and anxiety

over a problem and leave it to your depth mind for
a while?
• Do you show patience and perseverance in your

work as a creative thinker?
• While in a state of uncertainty are you constantly

looking for possible answers and connections to
the solution?

7 Banking all ideas from all sources
• sharpening curiosity and skills of observation
• appreciating your surroundings and gathering inspiration
from them.
The creative thinker and innovator should practice:

• Being curious
• Skills of observation
• Listening
• Reading
• Travelling
• Recording.
By practicing these skills you will be committing information and

knowledge to the depth mind for later use.
Curiosity is the basis for learning, an eager desire to know more is

the stimulus for motivation. Ken Rowat writing in The Guardian,
1979 said:
‘‘ Creative activity, agonising though it may be at

times, is essentially life enhancing, often joyful, and
this can be judged not from the fixed smiles worn by
models advertising power tools but by the extent to
which the individual is seriously engrossed in his
activity. Outside making love, men and women never
feel better than when they are totally engaged in
exploration or construction, especially when the

motivation is simple: ‘I wonder what will happen if I
do
this?’ ’’
To be observant means to give careful, analytical attention to what
you see. We miss so much of what is around us in everyday life
because we don’t really observe. It is good practice to really look at
things; people, objects and scenes, as if you have never seen them
before. Then record what you see so that the details are committed to
memory; you never know when they might just be useful.
Be curious when you listen to things. Keep an open mind, don’t be

too analytical too quickly and use your judgement carefully about
what you are hearing. Always make sure you fully understand what
is being said to you. Ask questions to clarify if needs be. You cannot
evaluate what you are listening to until you fully understand the
meaning and intention behind it.
Reading is a great way to exercise the mind, to keep it active, open

and eager to learn. Books hold untold amounts of information which,
if removed from their setting, may make sense and have a connection
to your present situation or problem. Reading fiction and poetry, as
well as non-fiction, is a good way of stimulating and exercising the
imagination.
Travelling gives you the opportunity to experience things you would

not normally encounter, thereby adding to your bank of information
and widening your horizons and thoughts. It also helps to make the

familiar strange. If we did not venture beyond our own country we
would not know how it differed from other cultures.
Recording your thoughts and observations is a very useful habit. It is

a way of committing information to the mind for future reference. It
also allows you to browse through your notes and play with new
combinations and connections which might not normally have
occurred to you.
CHECKLIST: BANKING IDEAS
• Think about how you could improve your curiosity.

• As a curious person, what five questions would you ask
someone you had just met?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
• Can you recall beneficial observations that have come from

you being curious?
• Would you consider yourself a good listener?
• Do you use questions when listening to new ideas to make
sure you fully understand them?
• Do you read books and articles to keep your mind
stimulated?
• Do you read fiction to develop your imagination?
• Have you ever travelled as a means to finding new ideas
related to your job?
• Do you choose holidays that stimulate and refresh both your
mind and your body?

Conclusion
CHECKLIST FOR CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION
• Can you give an example of when you have used lateral

thinking?
• Do you see problems as opportunities and maintain a positive

attitude to them?
• Do you fear ridicule when you present a new idea to your

colleagues?
• Are you very self critical?
• Do you make time to think clearly?
• Is your stress within manageable levels?
• Are you capable of challenging the accepted?
• Are you able to look further than the immediate logical

answer?
• Are you able to inspire your staff to be creative?
continued

ntinued
tion in teams as well
ation from the top?
vels?
t sources?
e initiatives that have

on?
APPENDIX
Innovation needs the generation, harvesting and implementation of ideas.

Managers good at innovation accept risk, are flexible and are motivated to
take ideas through to completion.
How far you develop your skills as a creative thinker and innovator is
largely down to you. Your level of motivation to succeed as a manager will
play a big role in how high you set your goals. Remember, the future of our
industry and our civilisation as a whole depends upon the creative flair and
innovative genius of people like you.
The end result of successful creative thinking and innovation is:

Motivated team members
Satisfied customers
Profitable organisations
85
Appendix
Solutions to problems
Exercises in logical thinking, pages 20–23
1 Each barber must have cut the others hair, so the businessman chose the
barber which had given his rival the better haircut.
2 The trains are travelling at 60mph and one at 40mph towards each
other. Between them they will cover 100 miles in one hour. Therefore
they will meet after one hour. The plane is flying backwards and
forwards at 80mph. Therefore the plane is flying at 80mph for one
hour. By re-arranging the relationships within this problem we can
easily work out the answer.
3 Sandra carries the cat to the car and returns to the house empty handed.
Then Sandra carries Jennifer to the car and brings the cat back to the
house.
Sandra then leaves the cat in the house while she carries Carl to the car.
She then returns empty handed to the house and carries the cat to the
car.
4 If the TV presenter walks Jane’s dog, then Jane is not the TV presenter.
The teacher taps on Louise’s wall, indicating that Louise is not the
teacher, therefore the teacher must be either Donna or Jane. But Jane
cannot tap on Louise’s wall because Donna is in the middle. So, Donna
must be the teacher. Jane, since she is neither the TV presenter nor the
teacher, must
APPENDIX
be the nurse. Louise must therefore be the TV presenter.
Beyond the nine dots (page 77)

There are various solutions, here are two of them:
1
4 2
1
2
87
Quotes about creativity and
innovation
He that will not apply new

‘
remedies must accept new evils
– for time is the greatest
innovator. ’ Francis Bacon

‘ DARING IDEAS ARE LIKE CHESSMEN
moved forward.
THEY MAY BE BEATEN, BUT THEY MAY START A
winning
game.’ Goethe
‘Experience has shown and a true philosophy will

always show that a vast,perhaps the larger,portion
of truth arises from the seemingly irrelevant.’
Edgar Allan Poe
‘Discovery consists of
seeing what everyone
QUOTES ABOUT CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION 89

Anon
has seen and thinking

what nobody has
thought.’
‘Thinking will always give you

a reward, though not always
what you expected.’
Roy Thomson
‘In the case of the creative

mind,it seems to me it is as if the
intellect has withdrawn its
guards from the gates.Ideas rush
in pell mell and only then does it
review and examine the
multitude.You worthy critics,or
whatever you may call
yourselves,are ashamed or afraid
of the momentary and passing
madness found in all real
creators… Hence your

complaints of unfruitfulness
‘While – you reject too soon and
fisher
discriminate too severely.’
the Johann Schiller
‘I invented nothing: I rediscover.’ Rodin
sleeps,
the net
takes

the fish.’
Old Greek Proverb
‘A person would do well to carry a pencil in their

pocket and write down the thoughts of the
moment. Those that come unsought are
commonly the most valuable and should be
secured because they seldom return.’
Francis Bacon
‘A new idea is delicate. It can be

killed by a sneer or a yawn:

it can be stabbed to death by a
quip and worried to death by a
frown on the right man’s
brow.’
Charles
Brower
‘God
HIDES THINGS FROM US BY PUTTING THEM CLOSE TO US’
Old saying
‘Criticism often takes

from the tree caterpillars
and blossoms together.’

Old saying
Don’t be afraid of taking a big

step – you cannot cross a
chasm in two steps.’
David Lloyd-George
‘A
man without

patienc
e
is a lamp
‘The
mind ‘The
connects mind
things in connects
unbelievable things in
ways.’ unbelievable
George Benjamin ways.’

without
oil.’
Andres Segovia

‘One should never impose one’s
views on a problem;one should
rather study it and in time a
solution will reveal itself.’
Albert
Einstein
‘As soon as a thought

darts, I write it down.’
Thomas Hobbes

‘My chief job is to constantly stir or rekindle the curiosity of people
that gets driven out by bureaucracy and formal schooling
systems.’
Akio Morito
‘There is a great deal of

unmapped country within us.’
English Proverb
‘Curiosity is one of the permanent and

certain characteristics
of a vigorous intellect.’ Samuel Johnson
‘One doesn’t discover new lands without

consenting to lose sight of the shore for a
very long time.’ Andre Gide

‘I
Shakespear
e question.’ Leona
rdo da Vinci’s motto
‘The disease of not

listening.’
‘Many ideas grow better when

transplanted into another mind than in
the one where they sprung up.’
Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr

‘Man never
rises to
great
truths
without
enthusiasm.’
Vauvenargues
‘The typical eye sees
the ten per cent bad
of an idea and
overlooks
the ninety per cent
good.’
Charles F Kettering
‘More creativity is
the only way to

make tomorrow better than
today.’
Anon
The creative art thrives in an environment of

mutual stimulation, feedback and constructive
criticism – in a community of creativity.’
William T Brady

‘Chance favours
only the
mind.’
prepared Louis
Pasteur
‘Between the idea

And the reality…
Falls the Shadow.’
T S Eliot
‘Experience is the name we give our
mistakes.’
Oscar Wilde
‘An established company which in an age
demanding innovation is not capable of
innovation is doomed to decline and
extinction. And a management which in
such a period does not know how to
manage innovation is incompetent and
unequal to its task. Managing innovation
will increasingly become a challenge to

management, and especially top
management, and a touchstone of its
competence.’
Peter Drucker
‘The most
important of my
discoveries have
been
suggested to me by
failures.’
Sir Humphrey Davy

Innovatio
n is a
gamble
! Sydney Brenner
‘Without real commitment from the top, real innovation

will be defeated again and again by the policies,
procedures and rituals of almost any large
organisation.’ Anon

never to be

There are costs and risks to a programme of
action.But
they are far less than the long-range risks and
costs of
comfortable John F
inaction.’ Kennedy
‘The way
to be
safe is
secure
.’
Benjamin Franklin
‘What is honoured in a country will be

cultivated there.’
Plato
‘There is a natural opposition

among men to anything they
have not thought of
themselves.’
Barnes Wallis
‘People support what they

help to create.’
Anon

‘What’s the secret of entrepreneurial success? It’s
knowing when to use OPB (Other People’s Brains) and
OPM (Other People’s Money).’

J B Fugua

‘Changing things is central to leadership. Changing them
before anyone else is creativeness.’

Anon

Edmund Burke
‘He that wrestles with us strengthens our
nerves and sharpens our skill.Our
antagonist is our helper.’
‘He
who dares
nothing,
need hope for
nothing.’ English Proverb

Other Thorogood titles in this series
The Concise Adair on Leadership
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Here in one short book is a practical master class in how to

manage both yourself and others, to provide a team that is
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The Concise Time Management and

Personal Development
By John Adair and Melanie Allen
£9.99 Paperback ISBN: 1 85418 223 4
This is both an expert and practical book to help you manage your
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The Concise Adair on Communication and Presentation Skills
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Here in one book is everything you will ever need to know about good communication,
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The Concise Guide to Telephone Tactics

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gaining appointments and achieving better sales by telephone.
The Concise Adair on Team Building and Motivation

£9.99 Paperback ISBN: 1 85418 268 4
This book develops Adair’s classic theory on Team, Task and Individual and summarises all
his writing on leaders and motivation and getting the best from people. It includes sections
on being motivated oneself, selecting people, target setting and reward and recognition.
Thorogood has an extensive range of books, professional insight reports and special
briefings.
For a full listing of all Thorogood publications, or to order any title, call Thorogood
Customer Services on 020 7749 4748 or fax on 020 7729 6110. Alternatively view
our website on www.thorogood.ws.
Focused on developing your potential

Falconbury, the sister company to Thorogood publishing, brings together the leading
experts from all areas of management and strategic development to provide you with
a comprehensive portfolio of action-centred training and learning.
We understand everything managers and leaders need to be, know and do to succeed
in today’s commercial environment. Each product addresses a different technical or
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for success.
• Practical public training programmes
• Tailored in-company training
• Coaching
• Mentoring
• Topical business seminars
• Trainer bureau/bank
• Adair Leadership Foundation
The most valuable resource in any organisation is its people; it is essential that you
invest in the development of your management and leadership skills to ensure your
team fulfil their potential.

Investment into both personal and professional development has been proven to provide an
outstanding ROI through increased productivity in both you and your team. Ultimately
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With this in mind Falconbury have developed a comprehensive portfolio of training
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WHAT FALCONBURY CAN OFFER YOU?

• Practical applied methodology with a proven results
• Extensive bank of experienced trainers
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• Learner-centred training
• Excellent cost/quality ratio
FALCONBURY IN-COMPANY TRAINING

Falconbury are aware that a public programme may not be the solution to leadership and
management issues arising in your firm. Involving only attendees from your organisation
and tailoring the programme to focus on the current challenges you face individually and as
a business may be more appropriate. With this in mind we have brought together our most
motivated and forward thinking trainers to deliver tailored in-company programmes
developed specifically around the needs within your organisation.
All our trainers have a practical commercial background and highly refined people skills.
During the course of the programme they act as facilitator, trainer and mentor, adapting their
style to ensure that each individual benefits equally from their knowledge to develop new
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Falconbury works with each organisation to develop a programme of training that fits your
needs.
MENTORING AND COACHING

Developing and achieving your personal objectives in the workplace is becoming
increasingly difficult in today’s constantly changing environment. Additionally, as a
manager or leader, you are responsible for guiding colleagues towards the realisation of their
goals. Sometimes it is easy to lose focus on your short and long-term aims.
Falconbury’s one-to-one coaching draws out individual potential by raising self-awareness
and understanding, facilitating the learning and performance development that creates
excellent managers and leaders. It builds renewed self-confidence and a strong sense of
‘can-do’ competence, contributing significant benefit to the organisation. Enabling you to
focus your energy on developing your potential and that of your colleagues.
Mentoring involves formulating winning strategies, setting goals, monitoring achievements
and motivating the whole team whilst achieving a much improved work life balance.
For more information contact Kate Jackson on:
+44 (0)20 7729 6677
Falconbury Business Seminars
10-12 Rivington Street, London EC2A 3DU, UK

Creativity and Innovation by John Adair

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ECONCISEAdair on

The Concise Adair on Creativity

Edited by Neil Thomas

This book is sold subject to the condition

No responsibility for loss occasioned to any

Part one: Creative thinking 5

The creative process 7

Obstacles which inhibit creativity 7

The non-creative person 8

Decision-making and the creative thinker 16

Key elements of creative thinking and

Other useful approaches to creative thinking

Checklist: How does your mind work? 30

Calculating the risks 36

Part two: Innovation 39

The process of innovation 41

Five factors to create the right climate for

Innovation and organisation 44

Characteristics of an innovative organisation 45

Checklist for the innovative organisation 49

What qualities should a chief executive as a

Motivation and innovation 53

Characteristics to look for when recruiting 53

What do innovative people expect from the

organisation they work for? 54

Distinctive characteristics of the creative leader 55

The generation of ideas 57

Communicating about innovation 60

Checklist for building on ideas 60

Checklist for the generation of ideas 68

Dealing with change and overcoming obstacles

Exercise: Overcoming obstacles 70

Part three: Summary 73

A creative thinker and innovator in practice 75

The seven habits of successful creative thinkers

1 Thinking outside the apparent confines of the

Checklist: Beyond the nine dots 79

2 Welcoming chance intrusions 80

Checklist: Chance intrusions 81

3 Listening to your depth mind

(the unconscious mind) 82

Checklist: Are you listening to your

Checklist: Suspending judgement 86

Exercise: Putting the stepping stones of

analogy into practice 88

Checklist: Tolerating ambiguity 90

7 Banking all ideas from all sources 91

Checklist: Banking ideas 93

Quotes about creativity and innovation 99

Low QUALITY OF IDEAS High

It is important for all managers and leaders to:

ADAIR ON CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION

Remember, the future of our civilisation depends on the creative flair

The creative process

1 Preparation: information gathering, analysis and solution

Obstacles which inhibit creativity

6 THE CONCISE ADAIR ON CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION

The non-creative person

PART ONE: CREATIVITY 7

2 Recognise when assumptions are being made and challenge