Creative people like to get the right balance between innovation, implementation and impact. Some people like the balance to be 30 – 40 - 30; others like a different ratio. Beware of the organisation that hires creative people - then asks them to spend all their time implementing other people’s tactics, squeezing out their sense of innovation and impact. At times the ratio is bound to vary, but here are three tips for getting the right balance in your work.

1) You can clarify where you get the right balance between innovation, implementation and impact.

Some people love to innovate. “I enjoy designing things that are simple, beautiful and effective,” said one engineer. “I don’t always need a blank piece of paper. Sometimes creative problem-solving does the trick. This company is great. It encourages me to use my brain in my work.”

Some people love to implement. “I like to get my hands dirty,” said one co-ordinator. “My strengths lie in making things happen. Several times I have introduced processes that have enabled organisations to succeed.”

Some people love high impact. “Selling to customers still turns me on,” said one account manager. “After getting a positive response from a client, I drive away in my car with the music blaring. Maybe I will never change. It’s great to get a result.”

Some people love to balance all three. Looking back on your life, can you think of times when you go the right balance? What is the right balance for you?

The times in my life when I have got the right balance
between innovation, implementation and impact have been:

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2) You can clarify how to put yourself into more situations where you get the right balance.

Putting yourself into the right situation can transform your professional life. As we know, there are no jobs any more, there are only projects. So make sure you choose a ‘project’ where you feel: “This is where I was meant to be.”

“During the past 10 years I have launched several successful pilots,” said one person. “For example, in on-line banking, customer service and travel. I am a prototype builder. I like the design, development and initial delivery. But I get bored with long-term maintenance. So I continually keep in touch with my network to explore future opportunities. It is hard work finding new projects. But much more rewarding then getting stuck in places where I do not fit.”

Be proactive. Continually look for roles where you can get the right balance. Try completing the following sentence.

The specific things I can do to put myself into
more situations where I get the right balance are:

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3) You can clarify how to keep improving in the areas of innovation, implementation and impact.

Develop or die. If you enjoy innovation, find more strategies for discovering new ideas. If you enjoy implementation, develop more skills for making things happen. If you enjoy making an impact, expand your repertoire for getting a positive response. If you enjoy all 3 aspects, improve each area when pursuing your favourite project. Finally, watch out for tell-tale signs that you are not be getting the right balance. Clarify what is happening - then fix it for the future. You must do a professional job in the meantime, but get it right on the next project. Enjoy the journey of innovation, implementation and impact.

The specific things I can do to keep improving in the
areas of innovation, implementation and impact are:

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