A colleague passes along a link to a Businessweek article. You do need groups of people that understand the business constraints completely, at least a few iconoclasts that are willing to break free, and ways to get them to communicate. Creativity loves Constraints. Registration required.
" ... When people think about creativity, they think about artistic work -- unbridled, unguided effort that leads to beautiful effect. But if you look deeper, you'll find that some of the most inspiring art forms, such as haikus, sonatas, and religious paintings, are fraught with constraints. They are beautiful because creativity triumphed over the "rules." Constraints shape and focus problems and provide clear challenges to overcome. Creativity thrives best when constrained. But constraints must be balanced with a healthy disregard for the impossible. Too many curbs can lead to pessimism and despair. Disregarding the bounds of what we know or accept gives rise to ideas that are non-obvious, unconventional, or unexplored. The creativity realized in this balance between constraint and disregard for the impossible is fueled by passion and leads to revolutionary change ..."
I think our very finest moments our those where we have "A healthy Disregard for the Impossible"
Every once in a while we must think Huge.
Posted by: Chuck Clausen | May 06, 2006 at 06:12 PM