The Best Workplaces report (Financial Times, April 28, 2005) notes many factors in common with Managing Creativity and Innovation.
Material reward is not the sole factor in determining satisfaction. Microsoft UK offers acupuncture and deep tissue massages. OC&C Strategy consultants offer skiing trips and Computer Future Solutions have BMWs and Porsches as company cars. Yet people rarely mentioned these perks when they rated their company.
This is because satisfaction is also related to i) the gap between the real and ideal self, ii) projects that can be classified as fun or amusing, iii) tasks are competency expanding or challenging, iv) goals are perceived as feasible, v) there is a degree of self-determination and vi) there is recognition.
These are the exact same conditions that enhance motivation and creative output.
What people noted was the degree to which people felt valued, productive and listened to. Further, they felt their superiors had a high degree of trust for them, allowed them to engage in projects in a self-determined way, there was a general lack of suspicion and an almost non-existent blame culture.
This is in accordance with the philosophy that people require psychological safety and freedom ? the feeling that they are accepted as unconditioned worth, that it is recognised that they are capable of producing but that their value is not based on producing; that there is empathetic understanding of them.
Again, these are the exact same conditions that remove blocks and are the foundations of an optimum organisational culture. These conditions enhance creative output.
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.
Kal Bishop, MBA
**********************************
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 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.
article_text... Read More
article_text... Read More
article_text... Read More
article_text... Read More
article_text... Read More
article_text... Read More
article_text... Read More
Employees truly deserve paid vacations... Read More
When you are acclaimed for excellence during times of crisis you may not feel so good in a non-crisis environment... Read More
There is a growing movement in the spiritual and holistic fields to bring a more metaphysical and human potential approach to the business community... Read More
Where does the time go? Billable time... Read More
You Can't Do It All - Learning To DelegateThere is not a single management skill more critical to your personal and professional success as an entrepreneur than learning to delegate... Read More
You probably know this already, but there are generally held to be four main personality types, which I call: Extrovert, Amiable, Analytical and Pragmatic ... Read More
Do you remember being told to use the "sandwich" technique when you needed to reprimand someone? Let me give you an example:"Fred, I'm really pleased with how you've been progressing since you joined us and you're doing a great job... Read More