The first main idea brought forth by Ms. Hill is that innovation is not about the genius of a single person, but it is about the genius of a collective group of people. She gives the example of the production of a successful Pixar movie: that it takes no less than 250 people toiling hard for 4 to 5 years to come up with a blockbuster hit. Therefore it is not enough that the thinking of one person is enough to influence the evolution of innovation in an organization. This then brings one to the second learning: that success from so many people can come about if there is creative abrasion, creative agility and creative resolution. Creative abrasion occurs when there are lots of people debate about different ideas openly and constructively. Creative agility then follows when the different ideas are brought together and when scientific and artistic ideas also come together. Creative resolution occurs when decision making is inclusive. It may involve the ideas from opposing sides that are reconfigured and restructured to come up with an even innovative idea. Finally, there is the idea that innovation is a journey that all the people in the organization will have to take as one group. Innovation is like solving a problem together, such that no one is left out.
The main takeaway in this talk is that collaboration is key to innovation. The original idea may come from a single person, but with the additions, subtractions, recommendations, comments, suggestions of everyone involved, the original idea evolves. It becomes a better idea and a more innovative idea with the contributions of everyone. Thus companies that wish to become truly innovative managers and leaders who will manage this creative innovation process.
Work Cited
TED Talks. Linda Hill: How to Manage for Collective Creativity. 2014. Web.
