How a Manager Can Maintain Balance between Creativity and Conformity?

Developing a new idea, concept or product can be very creative, challenging and exciting. But, that is only one part of the story. The other part of the story, and usually the more difficult part, is to translate this idea into a successful business. This requires detailed planning and organizing of finance, marketing, administration, etc. While new product development involves a high degree of creativity, its transformation into a successful business reality involves carrying out relatively more routine and repetitive tasks. Designing a new high-fashion garment can be very challenging and satisfying work but selling it to boutiques all over the country, and chasing them for outstanding dues hardly offers that kind of excitement, but certainly offers the satisfaction of a routine job well done.

A manager is lucky if he can find elements of both creativity and conformity in the same individual. Usually this is not the case, and most organizations have separate; product Development Groups or Research and Development Division. Creativity can flourish best when allowed full freedom with minimum rules and regulations. Thin most firms allow the product development groups to function in a relatively freer atmosphere. An advertising agency known for the excellent advertisements it produces, allows its creative people, the copy-writers and art-director, the freedom to come into office and leave whenever they please. As long as the work is completed within the deadline, management allows its creative people a great degree of freedom.

In contrast to creative success for which definite output or results cannot be predetermined, business success requires achievement of specific, usually quantifiable targets. In business the best results are usually obtained within the conformity of company policies and rules. However, this is not to say that managing for business results is boring and requires no creativity. On the contrary, succeeding in today's cut-throat competitive world calls for creativity in all the functional aspects of managing, be it finance, marketing, advertising, public relations or human relations.

To succeed, an organization needs both creative people and people who can produce business results. The manager must encourage both kinds of persons in his organization. A new product idea gives a company a rare opportunity to emerge out of the humdrum of competition to the top, but the transformation of opportunity into reality depends on the people performing for business results.