Creative Innovation Versus Standardized Problem Solving

♦️ True innovation happens when we welcome different ways of thinking. We often associate diversity with backgrounds or appearances, but the real magic lies in diverse perspectives. When people think differently, they bring fresh ideas and unexpected solutions to the table. Here’s a story that completely shifted how I see workplace talent. 🤔 Picture this: A recruiter with Down syndrome taking an interview in his unique style. He didn’t just rely on standard procedures—his unique way of processing information allowed him to ask questions others can't comprehend. His success proved that talent isn’t about fitting into a mold but about embracing what makes each mind unique. 🧠 Why unconventional thinkers drive innovation: 1️⃣ Richard Branson’s Dyslexic Thinking: - The Virgin Group founder credits his dyslexia for helping him simplify complex problems and create businesses that prioritize customer experience. - He hires people who challenge norms rather than follow them. 2️⃣ The hiring revelation: A company decided to experiment with hiring ex-gamers for cybersecurity roles. - Their ability to think like hackers, anticipate threats, and solve puzzles quickly made them some of the best analysts in the field. 3️⃣ Fast-track problem-solving: Research shows that cognitively diverse teams solve complex challenges 40% faster. - It’s not just about perspective—it’s about entirely different ways of approaching a problem. Bonus: A leading architecture firm hired an artist with ADHD to join their urban planning team. - His ability to visualize spaces in 3D and connect unrelated ideas resulted in groundbreaking city designs that improved efficiency and aesthetics. 🙄 If you're still hiring based on "culture fit," you could be missing out on your most unique employees. 💬 Have you ever seen someone break stereotypes and redefine excellence? Follow Iraj Janali for more insights related to business, technology and leadership. Video credits to the respective owner. DM for credit. #innovative #talent #diversity #futureofwork #talentrevolution #downsyndrome #hiringstrategy #interviews #bias

School teaches formulas. Success requires creativity. Standard approaches get standard results.  Creative approaches get exceptional results. ↑ Watch how business problem-solving evolves with creativity: Basic level: "We need to increase customer engagement. Let's send more email campaigns." ↓ Let's improve it: "We need to increase customer engagement. Let's personalize our communications based on customer behavior." ↗️ We can do better: "We need to increase customer engagement. Let’s personally reach out to our most active users, ask what they love (or don’t), and involve them in shaping our next big feature or campaign." ↦ We can do better still: "We need to increase customer engagement. Let’s turn those personal insights into a dedicated customer council—an invite-only group where engaged users get early product access, provide feedback, and become brand ambassadors." ⇨ This is the power of creative thinking in business,  transforming ordinary approaches into extraordinary results. When you break away from conventional thinking,  you see opportunities that others miss. ⇒ When approaching problems with fresh perspectives, you develop solutions that competitors can't easily duplicate. ⇡ When you bring creative vision to your strategy, you open pathways to innovation that weren't visible before. ⟿ How are you applying creativity to solve your business challenges? I'd love to hear your approaches. ✍️ Your insights can make a difference! ♻️ Share this post if it speaks to you, and follow me for more.

The sinking of the Titanic wasn't just due to hitting an iceberg but a failure of imagination. Standard procedures led to the crew's inability to explore beyond their training, showcasing functional fixedness. This bias hinders creativity and problem-solving by restricting alternative solutions. In both business and life, breaking free from conventional thinking is vital. The future favors those who surpass mental barriers and welcome creativity. Dr. Tony McCaffrey's Brainswarming method and Generic Parts Technique (GPT) are tools that promote innovation and novel problem-solving approaches. Key Insights from the Article: 1️⃣ Functional fixedness constrains creativity and problem-solving, trapping individuals in familiar thinking patterns. 2️⃣ Organizational silos reinforce this bias, hindering adaptability to change. 3️⃣ The Titanic tragedy exemplifies the consequences of a lack of creative thinking. 4️⃣ Brainswarming improves collaboration compared to traditional brainstorming methods. 5️⃣ Overcoming mental barriers is essential in today's landscape, where creative solutions are crucial in the face of AI, automation, and complex challenges. Takeaway? Creativity isn't just advantageous—it's a necessary survival skill. 🚀 #Creativity #Innovation #ProblemSolving #Leadership

Today I'm sharing the sixth tip in our Tips From Your Coach series! Have you ever wondered why a colleague, friend, or family member seems to approach life so differently? The short answer is that they solve problems differently. Dr. Michael J. Kirton, a renowned British psychologist, provided the world with a practical explanation of these differences in the Kirton Adaption-Innovation Inventory (KAI), which measures how a person prefers to solve problems. Under Dr. Kirton's theory, preferred style is innate. Some of us are more adaptive, preferring a more organized and structured environment where we solve problems by figuring out how to win within the system in place. Some of us are more innovative, preferring a more fluid and boundary-free environment where we often solve problems by changing (or bucking) the structure, system, or conventional wisdom. Teams thrive when they make the most of diverse thinking and approaches. They provide better, more creative and effective service. So, how do we avail ourselves of this collective genius on our teams? Here are six tips to help you get started by amplifying inclusion - drop me a message for more. 1. Understand differences. Tap into your leadership insight to understand colleagues’ creativity styles. Recognize that team members’ wildly different approach to problems are why you have a great team. The more adaptive will see the mess in the pattern, and may seem to be “whining” about what doesn’t fit. The more innovative will see the pattern in the mess, possibly stressing others with their seemingly casual approach to what isn’t working. They are not nit-picky or haphazard, respectively, just different. 2. Demonstrate appreciation. As the leader, you have the most impact on culture. You set the tone for appreciation and respect. Support the sharing of ideas, even if they seem ridiculous. You never know what contributes into the winning strategy. 3. Componentize complex problems. With your newfound understanding of Adaptive problems and Innovative problems, turn complex problems into a series of component problems. Divide your team into Adaptors and Innovators to get initial traction on the problem by working with colleagues with similar creativity styles. Then turn them loose on the component problems. 4. Add a disrupter. After the Adaptive and Innovative teams have gotten traction on a solution, swap a team member from each team. The “disruptor’s” role is to contribute his or her unique thinking style to the solution-finding process. The quality of the ideas will skyrocket. 5. Bring the full team together. The next step is for each “team” to present ideas to the full team. Encourage curiosity with questions that evince excitement. 6. Manage the inclinations of Adaptors and Innovators with a staged problem-solving process. Following a process harnesses and organizes everyone’s best thinking while amplifying engagement and improving results.