Today, nearly every competitive advantage of the past has been commoditized. Creativity is the one thing that can't be outsourced. The one thing that can separate a company, team, or individual from the competitive set. Today, precision execution is merely the ante to play. Sustained differentiation can only come from breakthrough creativity.

The inhibitor of creativity isn't potential it's fear. We worry about saying the wrong thing or looking foolish so we govern our imagination.

Fear is the single biggest blocker of creativity.

Institutions too often focus their energy preserving the problem to which they are a solution than to innovate their way to success.

Creativity is not a talent; It is a skill. A talent is something you are born with. A skill is something you learn.

Separate out the creative act from the act of editing and execution. Make it a two-step process. First, let ideas flow and encourage EVERY idea to make it to the whiteboard. Don't criticize, judge, edit, budget, or worry. An idea on the wall can't hurt anyone, so let them rip without restriction. After any and all ideas have the opportunity to "come out to play", only then should you apply your analytical and logical side to the effort. Don't mix the creative process with the editing process or you'll kill your ideas before they even get a fighting chance.

Ask yourself this: If there was zero chance of failure, what would you do? Now, go do that.