Understanding Innovation & Creativity: Mastering the Art of Turning Ideas into Reality.

Are you ready to navigate the ever-changing landscape of global challenges with creativity and innovation? What if these skills could be the key to building resilience and adaptability? If you're eager to discover how to turn creative ideas into reality, this episode is for you.

In this episode, we explore the importance of creativity and innovation in building resilience and adaptability. The world is constantly changing, presenting us with challenges such as geopolitical tensions, climate change, and new technologies. Our guest, Sebastian Lombardo, shares his expertise on how creativity and innovation can help us solve problems, adapt to change, and create a better future.

Imagine breaking free from limiting assumptions and using creativity to solve problems and adapt to change effectively. 

By listening to this episode, you can:

1. Enhance Creativity: Learn how to generate new ideas by revealing and challenging assumptions, and understand the steps to stimulate creativity.
2. Implement Innovation: Discover how to turn creative ideas into reality through innovation, which involves assessing novelty, usefulness, and implementation.
3. Build Resilience: Understand how focusing on creativity and innovation can help individuals and organizations adapt to change and overcome challenges.

Three Benefits You'll Gain:

1. Increased Creativity: Learn techniques to challenge assumptions, provoke new thoughts, and stimulate creative thinking.
2. Effective Innovation: Understand the process of turning creative ideas into practical, innovative solutions that address specific contexts.
3. Improved Resilience: Gain strategies for mapping focus areas, setting realistic goals, and creating a sense of control to alleviate stress and foster adaptability.

Are you ready to harness the power of creativity and innovation to build resilience and adaptability? Scroll up and click play to join our insightful discussion with Sebastian Lombardo. 

Learn practical steps to enhance your creative process, turn ideas into reality, and thrive in a constantly changing world. 

Sebastian Lombardo's  contact information: 
LinkedIn:        @SebastianoLombardo
Email:               lombardo@considium.no
YouTube Channel: Creatiivity & Innovation

CONNECT WITH ME:
webpage:   www.MINDtalk.no
Instagram  @itsaninsidejob_MINDtalk
LinkedIn:    @JasonLiem
Twitter:      @MINDtalkCoach
Email:           mindtalk@email.com

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Chapters

• 0:08 Introduction to the podcast and its purpose
• 8:14 Revealing Assumptions: Mapping What We Take for Granted
• 9:24 [Ad] Eye-Opening Moments Podcast
• 10:00 (Cont.) Revealing Assumptions: Mapping What We Take for Granted
• 16:02 Reacting to Provocation: Finding Creative Responses
• 21:31 Using negativity and pessimism as tools for creativity
• 27:23 Unlocking Creativity: Steps to Unveil Assumptions
• 28:56 Divergent and Convergent Thinking in Creative Process
• 31:16 Defining and Distinguishing Creativity and Innovation
• 41:37 Shifting the focus from teams to individual creativity
• 43:48 Practical tips for training oneself to be more creative
• 49:36 The Distinction Between Creativity and Innovation

Transcript

Transcript

[0:00] Music.

Introduction to the podcast and its purpose

[0:09] Welcome back to It's an Inside Job podcast. I'm your host, Jason Liem.
Now, this podcast is dedicated to helping you to help yourself and others to become more mentally and emotionally resilient, so you can be better at bouncing back from life's inevitable setbacks.
Now, on It's an Inside Job, we decode the science and stories of resilience, into practical advice, skills, and strategies that you can use to impact your life and those around you.
Now with that said, let's slip into the stream. Welcome back to the show folks and the starting line of a fresh new week.

[0:37] Music.

[0:50] In today's episode folks, we are going to be talking about the importance of creativity and innovation in both individual and organizational resilience and adaptability.
There is no question at the moment that the world is constantly changing and the pace, of change is only accelerating.
We are facing a number of challenges including geopolitical tensions, climate change, new technologies like AI and machine learning, and the shifting winds of globalization or the decoupling of globalization as we know it.
In this environment, creativity and innovation are more important than ever.
They are the keys to solving problems, adapting to change, and creating a better future.
Creativity is the ability to generate new ideas or solutions.
It is often associated with imagination, divergent thinking, and risk-taking.
Innovation on the other hand is the process of turning creative ideas into reality.
It requires creativity, but it also requires the implementation and execution.

[1:51] So my guest today can speak much more eloquently and deeply on these subjects, and my guest is Sebastian Lombardo.
He is currently the director of global business development at Manfias Engineering and is, also an adjunct associate professor at BEI Norwegian School of Business.
Sebastian's research is focused on strategy, value co-creation and the creative work process.
And as we will explore in today's episode, in the face of all the challenges, creativity and innovation are more important than ever.
They are the keys to our future.
In Sebastian's experience and deep knowledge, he'll expand on the idea that we can see the world in new ways.
We can come up with new solutions to problems. We can adapt to change.
And we can anticipate and respond to challenges, seen and unseen.
So now let's slip into the stream and meet Sebastian.

[2:45] Music.

[2:54] I'm really appreciative that you could spend some time with us today.
Thank you for having me.
Well, to begin, I like to always kick off the conversation by you introducing who you are and what you do.
Well, in two words, I am a civil engineer by education. I'm Italian.
I lived in Norway for almost 30 years.
I have been a researcher into sociology, and I have also specialized in creativity and creative processes.
So that's my huge passion, and I have a family, a Norwegian wife and three beautiful children.

[3:42] Well the reason I wanted to have you on the show is not only the caliber of your competence, But it's that you specialize in, specifically in creativity and innovation.
I was wondering if we could start with the fundamentals. How do you define creativity and why is it important for people to recognize that everyone kind of possesses this potential?

[4:06] Yeah, you see the definition of creativity is a huge academic discourse.
And there are many definitions out there.
In my research, I like very much to follow the definition of Hans Joas from 1995.
He wrote a book called The Creativity of Action.
Is specifically an idea of creativity being our inherent ability to react constructively to everything that for some reason shatters our assumptions. When whatever I take for given is challenged by facts, by people, by happenings. I tend, I and everyone has the ability to react and to think, okay, uh, what if it is not given what I thought was given. Now this reaction, and this ability to react.
Is what we consider in our stream of research the creative action. So creativity is basically.

[5:29] Something that every person has in fact is the ability to react to what challenges our assumptions, And on that you can actually build an operational definition and you can create tasks and you can design a process to optimize this reaction.
How can we sort of increase this sort of natural creativity that we're all kind of born with?

[6:07] Yes, the statement of somebody is more creative than others implies an evaluation assessment.

[6:14] And that assessment is normally poorly performed. I do not agree that somebody is more creative than somebody else. It may be the consequences of what we actually do etc that may bring somebody to to think, oh, that guy is really creative.
But essentially, we have the same potential.
And then, you know, it is about being aware of it and being able to train ourselves into becoming more aware and more creative.
But maybe it could be useful to explain a little bit the steps that we go through when we design a creative process.
Because then we can understand how we can train ourselves to be more creative, to optimize this capacity that we have in-house.
What do you think? Would that be an idea?
Yeah. I always like bringing it down to the nuts and bolts of being very skills-based here.
So let's jump into that.
Maybe we can start with step one. one is revealing your own assumptions. So the first thing actually, maybe I should mention that.

[7:42] Our brain gets more creative when we are focused on something. So the very first thing is that we are in a context, we are, I don't know, trying to solve a problem, for example, or finding an alternative solution to one that we already have in our hands.
So the first thing is having a focus, but within that, step number one is answering the question, what do I take for given?

Revealing Assumptions: Mapping What We Take for Granted

[8:14] What do, what are my assumptions?
Can I be clear about that? Can I tell myself and the others what I'm taking for given here?
I, sometimes I even create a list of things. So step number one is basically a mapping of our assumption.
Having done that, step number two is challenging any or some of these assumptions. Challenging is a provocative action.
It's a shattering of whatever is given. It is often painful.
So that's what hinders us.

[9:04] We challenge the very truth that we, on which we base our actions.
We have techniques for doing that. We have techniques for mapping the sanctions in step number one.
We have techniques for provocation, for challenging these assumptions?
If we can look at step one for a second, I'd just like to sort of break it down.
So assumptions basically are beliefs of how we believe the world is, or how something is, or how people are, what have you, just keep it quite general.
And so those assumptions can form what we actually pull from the environment.
That becomes the filter of what we observe and become cognizant and attentive to.
And so part of that, I can understand. So to question, to, to sort of map the assumptions, what do you do? Do you ask, do you ask someone, what do you believe about this particular problem or this challenge or this conundrum? Like, how do you map assumptions?
Yes. First of all, I would like to stress that there is nothing wrong about having these assumptions. It is pretty normal.
It is essential for us to have an, a, a functional and realistic understanding of the context in which we are operating.
So it is okay, there is nothing wrong with these assumptions and having this famous box.

[10:33] In which we are. This assumption that is basically a metaphor for our assumptions.
I normally ask very simply, given this focus, given this purpose that we have, have, what do you take for granted?
What is given. And I ask and keep asking it as long as I have answers. And sometimes it is very difficult. And we always acknowledge that assumptions may be hidden, even for those who are trying to answer these questions. For example, the very simple thing that we are, we are not naked right now. I mean, we are talking to each other. We have, we have.

[11:21] You know, we're close to us. Nobody thinks of it. It's of course. Yeah. So why should I take, these for you? What does, why should these be a part of my list? Okay. It's normal. Very well.
It's normal. Now have it on the list. Is there anything else, which is as normal as, as being, uh, wearing something on you when it comes to these, uh, problem solving process. And there may be, this may open a lot of things, you know, then there is also the question of assumptions on the personal level, and the assumptions on the group level. If we are a group of five persons, there might be something which we take for granted as a group because we are we are this group, exactly these persons around.
So I have to explore the personal level and the group level in the context of the problem that we are solving by simply asking, what do we take for given?
What do you take for given?
What do I take for given?
And not giving up until I have a substantial list.
And I will always know that the list will, in any case, be partial.
It will never be complete, but that's a desperate trial, that's a desperate way of trying to visualize what is the box.

[12:47] And though those boxes, these edges of the box, I guess through mapping these assumptions, we can also discover cognitive biases, and sometimes some of these implicit biases that you speak of, because once we are able to articulate what we take for given or take for granted, then all of a sudden, the person asking the question and hear the person responding to that question, you can see where maybe potential limits are.
Because always, when we ask questions, we are a little more objective when we're listening to someone else.
So I really like that idea, just first is sort of mapping for these biases or these givens that we have.

[13:26] And so as we slide into step two, this is where it can become a little controversial to someone, is when we start challenging a person's assumptions or their givens about a certain nature of a problem or a conundrum or whatever. Exactly, and there you have many tricks and many techniques to go ahead. The very, the easiest of all is, asking, what if this is not given after all?
And another one could be to deny the reality, deny facts.
Or another way could be exaggerating the facts, saying that I am I don't know, 15 foot high, or I don't know, that my car can fly.
What is fascinating about this step, step number two, the provocation.

[14:25] Is that you never know what actually provokes people. Therefore, you have just to try, try and see, try and see. And you need also to be elegant because you don't want to offend anybody. And, that's why very often we do this step in a very formal way. We know that now we are going to shatter our assumptions. We know that now we are about to provoke each other. So it is a kind of a celebration. So it is, it is expected when we do this in a technical way, we design this step so that we are aware that now we are doing this job and that is saying no to whatever I think is true.
But it's just because it's not to offend or attack you, but it's just to help you to see whether or not you can step into step number three, which is the reaction to the provocation.

Reacting to Provocation: Finding Creative Responses

[15:28] So you know, one easy example of what a provocation is, is jokes, humor.
So whenever, whenever you say somebody says something that make you laugh, well, laugh, laughter is the most normal reaction is that to a provocation.
So you understand that that one has been provoking something and you have to react.
The easiest way to react is to laugh. Now, if you, if we stop there, we don't do anything. We just laugh.
So step number three, reaction to the provocation.

[16:07] Is the creative work by definition. So just to rewind back.
So it sounds like when you're challenging assumptions, obviously you need to be cognizant of the quality of the questions you ask.
So for example, if you say, Jason, what do you believe is a solution we could do for this?
And I say, well, I think based on my assumptions, I believe it's this.
So when you, for example, say deny reality or exaggerate, That could be, well, let's pretend aliens suck all your answers up or your potential solutions and those are not viable. What are you left with? Is that what you mean by sort of challenging assumptions and denying reality per se? Yes, it is an example of that. Yes.
Although we in concrete cases may go further down in the level of detail and attacking specific elements of a solution or an assumption, we can go technically, surgically down to details and deny those details or challenging them. But again, And this is an exercise that we do exclusively to create a reaction.
So the only thing that we are out after is a reaction is not.

[17:34] Technically saying that that true truth is not true any longer.
It's just to make you react somehow, because we are, we are chasing whatever may come from your reaction.
So, the provocation in itself is forgotten in the very moment it comes out.
And then we convey all our attention to whatever is being the reaction.
We may react to a single part of a sentence which is provoking.

[18:06] And this could bring us into a completely new universe of thoughts that were unthinkable before. So my work is chasing the unthought thoughts. That's fascinating.
Okay, so let me understand this. So it comes down to the quality of the question in step two, where you challenge assumptions. And when you're doing that, you're saying you have to be a diplomatic, but at the same time, you have to manage expectations. People have to understand that is what you're chasing, is the reaction by changing, challenging the assumptions. Exactly. So then if we if we migrate into step three, the reaction to the provocation or to the question. Yes. Can you explore a little more about that? Can you sort of articulate a little more around that point? Because I think that's really interesting. Step two is to trigger the reaction, but step three is to explore the reaction. I can.
I can try. I can try. Okay. That will be, that will be very difficult because step three, the reaction to any provocation is something that happens in your head.

[19:14] And as much as I wish, I can't get into your head. So whatever I have is the, um, the response that I have from you that might be physical bodily or, or, or, uh, words that you say, and I have to work on that.
So basically, technically the reaction itself happens in your mind.
I have no whatsoever access to that. I can just try to trigger it.

[19:49] Whatever comes out from you in terms of words, sentences, statements, a movement, et cetera, is what I have. And then, and that I can step into and try to work with. And then I try normally that now the technique here is to take this reaction into the context of the problem that we wanted to you to solve, or the, the, this is the solution that we were trying to develop. So very quickly taking any part of your reaction. Most of your reaction could be useless, but maybe you have a little part that could be interesting to grab and to take into the main work process that was focused on problem solving. Then we have a little, maybe a little seed that could become the new solution. So it's tracing, it's being very focused on small elements that could be useful in whatever comes with your reaction.

Using negativity and pessimism as tools for creativity

[20:57] So, obviously, as you said, you never know what you're going to provoke or what kind of reaction is going to be.
You know, we may think along the sort of stereotypical lines that creativity or innovative process means you need to be open, optimistic and positive.
But sometimes what I can understand is that sometimes the response could be of one of a more of a negativity or pessimism.
How can we use negativity and pessimism in creativity?
I mean, is that an energy we can use? Please. First of all, there is no positivity or negativity as such.
The creative act is instinctive. It just is a reaction.
And then if you say positive or negative, you are already out of it and you are.

[21:45] Already providing an assessment.
And it is very important in any creative process to separate the creative act and the assessment of whatever are the consequences.
Now, having said that, if we want to use the normal dictionary and say negativity or say risks or say...
Now, in the creative process, negativity as positivity is just a natural, normal part of our way of thinking.
So we use negative thoughts to foster provocative actions.
But just towards a shattering of the assumptions that we had.
So again, I have problems with the word negative because it may be misunderstood.
But if we for one second want to accept it, then I could use it as a tool to create provocations.
Okay, so let me rephrase. I think you made a very valid and astute point. So let's say.

[23:06] It's some firm and then obviously artificial intelligence is becoming more and more embedded and used in things. So I'll say in a general place, okay guys, we are going to start embedding artificial intelligence into this process. But what I get from people who've been in the game, let's say 20 years, and they're used to a certain standard way of doing things, they become more defensive. Not negative, but because they become defensive because of the uncertainty, because of the risk of losing what they know. How can we use this then, that energy, if we can call it that, for lack of a better part of this vernacular, to push into a creative process or to to foster a creative process, this defensiveness?
Right. This is why we call technical, we call it design and management of creative processes.
So designing a process means creating the the work process, the work breakdown structure that goes from creating to having a focus, and then setting up the assumptions, then provoking the assumptions, then.

[24:21] Gathering the ideas, then assessing the ideas, and then taking any choices that need to be taken.
And in each of these steps, in each of these work packages, you go on creating a feeling of safety.
It is safe. We know what you're doing, what we are doing. We are not destroying your world.

[24:48] We are not challenging your position in the company or in any other system.

[24:55] So, creating this feeling of being safe helps a lot.
And normally, this so-called negativity or people being quick in locking themselves is normally is, uh, is due to a mix up of, uh, activities that need to be done separately in the creative process. So we have, for example, we are not even finished with defining our focus, our purpose, and we are already putting up ideas and we are already, uh, shooting down those ideas while we are not even agreed on what, what is the problem that we are going to solve. So then I can stop everything, explain that the ideas, the time for coming with ideas will arrive. We are not there yet. The time for assessing these ideas will arrive later on. We're not there yet. And let's just focus on be clear about what are we talking about and what are we going to to get out of it, what is our purpose. So doing this and so being clear about all the steps that we are going through.

[26:22] Being clear about the fact that you will have your time to be very negative on this topic but not yet, That and creating this sense of safety is very useful to make all the participants relax, and actually contribute.

[26:40] Music.

Unlocking Creativity: Steps to Unveil Assumptions

[26:49] In the first part of my discussion with Sebastian, he emphasizes that creativity is the latent ability within everyone.
He outlines the steps of the creative process that can help individuals unlock their creative potential.
The initial steps involve identifying and unveiling one's assumptions.
By scrutinizing what is taken for granted and recognizing assumptions, a person can map out their own preconceived notions.
These assumptions can pertain to both personal beliefs and group perspectives relevant to the problem at hand.
The process of challenging the assumptions is the second step.
Despite being discomforting, this step is crucial as it questions the very truths upon, which actions are based. Sebastian employs a tactful approach to provoke others without causing offense, aiming to uncover implicit biases.
The third step involves observing reactions to these provocations.
As Sebastian said, laughter is often a common response, indicative of the creative breakthrough happening.
This step seeks to explore these reactions as they can lead to new and unexplored realms of thought.
Ultimately, Sebastian describes the phase of chasing the unthought thought, the idea to foster innovation and creativity.
So let's slip back into the stream with part 2 with Sebastian Lombardo.

[28:09] Music.

Divergent and Convergent Thinking in Creative Process

[28:22] Divergent thinking. So there's rules of engagement when it comes to divergent thinking. So what I hear is that, okay, guys and gals, we are just going to collect thoughts, we're going to table as profound or as silly as these thoughts are, we're going to collect them all. But at some point, we will do a convergent thinking process, meaning we will weed out what's not working. And this is the time where you can bring in your critical thinking and your ideas and your skepticism, and we will address that. Is that what I understand?
Is correct. And these hopefully will help all the participants into the process to relax and to contribute in the best possible way.
And so is there a step four or is that just that's very situational depending upon the process or what you're working with?
Well if the three steps that we have mentioned earlier are basically useful to define creativity the creative process. Then if we want to have the larger picture, then we should add first a step zero, which is agreeing on the focus, a purpose. Then we can add the step four, which is assessment, idea assessment. So, first focusing, then revealing assumptions, provoking the the structure of these assumptions.

[29:51] Reacting, which is creating new ideas and that's the creative element of it, and then, assessment. All these parts are separated and can be performed using various techniques depending on the context, depending on the kind of problem that is to be solved.
Okay, so it sounds like the first three steps is sort of more of this divergent thinking when it it comes to reactions, questioning assumptions and understanding things.
And the convergent is the assessment part.
Um, sometimes when we talk about innovation, creativity, sometimes we use those as synonyms, can you maybe define and distinguish these two elements and how they're, they are different in the process of what you work with?

Defining and Distinguishing Creativity and Innovation

[30:41] Yes, Jason, I can. I can at least propose my view, which is a view of my stream of research.
Now, creativity, as I tried to explain earlier, is to be considered the natural part of any human action.
We are essentially creative persons, all of us.

[31:08] That is the ability to react to whatever challenges our, our beliefs and our, our assumptions. That's it.
You can be extremely creative without getting into any innovation at all.

[31:25] Now innovation is another story is a completely different story.
When we use the word innovation, we are always referring to a given context, something which is innovative, I don't know, in construction would never be innovative in oil and gas.
Whatever is innovative in, I don't know, in brain surgery may not be creative at all in another field of medicine.

[31:56] So first you need the context and then you can say okay we have produced an idea, a solution, a concept or whatever you want and to be sure that this can be considered innovation or, innovative, you need some criteria normally.
So to be innovative, you have to perform an assessment of whatever has been produced or created.
And then this assessment is what makes you able to say, oh, this was innovative.
And I have normally three main criteria.
Given the context, something is innovative if one, it is genuinely novel.
Two, it is actually useful.
And three, it is actually being adopted, being used, being implemented somewhere.

[33:05] Okay, so novel, useful, and implemented. Then we can say, that's my opinion, then we can say, oh this is innovative, but you can be extremely innovative without having a explicit creative process behind you. Or you can be extremely creative without arriving to a conclusion which is innovative or an innovation. Yeah, because I always saw sort of creativity for me you is sort of the foundation of everything, please forgive me, this is a very layman's perspective, my perspective. But creativity is the foundation of everything. So you have an invention, usually an invention is a completely new idea, a new a new.

[33:49] Technology, what have you. And for me, innovation is always being sort of defined by taking that invention, that original idea and building upon it, making it better, making more efficient, making it stronger, faster, what have you. And so that's where I see the process. And creativity for me, again, my own anecdotal experience, it has to be in an environment where you can incubate ideas. But if I may challenge you, because you work with a lot of organizations, and you've been doing this for decades, I mean, you're a kind of a guru in the idea in the area of creativity and innovation. If a firm if an organization is going through a lot of tumultuous and situation right now, and there is a lot of stress, like negative stress, duress in the organization.

[34:37] But in order to survive, in order to make it to the next quarter, to the next year, they need to be creative, they need to be innovative.
What does it take in that stressful environment to create a creative process, to think innovatively, but you're already under some sort of mental strain?
What is your professional advice to them?
First of all, focus, converge towards what is that you want to obtain.

[35:16] So focus is the first absolutely important aspect.
And when we say focus, we're talking about two things. Something called focus area, which answers the question, what are we talking about?
Something called focus purpose which as you might understand is what are we going to achieve concretely. Now many organizations fail in being clear about these two points. These two points are strategic points in general and as you may understand we may expect that an organization in a distressful situation may have several focus areas and these focus areas may be connected to each other somehow.
Right? So mapping the focus areas that are important for an organization in distress.

[36:21] Is absolutely the first step. Many of them don't do that. They just improvise or there is a louder voice that imposes one specific focus area and that may be very deleterious and may not create the conditions for resilience in the organization. So first, mapping the focus areas. What are we talking about? What are the important elements that affect us and how they are connected to each other? Second, you choose one focus area at a time and within the chosen one you try to explicit the focus purpose. Now the focus purpose should be realistic. If you can quantify it, it is very good, so quantifiable. And if possible, it is not always possible, if possible, set a time frame. A very easy example, we got to sell 30% more of this product within, I don't know, June 2025. Okay. So this is an extremely important strategic.

[37:44] Exercise that is the foundation of the creative process that may follow. And then when you have chosen a focus area, chosen at least one focus purpose at a time, you focus on that specific purpose. And then you ask, what are we taking forgiven? And then all the negativity that is around in the air suddenly becomes a resource because you can use it voluntarily. And then explicitly in a very aware and conscious way to attack all the assumptions, all the truths.
Now this is painful, let me stress it once again, this is painful and that is why many organizations just don't do that. They need help to do that in a professional and safe way.

[38:43] Now, I think that's very important because I see a lot of parallels in what you're doing.
When I'm working with clients and they're facing conundrums, stress, what have you, some sort of challenge in their life, they could be in an anxious state.
I mean, they're highly educated people, experienced and knowledgeable, but we all get into an anxious state.
And when we are in an anxious state, that means our central nervous system is all triggered up and we tend to focus on things that we don't control, all the things that are uncertain, all the question marks.
But what I hear you saying is that with focus area and focus purpose, what you're doing is you're concentrating, you're compartmentalizing.
Okay, folks, what are we working on? What's the focus area?
All of a sudden, when people start talking more concretely or quantifiable on something, that gives them a sense of control.
And what I also hear is that you're also creating also control and certainty.

[39:35] And what you're saying is about you said to keep it realistic, quantifiable and a timeframe.
You're painting a picture. When we can paint a picture, then we feel more comfortable about what we're moving into because you're literally creating a map in which we will be migrating. And when you have the quantifiables, that, sounds like you can also, what you're saying is, you're taking sort of, instead of just focusing always on the outcome, it sounds like you're saying, okay, what is the effort? Where can we take action? And when people feel a sense of action or a sense of agency over something, that also can settle down the stressful mind.
So even though this is a stressful situation.

[40:15] Forgive maybe the overused metaphor, we can move into the eye of the storm where it's calm to deal with the storm. Is that what I understand you're communicating?

[40:23] You need to deal with the storm, yes. Sometimes we need to create the storm artificially, but in the cases that you are mentioning, there is more than enough storm out there, and that's why we tend to use it. So we acknowledge that there is stormy weather outside there, and we step into it and try to use it as a creative resource. Whatever I'm saying here is not my own invention and there is literature about this. There are researchers that have been working on that etc. So if your listeners want we can add a list of references to the end.

Shifting the focus from teams to individual creativity

[41:02] Yeah that'll be great if you can send me that I can include those into the show notes.
Yes. So far we've been talking about organizations and teams and sort of processes to help a group of people. If we just shift the conversation, if I may, to the individual, you know, how can individuals actively learn and develop their own creativity? In a sense, what are some practical tips to train ourselves to be more creative on an individual basis? You know, the fascinating aspect of this work or whatever we have been saying right until now is that these mechanisms are automatic. And, uh, we may go through the steps of focusing, uh, of being aware of our assumptions, provoking our assumptions, reacting and assessing whatever reaction has come out in, uh, in a few seconds, just in two or three seconds, maybe it goes so quickly in our mind, and it is just a question of being aware of that.

[42:17] And that is fantastic. I mean, this is the most fascinating aspect of this work.
You can design each face, you can use techniques, you can invite people, you have groups, but it is so embedded in our normal way of thinking that you can actually realize the whole thing in a couple of seconds, just in your own head.
So, if I want to, uh...
Run longer and faster. I need to train running out in the countryside, etc. And the same applies to creative thinking. I need just to impose myself some more training. That is something that I can do myself. I don't need trainers or experts or psychologists, asking the question, what is my problem right now?

Practical tips for training oneself to be more creative

[43:14] What I take for given? What if it is not given after all? And then have fun with your own reaction and trying to do that as aware in a more aware possible way so that you.

[43:30] Are conscious that you are making an effort to go through the steps and after a while this becomes really automatic. So what I hear is self-awareness, you need to be cognizant and understandably you may emotionally and you've been emotionally wrapped around you've been thinking about the problem you're trying to face or the code you've been trying to crack for the longest time but what I hear you saying then Sebastian is that I need to stop up, disengage, and take a more objective perspective of the subjective problem I'm trying to solve. But it comes down to the quality of the question. And so, one thing is to think about the processes. How important is it to articulate and to capture our thoughts and emotions into concrete words? For example, writing down some of our thoughts that come.
I mean would you recommend that or is it okay to kind of just process it in our head?

[44:33] Well basically these processes when we talk at the personal level they are very automatic, very quick, in general quite difficult to catch. You may discover yourself doing this and that's it, it's already gone. You got the idea, you don't know how. So writing down your own focus, purpose, writing down the list of your assumptions, etc. is very useful.

[45:08] We can recommend that as a part of the training. If you start playing guitar, you know, you're 40 years old and you never touched the guitar and then you want to play flamenco because that's your focus.
Well, then you need first to understand what is these things that I have on my legs, or they call it guitar, or there are six strings, or you can push on the strings, where by the end you have to use your left hand. And I'm not pushing enough with my finger. I need to push more. Oh, that's, that's a sound. And the way from that to being a professional flamenco players, it's a long way, but you need to start there. And for many of us, unfortunately, we need to go through that step also when we want to be more aware of our creative potential.

[46:03] Let me ask you, I want to challenge you, what is your go-to creative process when you are stuck?
Look, I love this question because being presented as a guru, etc. is quite cool, but in reality I am as stuck as anybody else.
Else when I have a problem and I am so so locked into my own truth that so when I need help.

[46:34] For that, well, I know that I know the tricks. Okay. So I'm, I'm being the bad boy. Normally it doesn't want to take the medicine, my own medicine. So I, I have a two or three friends that I know are very good at these and I asked them to provoke me and I get some red as usual, upset of being provoked, even though I have asked for that. And, and, but then I desperately try to, to react. And then I am as good as anybody else in reacting and trying to get something good out of it. So my trick, my personal trick is to ask Neil, to ask Guy, to ask Antonio about provoking myself. I know it's safe because they love me and I know they can, they know me so they can actually point of my most, my dearest beliefs and that's it.
What I hear is you find a sparring partner, someone you trust and respect to kind of kick around ideas so you can move from a subjective state to a more of an objective perspective to see.

[47:48] Yes. That is when I'm really stuck. If I'm not really stuck, if I'm just a little bit stack, then I can help myself. Then I can use this conversation, I can re-hear this conversation when when this is out in the internet and taking any question that you ask me and trying to consider better propagation. Well, Sebastian, I think that's some really good tips. I am very respectful of your time. We're coming close to the top of the hour. Is there any last advice or suggestions you'd like to leave with our listeners when it comes to creativity or the innovative process?
Listen to this podcast. It's fantastic and you will be more creative.
All right, Sebastian. Thank you very much for your time. I will make sure all your contact information and the list of resources are included in your show notes.
Thank you, Jason. I look forward to meeting you in person as soon as possible. And hello Hello everybody out there.

[48:48] Music.

[48:55] Well, folks, that was the fantastic Sebastian Lombardo, aka Mr. Creative.

The Distinction Between Creativity and Innovation

[49:01] You know, in the second part, Sebastian delved into the distinction between creativity and innovation.
Creativity, he asserts, is an inherent facet of human nature, involving the capacity to challenge our beliefs and assumptions.
Innovation, however, is context-dependent, varying from one situation to another.
And innovation? Well, it necessitates specific criteria. It needs novelty, utility, and implementability.
Sebastian emphasizes that being innovative doesn't always require a structured creative process, and being creative doesn't always lead to innovative outcomes.
In the context of a company under pressure, to be creative, Sebastian provides a strategic approach.

[49:44] He recommends defining a focused area that requires attention and dissecting the vital elements that influence it. Equally significant is defining the specific purpose of this focus, outlining tangible achievements. Many organizations falter due to a lack of clarity on these two critical points, focus area and focus purpose. The strategic approach is paramount as it prevents one dominant voice from drowning out others and cultivates the resilience of the organization. Well, I really hope that this episode has added, deepened, and complemented your idea and your knowledge about the idea of creativity and the idea of innovation.
And I'd like just to send a personal thank you to you, Sebastian, for sharing your knowledge and experience. And folks, any of you interested in getting in contact with Sebastian, I will leave all his contact information in the show notes. You can also find a link to his YouTube series that specifically dives into the creative and innovative processes.
So I highly recommend you taking a dive and a look into those.

[50:48] Well, folks, here we are at the tail end of another episode.
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And until the next time we meet, keep well, keep strong.