Creative/Innovative Creative/Innovative ThinkingThinking

2001 AlexanderHancock Associates2001 AlexanderHancock Associates

Do You Value Creativity?Do You Value Creativity?

In the music industry, the recording medium In the music industry, the recording medium for songs didn’t progress from vinyl LPs to for songs didn’t progress from vinyl LPs to better vinyl LPs.better vinyl LPs.

Creativity lead to the innovations of 8-track Creativity lead to the innovations of 8-track technology, cassette tapes, and, today, CDs.technology, cassette tapes, and, today, CDs.

What will tomorrow bring?What will tomorrow bring?

Don’t Become a Dinosaur!Don’t Become a Dinosaur!

Are you still manufacturing 8-track tapes Are you still manufacturing 8-track tapes when the rest of the world uses CDs?when the rest of the world uses CDs?

Are you still using Swiss-movement Are you still using Swiss-movement watches, when the world has moved to watches, when the world has moved to quartz?quartz?

Do you still think that the Internet is a Do you still think that the Internet is a passing fad?passing fad?

Costs of Not Embracing Costs of Not Embracing CreativityCreativity

If you’re not using creative If you’re not using creative processes, you’re missing out on processes, you’re missing out on opportunities in...opportunities in...

– StrategyStrategy– MarketingMarketing– Product DevelopmentProduct Development– Employee RetentionEmployee Retention

Thinking CreativelyThinking Creatively

Companies with highly standardized Companies with highly standardized operations, procedures, and policies operations, procedures, and policies can still foster creativity.can still foster creativity.

Once companies realize how Once companies realize how creativity works, they can take creativity works, they can take specific, practical actions that will specific, practical actions that will dramatically improve their creative dramatically improve their creative performance.performance.

Embracing CreativityEmbracing Creativity

Embracing creativity means…Embracing creativity means…– Employees aren’t afraid to ask “dumb” Employees aren’t afraid to ask “dumb”

questions.questions.

Charles Land was asked by his four-year-old Charles Land was asked by his four-year-old daughter why she couldn’t immediately see daughter why she couldn’t immediately see pictures she had just taken with her camera. pictures she had just taken with her camera.

Result: The Polaroid Land camera.Result: The Polaroid Land camera.

Embracing creativity means…Embracing creativity means…– Employees are rewarded for creative Employees are rewarded for creative

thinking, e.g., recognition programs, cash thinking, e.g., recognition programs, cash incentivesincentives

– Employees are encouraged to think “out Employees are encouraged to think “out of the box”of the box”

Embracing CreativityEmbracing CreativityEmbracing CreativityEmbracing Creativity

Embracing creativity means…Embracing creativity means…– Innovative thinking becomes a standard Innovative thinking becomes a standard

management tool such as determining management tool such as determining the marketing mix and plotting long-term the marketing mix and plotting long-term strategystrategy

Embracing CreativityEmbracing Creativity

Thinking CreativelyThinking Creatively

When employees are given practical When employees are given practical tools to think creatively…tools to think creatively…– they can eliminate entire work processesthey can eliminate entire work processes– they can create new ways of doing thingsthey can create new ways of doing things– they feel valued, which translates into they feel valued, which translates into

low absenteeism and high retentionlow absenteeism and high retention– they are happier, more productive they are happier, more productive

employeesemployees

Are You Using Creativity?Are You Using Creativity?

It’s the reverse of...It’s the reverse of...

““I’ll believe it when I see it.”I’ll believe it when I see it.”

It’s...It’s...

““I’ll see it when I believe it.”I’ll see it when I believe it.”

How To Foster CreativityHow To Foster Creativity

You cannot manage your You cannot manage your employees’ creativity.employees’ creativity.

You simply teach employees the You simply teach employees the tools to think creatively, then tools to think creatively, then reward the resulting reward the resulting innovations.innovations.

Famous Last WordsFamous Last Words

““There is no reason for an There is no reason for an individual to have a computer in individual to have a computer in their home.”  their home.”  

– – Ken Olson, President of Digital Ken Olson, President of Digital Equipment Equipment (1977)(1977)

Why AlexanderHancock?Why AlexanderHancock?

Clients choose AlexanderHancock Clients choose AlexanderHancock Associates because of our...Associates because of our...– proven success in enabling clients to proven success in enabling clients to

capture their employees’ creativity and capture their employees’ creativity and translate that into bottom line results;translate that into bottom line results;

– creative program designs;creative program designs;– 25 years’ experience in performance 25 years’ experience in performance

improvement.improvement.