If you come up with a new product, you can very easily track its contribution to the bottom line. But often the challenge can be both large and subtle.

You are able to create an environment so that the creative process can take place and that you can get people to perform at their highest levels.

It takes creativity at every stage to make the discontinuous leap from one level of knowledge to the next. These discontinuous leaps of understanding lead to insights that in turn lead to value creation.

In the end it is the musician who actually plays the notes. The impresario - or the project leader - is only there to make sure that happens. That is a very different type of management mind-set.

Now jamming - which is about collaborative improvisation - has to do with getting people together to be creative musically. But it is a very powerful metaphor for understanding the grammar of the creative process. It applies to business and to other pursuits as well.

Companies have to take risks to get new knowledge, in a manner similar to how jazz musicians take risks when they go after a new approach to a tune or a performance.

The capacity to creatively improvise is an important factor that differentiates successful companies - or teams - from those that are not successful.