Paying for Creativity: Are Businesses Willing to Institutionalize Creative Behavior?

Yesterday, a creative professional was brainstorming a unique approach to boost creativity within an organization. However, the inherent question often emerges: could an external consultancy successfully institutionalize creative behavior in businesses?

The Concept in Action

This is the story of a program I implemented at a large marketing firm. The company was profitable, with billions of dollars in annual revenue. Despite the size of the organization, the core focus was content production and customer acquisition, not innovation. One of my initiatives was to kickstart a weekly brainstorming session, dubbed 'Laser Cats,' which aimed to encourage creative thinking amongst random employees.

Challenges and Insights

Despite initial success, the program began to lose traction after about a year. The root cause identified was the company’s culture, driven by efficiency and profitability rather than innovation. This aligns with the reality that companies already thriving on creativity often self-cultivate these traits internally, making them resistant to outside help.

Why Some Businesses Dive In, and Why Others Don’t

The situation can be broadly categorized into two main groups: businesses with existing creative cultures and those without.

Companies Thriving on Creativity

Examples: Apple, IDEO, Facebook, Amazon Belief: These companies believe that their success is due to their inherent ability to innovate and create. Reality: They hire the right people who can think of the right solutions, making consultancies less relevant. Truth: For these businesses, investing in a consultancy might feel like pushing a river.

Companies Without a Creative Culture

Terminology: Self-labeled 'non-creative' businesses Mindset: These companies have built their success through diligence and hard work, not creativity. Need: They often do not require extensive innovation programs to enhance their workflow. Alternatives: Acquiring smaller companies is often a more practical solution for innovation.

Both categories pose challenges in finding willing clients. However, there are exceptions:

Educational institutions: Schools and universities are always seeking ways to inspire creativity and critical thinking. Startups: While small, many startups either believe they are innovative or are too focused on survival to seek help. Freelancers: This category presents a more accessible market due to the high demand for creative outputs. Businesses seeking differentiation: Independently-owned retail or restaurant chains often look for unique ways to stand out in a crowded market.

Alternative Business Models

Books and Video Series: Selling a framework as a product or framework you can market to freelance creatives. Consulting Add-ons: Focusing on specific tools and add-ons for the framework rather than the entire program.

In essence, the traditional consultancy model may not be the most effective approach. Leveraging existing markets such as educational institutions, startups, independently-owned retail or restaurant chains, and freelance creatives can provide better opportunities.

A company that has navigated a similar route successfully is Unstuck.