What does innovation mean to you? Is it something you can harness? Something you can control? Or is it something else? Something bigger than all of us. Innovation is the key to pushing not just you or the business forward, but all mankind.
Think about it. We did not get from being cavemen to what we have now. We had to learn, using trial and error for thousands of years to get what we consider basic, right. How does harnessing creativity get us growth and profit for our companies?
These kinds of questions seem like they have simple answers, but they can be quite complex. This of course has to deal with various factors. Everything from what business to how much money you have depends on innovation.
Let’s take a look into the business of innovation and how to harness creativity for growth and profit.
What is Innovation?
We all know what innovation is. Innovation is creating something new to benefit us all. Innovation needs creativity to work because, without a creative mind, you end up reinventing the wheel. While the reinvention of the wheel is not a bad thing, we all need wheels, we need something that pushes us to the next level. That is what innovation is. How do we make it fresher, newer, and better?
That all starts with creativity.
How Do We Get Creative?
Creativity is not something that comes easily. Either you are born with the talent, or you have to work hard to understand the complexities and intricacies of creativity. So how do you use it? Creativity comes not just from the mind, but from the heart.
Creativity is creation, it’s right there in the name! So, how do you create? Look at the world around you. There is creativity everywhere. The arts such as art itself, film, music, and even video games are best known for their creative outlooks. But where else? Think of the furniture you use, the cars you drive, and even the houses and business buildings you live and work in. Those all require creativity. It requires the brain’s capacity to understand what you are doing, why you are doing it, and how you are going to do it.
How Does Creativity Mesh With Growth and Profit in _Business?
This is where it gets tricky. Innovation and creativity are pretty much interchangeable so going forward, the words will be used as such.
Creativity comes from our designers, artists, and writers. These are the people that get the company moving and going. They utilize their skills, education, and experiences to assist in their work.
Now, if you are someone who is a leader or a manager or someone who is not in the creative process, listen very closely.
Let them work.
This does not mean giving them everything that they want but giving them the space and time they need to create. Let’s use an example.
Let’s say that you run a film studio dedicated to making superhero films. Sure you have rivals like DC and Marvel, but what can you do to make your films stand out? Allow your creators, your writers, and visual effects artists to put time and effort into their work. Making them overwork for low pay is going to give you another run-of-the-mill story. How can you make something innovative that will blow the minds of audiences?
That’s where you allow your creatives to utilize their full potential. Now, this example is just related to the film. There are still other ways like restaurants, architecture, and engineering that require their space. Being overbearing, on a short time schedule is not fun for anyone.
How to Harness Creativity for Growth and Profit?
It’s a simple question with a simple answer. Don’t rush things. Creativity takes time and cutting corners is not what innovation is about. Innovation requires years of trial and error to perfect what you are trying to do.
So if you have a business that requires creative minds, give them the tools they need. Give them the help they need and you will see something incredible. Sure you can try and play with the big boys, but there are other means of success.
Conclusion
Creativity is key to any and every business. From solving the problems, to marketing, to everything in between. Creativity/innovation is the blood of the company. Allowing the innovation to naturally grow will go a long way then forcing it out.
Pushing for growth and profit is nice and all, but if you just focus on that, you lose sight of the bigger picture and you are stuck just being another face in the crowd. Allow creativity to flourish. Encourage it with your teammates, friends, family, everyone.
You will find that the world will be a much better place.
