The gap between creativity and innovation

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I often talk about the importance of being creative and innovative, but often, these concepts seem to sound the same even though they are linked together, and there is a big difference between the two.

Let's start by defining what creativity is. According to the RAE it is: “faculty to create, capacity for creation” .

For Frank Barrom, it is “the disposition to originality.” And there are other authors such as Donald W. Mackinnon who also introduce the concept of “originality” in their definition. Even Wikipedia itself (which some of us would do without, although it must be used with “reservations”), introduces the concept of “originality.” Other definitions such as that of Paul Matussek also speak of “discovering relationships between previously unrelated experiences.”

For me, it is about relating two or more concepts to each other, which are not related by their very nature, and creating something new and different. But in general, this creation must have value and be useful if we speak from the organizational point of view and not merely artistic, for example.

It must provide new ways of analyzing a problem, providing new solutions. It must have a utilitarian sense, because we can create very original ideas that are devoid of value or utility.

Joseph Schumpeter was the one who introduced the term innovation in his “ theory of innovations”. He defines it as a new way of production. He states that society and the economy are transformed when the factors of production are combined in a novel way. He also states that they are the key to economic growth and that those who implement this change in a practical way are entrepreneurs.

Innovation refers to putting a value on that new idea, that new creation. It moves us towards the future, as long as it manages to be incorporated into the lives of human beings, into everyday life and serves to improve it. Therefore, there is an important difference between being creative and being innovative. Innovation means, to put it poetically, “putting a dream or idea into practice” always within the parameters described above.

I know many creative people, I'm sure you do too, who are always full of ideas, but that doesn't mean they are innovative, because they need to "make the leap". And there is a significant gap between the two.

More than once you will have said or heard the phrase “stay in the world of ideas, they are useless there”. Innovation means making a bet on the future, taking risks and, above all, something that almost all of us are very bad at, leaving the comfort zone and taking a step towards uncertainty.

In a society like ours, those who have a steady job and a good all mp mobile number list 2024 salary are generally valued much more than those who are creative and entrepreneurial. Perhaps, as Schumpeter already had in mind, he introduces in his definition that entrepreneurs are those who implement innovations. But the educational system in which we operate in general (I am not talking about the Spanish system in particular, nor am I going into current controversies) does not encourage creativity and even less innovation.

Sir Ken Robinson , an expert on creativity, is very clear about it: schools and the way we educate our children are undermining creativity. Well, he says: “Schools kill creativity” in his TED talk. So, if being creative is already almost an impossible mission, when it comes to putting those ideas into practice, and bridging the gap between the production of ideas and innovation, it seems to be almost a task for superheroes.

We still have a lot of work ahead of us to create an environment where creativity and innovation are common. Environments that encourage the implementation of ideas, whether large or small (not all of us are Steve Jobs), that are beneficial to society.

Starting with education at all levels (school, family, gaming environment) and ending with administrative support that facilitates the implementation of new projects.

But why don't we start by supporting and applauding all creative and innovative people, instead of encouraging them to join the same circle where the rest of us are already?