The Relationship Between Creativity and Innovation

Do you consider yourself creative? How about others on your team? Is your organization one that fosters a culture of innovation?

Most importantly, you understand what those things even mean?

The relationship between creativity and innovation is often misunderstood. In fact, in business and the media, the two words are frequently used interchangeably. Many believe you have to be creative in order to produce innovative products or services. Others might say, without innovative thinking, creativity doesn't stand a chance. Both viewpoints are understandable, but neither explains the crucial distinction, nor the importance of the relationship between creativity and innovation.

First, it is important to understand that innovation and creativity are not synonymous. It is especially critical for business leaders, competing in today's innovation-driven marketplace, to understand the distinction before attempting to launch an innovation imitative.

But even before considering the distinction, it is worth noting that creativity is an ability everyone is capable of, not only the artistic souls of the world. Most of us, when we think of creative people, often focus on a special artistic talent such as the ability to paint or sculpt, compose music, write bestselling novels, sing, dance, and so on. But creativity encompasses much more than artistic expression. Creative thinking potential exists in all of us.

Creativity is more broadly defined as the mental ability to conceptualize (imagine) new, unusual or unique ideas, or to recognize new connections between seemingly random or unrelated things.

So what is innovation? Innovation is a process that transforms unique, creative ideas into new realities: products, services, or processes that deliver greater value or benefits. Such transformations can be incremental, evolutionary or radical in their impact on the status quo. They can represent a natural step forward in a concept's development, a leap to the next generation, or a totally new and different way of doing something altogether.

Consider Steve Jobs, the late CEO of Apple and his company. We think of Steve Jobs as creative because he had the rare ability to conceive new ideas for products, and to recognize new connections between unrelated things (such as combining an mp3 player, an online store, an Internet browser, a video camera, a GPS, and a cell phone, to create the iPhone).

As an organization, Apple is innovative because of the way in which they embrace and develop those forward-thinking ideas to produce desirable products that deliver value to its customers. Apple's innovation-driven culture continuously strives to improve its products' functionality, design, and ease-of use to best-in-class levels.

So with this clarification of the two concepts, why is this distinction between creativity and innovation important?

Simply because it is impossible to develop a truly innovative organization if creativity isn't recognized and nurtured. And likewise, failure to put effective processes in place that can transform creative thinking into practical, high value application, creativity is of virtually no use in business.

When you understand the relationship between creativity and innovation, and begin unleashing all the creative capital in your organization, the road to success opens up.

Liberate creativity, and watch innovation flow.