The CEO of Black and Decker once said, "People don't go into a DIY store because they need one of our drills. They go because they need a hole in the wall." Wonderbra in their internal communications to staff say this, "We do not sell underwear. We do not sell lingerie. What we sell is self-confidence for women." Harley Davidson does not sell motorbikes. It sells the concept of freedom to middle-aged men.

What is it that your organisation really does? What is the true value that customers get from your products or services? When you know the answers to these questions you can start to conceive new ways to provide that value. It is the starting point for real innovation.

Many companies make the mistake of defining what they do in terms of their products or services rather than by the benefit that the client derives from those.

Full Article on Innovation Tools

In a speech at the Creativity World Forum, John Cleese talks about his own experiences with creativity.  He mentions the power of sleeping on a problem and the dangers of interruptions.   He gives this advice for putting creative thinking into practice. 

 
- Create boundaries in time   

- Create boundaries in space  

He describes it as making a 'tortoise enclosure' for your mind and as an 'oasis of creativity.'  

He is critical of egotistical leaders who take all the credit and like to control everything.  They discourage creativity.  He also points out that people often do not know what they are not good at and this can inhibit creativity. 

There is a precis of the talk here but I think it is better to watch the video clips below.

 

Here are seven ways to boost your creativity and innovation in 2009: 

1.  Allocate time and space for creative thinking (as recommended by Mr Cleese).

2.  Expand your social networks to meet different and interesting people.

3.  Watch less TV, read newspapers less frequently, read more books.

4.  Add value on the web by writing reviews, blogs or comments.

5.  Change the places you visit - e.g. fewer trips to the shops and more to museums.  Move outside your comfort zone.

6.  Learn a new skill.

7.  Do work that you believe in and enjoy.

8.  Give people more than they expected!

My Ideas Workshop is proving popular with people wanting to find new and better ways to do things in the downturn.  I often blog about good ideas that arise in the workshops and you can see some comments e.g. Taming the Meetings Monster and Innovation is not a Single Silver Bullet on my blog.

Here is a little game for you.  Swap the frogs over within two minutes.  Are you smarter than a ten year old?

 

Frog Game 

Some award-winning and innovative signs from a car park in Australia.