Encouraging imagination

With the advent of the information age, we are redefining what we understand by our intellectual capital and the way that we invest in it. Today there is less respect for things than for information: the unseen is more powerful than the tangible . What we know or what we can access has overtaken what we can see or touch. It is within this context that many of our new ideas and creativity will be expressed . Here are some techniques for encouraging imagination.

1. Role modellingheroes of imagination

An interesting challenge for organisations is to find ways to ensure that these new ideas are recognised even though they may not be seen. One way is to identify organisational imagination heroes . They can be people from within or from outside the organisation, they can be existing or past employees , but in any case they should embody clearly the characteristics of the creative and the innovative. For example, in one organisation what started out as a light-hearted recognition of one of its slightly eccentric yet very imaginative people has turned into a very strongly contested annual award for the most innovative contribution to the organisation. The award is assessed by peer review and winning it is seen as a prestigious and significant achievement. Interestingly, the nominations come from colleagues within the organisation and are not seen as self-promotional.

By celebrating the characteristics that we value, these characteristics become part of our organisational culture, the things that make us unique from other organisations, even within the same industry grouping. It is amazing to experience the different ˜buzz that exists within companies that are nominally in the same business, supplying almost identical services, yet their history is different, their present is different, and what they value and how that is demonstrated both within and outside the organisation is different.

2. Making room for creativity

Sometimes we need to have the flexibility within our organisations to allow people to do things because they want to, even if there is no immediate benefit to the bottom line. Why? Because it reinforces the importance of exploration and discovery. For example, senior managers could go on regular sabbaticals to allow junior staff to learn to fill these positions . This also allows senior staff the opportunity to refresh themselves for re-creation . Of course this requires trust (and management), but the rewards generated from increased understanding, growth and time are of significant benefit.

Imagine allowing one of your staff to spend a few days exploring an idea that they believe is interesting but that may not relate to any current activity. Acceptance of this philosophy demonstrates an appreciation of the person and of ideasit says that both are valuable. Who is to say that the investigation of an unrelated activity will not yield other more direct benefits? Even if the idea fails, the learning, when shared and recognised, is perhaps valuable to another activity or will be in the future. Having the courage to allow others to explore is the mark of a creative environment (but again, within a context of support and providing direction to this exploration).

3. Coaching, mentoring and counselling

Coaching and mentoring are extremely effective ways of encouraging the development of particular traits within an organisation, including imagination and creativity. The main purpose associated with these programs is to identify organisational characteristics, to enhance inherent skills and to improve individual and organisational performance. Often we select people whom we know can do a task. Coaching provides the opportunity to impart the necessary skills to someone who cannot do a particular job. This encourages risk-taking, identifies breadth as a respected organisational trait and cements some of the core attributes required for a creative and imaginative workplace.

Coaching, when implemented properly, generates an environment that is capable of meeting the challenges of change because people are regularly placed in alternative positions. Coaching is of mutual benefit as it allows the coaches to look at themselves and learn about their own motivation, and the way they manage and what makes them successful. It also offers the opportunity for the coach to learn from the candidate, as there will always be more than one way to reach the required goals.

4. Encouraging emotional intelligence

The concept of emotional intelligence first appeared in the early 1990s to describe the ability to understand ones feelings, empathy for the feelings of others and the regulation of emotion that enhances living.

In general, innovative people (and organisations) tend to exhibit a balance between what would traditionally be termed IQ and this newer emotional intelligence (EQ).

IQ equates to an organisations intellectual horsepower, its ability to bring rational and cognitive processes to bear on an issue, to analyse and interpret.
EQ is a complex multi- faceted quality representing such intangibles as self-awareness , empathy, persistence and social ability.

In order to succeed, an organisation and its people need to combine and encourage both qualities. Although reclusive, individual geniuses do exist, the ideal innovative organisation utilises the full range of skills and talents (IQ) of all staff and generates innovation through their successful collaboration and interaction (EQ).

5. Understand the role of necessity and invention

As much as some ideas-driven people have argued that truly imaginative work is serendipitous and can only occur in an ivory tower, it is also true that competition or pressure is one of the great catalysts of creativity. We have all heard the expression, ˜Necessity is the mother of invention. Many of our greatest innovations have come about from a struggle to advance knowledge, to test the hypothesis, to beat the rival group , to be the first to solve the mystery. Often this is converted into an in- house pressure on the individual, inspiring a desire to be seen as capable of meeting the challenge. In this situation the organisation must monitor the challenge of the task, while at the same time managing unrealistic expectations and unhealthy competition both from within and outside the group.