© ctn 2014

1.

German managers doubt innovative strengths

of their companies

2.

Leadership and leadership behaviour

are the two most important factors for innovation in companies

To start with, I take the liberty to quote some sections from an article by Stephen Maaß

(in: Die Welt, February18, 2014). He is reporting about research results by Forsa-

Institute for Altana (chemical company).

“Only 4% of the man-

agers give the best

grade in the matter of

innovative strength to

their own company. …

All in all the industry

segment estimates

that their innovation

capacity is good. But

only two out of three

managers see their

own company in the

upper third on the

rating scale from 1 to

10.

It is key for companies

to have a company

culture, “in which in-

novation can come to

maturity … Innovation

capacity is not only

subject of budget for

research and devel-

opment.

It is the sum of many

important actions,

which can foster inno-

vation: Structures,

values and behav-

iours, which need to

be anchored in the

company. E.g. it is im-

portant, that superiors

appreciate unusual

ideas and proposals.

Specifically thinking

out of the box makes

for developing ideas

and innovation.” Re-

search further shows,

“that in two out of

three companies ideas

outside the box are

not always positively

received by superi-

ors.”

In the view of profes-

sional newcomers

only 15% of the com-

panies do actively en-

courage and support

unconventional think-

ing. This is what man-

agers would confirm:

Only 12% of them see

that there is broad

acceptance for people,

who dare to enter new

territories.”

Research shows also,

“that the majority of

managers in industry

expect attitudes and

behaviours from their

people, which they do

not bring with them-

selves.

Two out of three

managers would wish

e.g. flexibility and will-

ingness to change

from their people.

Only one third of the

professional newcom-

ers fulfil these re-

quirements … accord-

ing to their own esti-

mation.”

© ctn 2014

So I conclude out of these findings, that it could be worthwhile to show once more how you

can foster creativity and innovation in your company.

So, what could you do to foster creativity? Please do not expect ideas on how to improve

your official systems for improvement proposal. But you may expect some quite interesting

suggestions, which I partly took from Gottlieb Guntern (Sieben goldene Regeln der Kreativi-

tätsförderung, 1994). On the other hand it is a book by Walter Simon (Lust auf Neues, 1999),

which has stimulated me. And of course I have developed their ideas further and developed

my own ideas too.

1. Check it out

The first and most potent approach to find creative-innovative

people is … really get to know your own people. Honestly: Have

you ever really read the CVs of your people? When was the last

time you took the time for some private talk and told each other

about activities outside of the job in private life?

2. “Tell me more!”

Second step: Take time to listen carefully and ask questions if

people come with ideas, even unconventional ideas. Allow peo-

ple to try out, give them opportunities and time and maybe

budget to try out.

3. The de-regulation needs to start in your own

brain! Break rules, norms, taboos. Scrap the internal censorship. Your

motto should be: “Everything is possible …!”

Creativity and innovation requires that you as the manager lead

by example, that you start to leave the beaten paths and take

unknown bypasses. If you show how to be flexible, how to wel-

come change, you will encourage your people to take risk, to

dare to take bypasses as well.

4. Variety is better than simplicity Those who dare to do things, take a risk; those who don´t, take

even more risk. Open you antennae to perceive and appreciate

… Have and develop many different interests in a variety of are-

as. Stressed managers very often tell me, that they don’t have

time any more to read a book or to watch a movie or to listen to

a discourse (some are even proud of this!). By this they shrink

their reservoir for ideas drastically.

© ctn 2014

5. “When the sun of the culture stands low in the sky,

the dwarfs cast long shadows!” (Karl Kraus)

Creative achievements are possible only when you strive for excep-

tional results, not only for the average. Do you have a role model for

that? A role model maybe not in your own area of expertise. An

excellent role model can give you the courage and the strength you

need in difficult and challenging times. Dare to look out of your box!

6. “Thou shalt not make thee any graven !“

(King James )

“What the scripture is for the literate, is for the idiot the picture!”

This proverb is really idiot! We need to reverse the amputation of

the right brain and complement the abstract verbal thinking again

by seeing and creating pictures.

7. “So-called soft issues are often the hardest

facts.”

Efficient managers prefer to adhere to facts and figures. But …

soft issues are not social odds and ends: The way of working with

each other, people´s expectations, habits, moods, needs and

motivations, … Those amongst you who have no sense for the

soft issues, can not really lead their teams to excellent and inno-

vative achievements.

8. “Those who laugh does serious harm to their homeland!”

This sentence I saw sprayed on a bridge near Zürich. “Those

who know only fear and aggression, those who go on complain-

ing and hearing the great deluge, those who finally want to

bring their enemies finally to their knees, those … they disregard

positive emotions.” Creative achievements are possible only

there and when the happy minded homo ludens comes togeth-

er with the serious homo faber. Hope, pleasure, fun and enthu-

siasm, carelessness are needed … Researchers found that

strong intrinsic motivation coming from a kind of fascination to

solve problems is the key trigger for creative achievements.

9. Where information flows freely,

grows a creative stream. Ideas must be free to move unimpeded cross and criss the

organisation. When the “not-invented-here-syndrome” takes

over, the free flow of information is blocked. Activated creativ-

ity stimulates always new creativity. Creativity is a non-

exhaustible resource, if it is free to float.

© ctn 2014

10. Hassle intelligently Intelligent hassle is needed to explore ideas. It is told, that the

CEO of a large manufacturer once made a creative proposal

to his board. There were no arguments against nor questions,

approval by all. Seeing this he withdrew his proposal:

“Gentlemen, my proposal does not seem to be okay. We did

not hassle enough about it yet.”

An open atmosphere of constructive debate is a basic pre-

condition for an efficient idea-management-system. Only in this way it is possible to grow

ideas and find constructive solutions.

11. The devil´s advocate

… get some quibbler into your team!

Dare to get unconventional thinkers (mavericks) into your

team … and to patronize them. Those critics love to twist the

knife in the wound. They are happy if they can prove that

there is something wrong.

If you do not have enough courage to engage these kind of

people, you can at least ritualise the hassle-game by ap-

pointing a devil´s advocate in each discussion. One of the team is charged to oppose all ar-

guments of the others. This is a good way to explore ideas. In a next meeting another of the

team takes over this role.

The famous philosopher of science, Sir Karl Raimund Popper, taught scientist to find argu-

ments against their ideas. If the ideas can withstand the counter-arguments, they are proba-

bly okay.

Or in a more pragmatic way: Look for potential problems, do not appease adversaries, rather

ask precise questions to find out more. Maybe by this you see things, which you have not

thought about yet.

12. Stock up your crea-toolbox! Make available for your people toolbox with all kinds of crea-

tivity techniques, train them to use these. Brainstorming is

known by everybody, isn´t it. But in most of the applications

the brainstorming praxis is quite wrong. Maximum 3 to 5

minutes people stick to the rules and they start criticizing.

If brainstorming is the only crea-tool you know it is

like as if you have as the only tool for do-it-yourself

the hammer …

There are many (too many, almost monthly “new”

crea-tools are invented) crea-tools: morphological

matrix, 6-3-5-method, lateral thinking, the Walt

Disney Method, the six thinking hats, pro and con-

tra, and many more.

© ctn 2014

13. The number “13” is my lucky number: the crea-

budget! Really, number “13” is my lucky number; I believe in it. This is why I

put my biggest demand on you on this number: Plan and keep at

the ready a budget for creativity, for crea-projects. Ideas most of-

ten start being curly and confused. People need time to think

through and reason out their ideas and to try them out. This does

not only take time, but also money. So reduce their “normal” work-

load for some days or weeks. If they would have to do the thinking through on top of they

”normal” workload, chances are, that they cannot manage.

Could be that your people would also like to talk about their ideas with other people outside

your company, in conferences. Could be they need computers. Could be they need your la-

boratory to try out things. Trust your people that they would use these budgets reasonably.

Of course some of these individual crea-budgets will be “wasted”. But if 1 out of ten projects

pays off, this will be a great win.

A final message for managers who want and need to become leaders

There are some lines in a song of Michael Jackson:

“If you want to change the world, look into the mirror and start with

yourself!”

Tom Peters would say:

“Re-invent yourself to re-invent your company!”

About the author:

Reiner Czichos PH. D. has been expert for professional change management as consult-ant, coach, trainer, facilitator and/or author since about 38 years. About 25 years ago he was European Organisational and People Development Manager in the former second big-gest IT-Company (DEC). He is still working with international companies and with German companies, whose management teams are international and intercultural. In the meantime he has published 9 books about the different challenges in change man-agement, one of them in English

Allan Katcher and Reiner Czichos, „Learning Dynamics“ Among his customers were/are: AXA, Deutsche Bank, SAP, Telekom, but also quite a huge number of small and medium sized companies. With his team he prefers to work in customized projects together with the customer´s internal resources. Contact: ctn, consulting & training network, Heimgartenstr. 11, D-82386 Huglfing,

www.ctnmuenchen.de Tel.: 08802 913 7555, Mobil: 0172 8975 792 Fax: 08802 913 7556,

Mail: ctnmuenchen@t-online

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