Contrary to conventional wisdom, creativity is a learned behavior. That includes both creative thinking as well as creative action. Google has laid out nine notions of innovation, and I want to reinforce them for your personal use. Some of them may not be obviously applicable. For example, some of us may not be perceived as brilliant enough for Google. But don't let that stop you.
Marissa Mayer, a Google exec, made them public in BusinessWeek.
Ideas come from everywhere. (My rule is beg, borrow, steal, plagiarize and everything else.)
You're brilliant, we're hiring--(don't get intimidated by this.)
A license to pursue dreams. Employees get a "free" day a week. Half of new launches come from this "20% time. (You'll have to go with the flow on this one.)
Innovation, not instant perfection. Google launches early and often in small beta tests before releasing new features widely. (I prefer, "do it wrong quickly, and revamp.")
Don't politic, use data. Mayer discourages the use of "I like" in meetings, pushing staffers to use metrics. (We all need to personally internalize the use of data--and cut the use of opinion and the ever-present, often false intuition.)
Creativity loves restraint. Give people a vision, rules about how to get there and deadlines. (You'll have to do your own self-managing on this one."
Worry about usage and users, not money. Provide something simple to use and easy to love. The money will follow. (This is magnificent.)
Don't kill projects. Morph them. There's always a kernel of something good that can be salvaged. (This is an immensely practical proverb.)
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