Creativity, Innovation, and the Importance of Spontaneity

Spontaneity occurs when ideas or behaviours are expressed without evaluation. This lack of evaluation is the key to good idea generation. Some of the links include:

a) Large, quality idea pools are built up through a separation of creative thinking from critical thinking. If the people who wrote Red Riding Hood had realised the number of interpretations it has undergone and the various meanings attributed to the story, they may never have written it.

b) Creativity can be defined as the generation of a large number of ideas and a large number of novel and diverse ideas. Spontaneity, with its lack of evaluation, increases the number of ideas and the number of novel and diverse ideas.

c) A lack of evaluation reduces evaluation anxiety, removing blocks and increasing idea numbers and the number of novel and diverse ideas. If people are worried about being unoriginal then they produce less; if they're worried about failing then they'll produce less; if they accept their first thoughts, ideas will flow. The trick is to ignore content.

d) Spontaneous engagement of novel and diverse behaviours increases the generation of novel and diverse ideas. Spontaneous engagement of novel and diverse behaviours increases the intellectual cross-pollination that is necessary for good idea generation.

e) By not evaluating, participants are less likely to block. They are less likely to say "no" and more likely to say "yes," thus opening up new pathways.

These topics are covered in depth in the MBA dissertation on Managing Creativity & Innovation, which can be purchased (along with a Creativity and Innovation DIY Audit, Good Idea Generator Software and Power Point Presentation) from http://www.managing-creativity.com. You can also receive a regular, free newsletter by entering your email address at this site.

You are free to reproduce this article as long as no changes are made and the author's name and site URL are retained.

Kal Bishop MBA, is a management consultant based in London, UK. He has consulted in the visual media and software industries and for clients such as Toshiba and Transport for London. He has led Improv, creativity and innovation workshops, exhibited artwork in San Francisco, Los Angeles and London and written a number of screenplays. He is a passionate traveller. He can be reached on http://www.managing-creativity.com.

---

Innovation Makes Leaders

Basically what innovation does is making your business unique and often more progressive in its development.Looking deeper at positive influence of innovation allows us to notice clear... Read More

Color Your Life

Have you ever arrived at place in your career and wondered how you got there? Have you found yourself stuck, not liking your job, yet not seeing... Read More

Imagination

Imagination is the unreal, real state of mind, where all things are experienced as real. Imagination is powerful and is an intermediary step between thought and word.... Read More

Creativity and Innovation Management - Good Ideas Part 1

The constant search for Good Ideas has resulted in many techniques for generating them. Part 1 of Good Ideas will briefly discuss Franklin's (2003) research into the... Read More

12 Tips for Taking Smart, Calculated Risks

Most of us know we should take more risks. But the "no-guarantee" component of risk-taking makes it a scary proposition in many instances.Try these 12 smart and... Read More

Creativity and Innovation Management ? Decision Makers

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation.There are other useful definitions in this... Read More

Creativity and Innovation Management - Special People?

People often think that there is a creative type. This is a myth.1. We can all solve problems.2. We can all produce large sets of ideas, large... Read More

Innovation Management ? Ideas From The Most Embarrassing Experiences Of Life

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation.There are other useful definitions in this... Read More

Prevention is Better Than Cure... Says Who?

You've likely heard this before... "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."Says who? I mean come on. If prevention was so popular why would... Read More

Can We Change People?

There was a class of "challenged" children and many teachers were brought in over time but each one ended up quitting in frustration. Finally, a teacher was... Read More

Business Innovation ? Good Thinking

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation.There are other useful definitions in this... Read More

A Time for Rebellion!

When is it right for you to rebel against the negative powers working against you? When are so weighed down by someone or something that it is... Read More

Business Innovation ? the Best Ideas

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation.There are other useful definitions in this... Read More

Creativity Management ? When To Add Talent

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation.There are other useful definitions in this... Read More

Humankinds Greatest Inventions

There are a number of amazing inventions that have been created during the course of human history. Some of the great ones that come to mind are:--The... Read More

Creating Opportunity

An enterprising person is one who comes across a pile of scrap metal and sees the making of a wonderful sculpture. An enterprising person is one who... Read More

Fire Evacuation Drill with a Difference

I had been given the task to organize a fire evacuation drill specifically for only a certain area in a building.As ridiculous as it may seem, there... Read More

A New Pair of Shoes

Do the NewAn old pair of shoesDo you have a really comfortable pair of shoes? They may be slippers or tennis shoes. It doesn't matter what kind... Read More

Create An Idea Journal

When I first heard Jim Rohn talk about the importance of keeping an idea journal I was immediately captivated. So what is it you ask?...In its simplest... Read More

The Hidden Superpowers Of Your Mind

The mind is an infinite wonder. It has the fantastic ability to transmute your desires into their physical counterparts. You can do anything that your mind can... Read More

Let the Seeds Grow

The thought that every great thing that has ever happened, been spoken or invented began first with a single idea is not a new one, but one... Read More

Business Innovation ? the Value of Role Play

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation.There are other useful definitions in this... Read More

Innovation Management ? 5 Ideas An Hour

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation.There are other useful definitions in this... Read More

Improve Your Business Dealings with Improvisation

"Nothing is accidental ... use everything." -- Keith JohnstoneEven the best-laid plans, the proverb goes, go oft astray. And by learning how to improvise like actors or... Read More

Business Innovation ? the Value of Frameworks

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation.There are other useful definitions in this... Read More

The Subtle Secret Of Transformation

Great men and women succeed moment by moment, step by step, lifted up by one small victory after another, until they reach a lofty and impressive pinnacle... Read More