PITFALL
SCIENTIFIC BASIS
WARNING SIGNS
SOLUTIONS
Ideation trap Generating ideas without implementing Action bias Confusing activity with progress
•
Many ideas, few achievements
For every 1 hour of brainstorming, plan 10 hours of execution Test quickly rather than aiming for perfection Define clear criteria for when to abandon an idea Value those who see ideas through to completion, not only those who propose them Set clear limits on budget, time, and scope Aim for “good enough,” not perfection Use firm deadlines to drive decisions Launch quickly and improve through iteration (MVP) Everyone can innovate Capture ideas from all levels Value small, continuous improvements The best ideas come from diverse perspectives Use processes: Design Thinking, Lean, Agile Document what works to reproduce it Alternate ideation and decision phases Create routines that encourage creative thinking
1. CREATIVITY WITHOUT EXECUTION
•
You jump from one idea to another without finishing The team is exhausted by “new initiatives” You focus on innovation instead of execution
Pitfalls to avoid:
•
•
Paradox of creativity Constraints stimulate creativity, not absence Choice paralysis A lack of constraints leads to inaction Creative genius bias Believing only certain people are creative Collective exclusion Ignoring ideas from those seen as “not creative” Myth of creative chaos Believing creativity requires disorder Lack of process Confusing freedom with anarchy
•
Creative projects never come to fruition Constantly push back deadlines Seek “perfect solution” Teams lacking clear direction
2. CREATIVITY WITHOUT CONSTRAINTS
Creativity
•
• •
!
•
Only ideas from “creatives” taken seriously Separate “innovation team” Ideas from frontline teams are ignored You value originality at the expense of usefulness Creative projects are chaotic You can’t replicate your successes The team is exhausted by instability Good ideas are lost due to lack of structure
3. ELITIST CREATIVITY
• •
•
• •
4. CREATIVITY WITHOUT DISCIPLINE
•
•
31 © 2026 JONATHAN NORMAND. THIS WORK IS LICENSED UNDER A CREATIVE COMMONS ATTRIBUTION NONCOMMERCIAL 4.0 INTERNATIONAL LICENSE (CC BY-NC 4.0)
Chapter 4
Made with FlippingBook - Share PDF online