In a survey of over 1,500 CEOs
around the globe, creativity emerged as the most valued leadership trait. That
makes sense given how much the business landscape has changed in recent years.
Navigating the so-called new normal requires a departure from business as
usual—and demands leaders who can show the way.
Innovation is much needed in our
business as well. But do technical professionals struggle more than others in
generating creative ideas? Analytical thinking, common in the A/E industry, is
probably more useful in solving technical problems than in producing business
innovation. Plus we seem more prone than other industries to adhere to certain
informal standards of practice, which can inhibit creative thinking about the
business.
But interest in innovation seems to
be at an all-time high among A/E firm leaders. In recent months, I've heard
many appeals for more innovative approaches to strategic planning, business
development, project delivery, and operations. While research indicates that
you can't necessarily produce innovation on demand, there are proven ways to
cultivate greater creativity in your organization. Here are a few:
Set aside times for creative
reflection. Consultant Todd Henry, in an HBR Blog post, writes that when he asks groups how many depend
on great ideas for business success, nearly everyone raises a hand. But when he
asks how many had set aside time in the last week to focus on generating ideas,
rarely does a hand go up. That points to the first challenge we face in being
more creative—lack of focused time.
Great ideas don't necessarily emerge
because of a scheduled brainstorming activity. But they are certainly less
likely to appear in the routine press of getting work out the
door. Setting aside occasional periods for creative thinking—both for
individuals and groups—will no doubt pay off over time in helping spur more
innovative ideas in your firm.
Mix different disciplines and
perspectives. Innovation usually results
from linking pre-existing ideas in different combinations. New ways of doing
things are rarely new; they are simply reconstituted. How does this happen? By
bringing fresh perspectives to the problem, often from outside the disciplines
you would expect to be best suited for the task.
The design of the Eastgate Centre in Harare, Zimbabwe, for example,
involved the unusual combination of architecture and biomimicry—one
of the first of its kind. The unique ventilation system, which requires 10% of
the energy use of a building with a conventional HVAC system in that climate,
was derived from the natural design of termite mounds. Turns out the architect
had a passion for ecology.
You can promote better innovation
simply by combining different disciplines in atypical ways. Bring in
construction experts during the planning stages. Engage nonengineers—even
people without a technical background—to help with engineering design. Exchange
ideas with professionals in unrelated businesses.
These kinds of cross-disciplinary
collaborative actions contribute to what is called associative or
intersectional thinking. This involves connecting seemingly unrelated ideas in
ways that often lead to creative breakthroughs. For more on this approach,
check out this summary of the popular book The Medici Effect by Frans Johannson.
Place constraints on the
brainstorming process. We often view brainstorming as
an open-ended endeavor where every idea is uncritically welcomed. But research
shows that creativity is enhanced when the range of possibilities is narrowed,
or the challenge is daunting. Perhaps these conditions help us focus better.
Mick Pearce, the architect of the
aforementioned Eastgate Centre, was presented with a seemingly impractical
challenge—design an attractive, functional office building that used no air
conditioning. The building was to be located in a city where daytime temperatures
in the hottest months average in the 80s, combined with high humidity. Who
knows whether he would have come up with his world famous design had he been
simply instructed to make it energy efficient.
When I facilitate brainstorming
sessions, I like to limit the discussion to just a few alternatives, or even to
a single objective. I sometimes present the group with a formidable scenario
like, "determine how you would do business development if the budget was
cut in half." Setting strict time limits can also be productive.
Consistent with the research, I find such constraints produce better creative
thinking than opening up the process as has been traditionally practiced.
But don't rely too much on
group think. Another interesting research
finding that bends conventional wisdom is that in general better ideas seem to
arise from individuals than groups. Group dynamics—the interactions between
people in the meeting—often impede, rather than propel, creative thinking. Of
course, effective facilitation helps, but some groups simply don't work all
that well together from a creative standpoint.
If this seems to contradict my
earlier point about collaboration, the advice here is to seek innovative ideas
from both groups and individuals, often in a sequence of creative sessions. For
example, ask people to individually identify both internal and external best
practices that they've observed. Then have a group start with this list to
either select some for further consideration or use the ideas to inspire better
ones.
Break the routine. One
reason that group exercises often fail to produce creative breakthroughs is
that they tend to follow a familiar pattern. Most firms or offices have a
certain way that planning and problem solving meetings are conducted. There's a
comfort level because people generally know what to expect, and that may help
draw out more conversation and sharing than doing something different.
But routine meetings usually yield
routine results. If you want to stimulate creativity, shake up the format. A
few suggestions:
- Take a walk. There's evidence that
moderate physical exercise promotes creative thinking. I know I come up
with some of my best ideas while running or bicycling. Instead of sitting
around a table, have the group go for a walk, sharing ideas on the way.
- Do a Delphi/round robin-style exercise.
Break into small groups, with each assigned to a different problem or
idea. After they've worked on their assignments for a time, rotate the
groups—all except the "issue leader." Continue this process
until the rotation—and the assignment—is completed.
- Use imagined scenarios. To
promote more associative thinking, you might consider creating some
imaginative scenarios to connect your company with other situations. For
example, ask questions such as: "How would Google manage our
data?" "If we were presenting our proposal orally instead of in
writing, how would we do it?" "If we were starting the company
over, what would we do differently?" The answers to these questions
aren't the real objective, of course, but the exploration that they
provoke.
What other ideas do you have for
breaking the routine and encouraging more innovation? What has worked for your
firm? I'd love to have you share your suggestions in the comments section
below.
