By Guest Author Francis Cholle
When L’Oréal, the world leading beauty company, asked me to design global training programs to help with the management of creative teams I had to reflect deeply about business success at the intersection of creativity and management.
I realized that the source of creativity and sustainability is the same: the balance of reason and instinct. The logical way we approach life is focused on trying to dominate nature and what's human. It's this type of overly rational worldview that is making our world less efficient and non sustainable.
I decided to identify a new integrated and balanced approach to problem solving that would help us become more creative, prosperous and sustainable. I broke down the creative challenge in an actionable model The Intuitive Compass™ to give an easy access to the complexity of the creative process and show everyone how to tap into their creative genius.
The Intuitive Compass™ is organized around two dynamic tensions:
Reason and Instinct, Result and Play. When we allow a dynamic balance between reason and instinct we blend our ability to analyze facts with our capacity to creatively adapt; we increase our problem solving capability. Similarly by allowing Play at work we open to new discoveries; research shows we improve efficiency and productivity far beyond an overly result oriented attitude.
Consequently when organizations can navigate the intersection of Play and Instinct, represented by the south west quadrant of The Intuitive Compass™, they enable a powerful creative and agile culture. They create the perfect environment for innovation and position themselves ahead of competition.
What does it take to allow Play and Instinct in a highly structured context such as a business?
- In parallel to a traditional hierarchical org chart it is important to give room for informal team work and spontaneous interactions throughout the company;
- Change the strategic focus from the conventional shareholder’s financial return (for as legitimate as it is it limits imagination and creativity) to the creation of sustainable value, where everyone systematically benefits from the value generated by the organization;
- Give up seeking control over the company process and try to influence teams according to your vision, values and inner convictions; you will create much more adaptable and autonomous teams.
The Intuitive Compass™ is a proven model for outstanding performance applied to large and mid size companies around the world. So play with it and listen to your instinct!
Francis Cholle: The Intuitive Compass: Why the Best Decisions Balance Reason and Instinct
