Do you have an Anti-Creativity Checklist?

I came across Yougme Moon’s “Anti-Creativity Checklist” over at the Harvard Business Review after a tweet from @lindegaard and it got me thinking…

In order to build a culture capable of encouraging innovation or creativity (or both), you must first do an inventory of the psychology and mental models in play in your organization.

One great way to do this would be to build an ‘anti-innovation checklist’ or an ‘anti-creativity checklist’. If you start watching the vocabulary that people use in meetings where ideas are being discussed, the behavior of senior leadership as it relates to these areas, and most importantly – how people respond – you’ll get a better sense of where your organizational challenges lie with respect to innovation and creativity. Wouldn’t that make such an exercise of great value to an organization?

Anyways, as an example, I’ve pulled out the fourteen items on Yougme Moon’s checklist from the video above, which you may just want to watch:

1. Play it safe. Listen to that inner voice.
2. Know your limitations. Don’t be afraid to pigeonhole yourself.
3. Remind yourself: It’s just a job.
4. Show you’re the smartest guy in the room. Make skepticism your middle name.
5. Be the tough guy. Demand to see the data.
6. Respect history. Always give the past the benefit of the doubt.
7. Stop the madness before it can get started. Crush early-stage ideas with your business savvy.
8. Been there, done that. Use experience as weapon.
9. Keep your eyes closed. Your mind too.
10. Assume there is no problem.
11. Underestimate your customers.
12. Be a mentor. Give sound advice to the people who work for you.
13. Be suspicious of the “creatives” in your organization.
14. When all else fails, act like a grown-up.

What is on your “anti-innovation checklist” or your “anti-creativity checklist”?

Please feel free to share yours in the comments below.

Related Article:

• Are You Killing Innovation in Your Company (Without Even Knowing It)? by Holly G. Green

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Braden Kelley is a popular innovation speaker, embeds innovation across the organization with innovation training, and builds B2B pull marketing strategies that drive increased revenue, visibility and inbound sales leads. He is currently advising an early-stage fashion startup making jewelry for your hair and is the author of Stoking Your Innovation Bonfire from John Wiley & Sons. He tweets from @innovate.