"Everything that could have been invented has already been invented"—this phrase was uttered by Charles Duell, director of the United States Patent Office, in 1889. It can be difficult to understand this feeling of stagnation, especially when we're talking about more than 100 years ago. But that's the truth: it's hard to look to the future and envision new inventions. Now that we've even reached the era of flying cars, the question becomes even stronger: how can we advance further than we already have?
Last September, Brazil climbed 5 positions in the global innovation ranking, reaching 49th place – ranking first in Latin America. The statistics show the country's growth in this area, which is very interesting, especially for attracting the attention of new investors.
But behind the growth of innovative companies lies the creativity of a dedicated team. And that's where the big challenge comes in. Last year, 67% of Brazilian executives surveyed for the National Study on Digital Evolution and Business Innovation stated that they believe organizational culture is one of the main factors preventing companies from innovating. So how do you apply creative management in a company? It all starts with investing in talent. Far beyond simply looking for those who meet the job requirements, it's also necessary to consider the whole picture, the team being built.
To understand the best way to do this, let's imagine a scenario. On one hand, we have team X: where all employees live in the same region, are of the same race, frequent the same places, have the same experiences, and are embedded in the same social context. On the other hand, we have team Y: each individual here comes from different places, experiences different situations, consumes different content, and is of different races and classes. Which team is more likely to come up with new ideas and solutions for the market?
Some companies already have this answer – earlier this year, the startup Blend Edu revealed that, last year, 72% of the companies surveyed already had an area dedicated to diversity and inclusion management. This number shows how relevant this topic is to today's society. This is because people from different backgrounds will build a diverse environment, bringing more ideas and points of view, which are fundamental to a company's creativity. You know when you see an advertisement or product so brilliant that you wonder how no one ever thought of something like that before? I guarantee it was a highly skilled team that created it.
So, let's say you've built your diverse " dream team ": what comes next? Hiring isn't a miracle solution; what matters most is what comes after, the management of employees – a management team that cares about being creative also needs to look at the environment it's fostering for its employees. And this is where many companies slip up. According to the consulting firm Korn Ferry, the mistake most management teams make is hiring people from minority groups but not taking the issue seriously. Establishing hiring "quotas" focused on diversity but not worrying about training and retaining employees, in addition to not providing a welcoming environment, will only sink the company's reputation – and scare away valuable talent.
Creative and innovative management go hand in hand. According to the National Confederation of Industry (CNI), a culture of innovation is composed of 8 pillars: opportunities, ideation, development, execution, evaluation, organizational culture, and resources. These acronyms, in short, applied daily, will enable your company to keep up with the market and be ready to face emerging challenges. It's about looking inward first – ensuring that processes, goals, employees, organization, and values are aligned and functioning well. Only then will the structures thrive amidst the growing challenges of the market.
We are in the age of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Today, in just a few seconds, we can ask technology to fulfill (almost) all our requests. With a few clicks, anyone with access to these tools can create the most diverse thoughts. But, amidst so much progress, it is essential to remember that technology acts as an ally, not a substitute for the human mind. The work of a team made up of diverse talents should not be underestimated. Companies that understand the importance of building a creative team of people and investing in the necessary resources to improve the quality of work stand out in the market.
A management team that cares about these issues must keep up with trends and have leaders who are committed to innovation, as well as engaging the team, stimulating creativity, and valuing diversity and inclusion of professionals. These are habits that should be put into practice to achieve an environment conducive to creativity. If your company doesn't invest in and keep up with what the market is demanding (such as innovation, creativity, and originality), it will cease to exist. That's the stark truth – just remember the big names in the market that went bankrupt because they "stopped in time."
The most valuable lesson I've learned in recent years, leading a Latin American team at a technology solutions company, is that we need to constantly reinvent ourselves. Stepping outside our comfort zone is a significant challenge, but it's what we need to do all the time – and sometimes we don't even realize how naturally these changes can happen. When we understand the need to adapt to the environment we're in, instead of fighting against it, that's when we can evolve.
