Winton Marsalis on Innovation

Tim Hughes with Genentech sent an email and stated: Last year I attended the World Business Forum in NYC and was privileged to hear Winton Marsalis speak on innovation. I was so impressed that I wrote a summary of his thoughts. He then graciously agreed to share the following with us:

Speaker: Winton Marsalis
Topic: Innovation and Creativity

Thesis: Using the lessons of a lifetime of jazz, which is a medium that exists and recreates itself continuously by innovation and creativity, Winton Marsalis made the following general observations of use to the business community.

We are all artistic and innately creative. Creativity is not a talent unique to artists.
o It’s difficult for us to recognize that in ourselves and others because we equate creativity with being “good” at something, which is not the same thing.
o We must honor and recognize our own individuality and creativity and in everyone around us.
o We all have the right to do our own thing

Jazz parallel: Everyone can pick up an instrument and play – create music. (To play it well requires work, training and practice, not creativity.)

People/Teams: Everyone’s creativity and skill is different. A team working creatively must encourage others and be supported by others to reach its full potential.
o Focus on what you can do and what you can do to support others. In your team, surround yourself with the best possible players with different skills and allow them to go where their creativity takes them.

Jazz parallel: In a jazz ensemble musicians playing vastly different instruments -- string, wind percussion, keyboard, reed - collaborate with each other, taking turns to lead the music in the direction they choose and taking turns to support the lead with rhythm, harmony and beat and allowing each in turn.

Motivation: Creativity involves restating the traditional; innovation involves inventing something novel. Don’t be too sure of yourself and scoff at innovation and/or creativity in others. Something novel and valuable, entirely out of your experience could result from this
o How many times have you laughed at something that was later successful (and how often have you done things that should have been laughed at)?

Jazz parallel: All of the great jazz innovators were at one time considered too ‘far-out’.

Action Items a Company should consider: Enable and encourage people the time and space to challenge the ordinary and accepted
Start Creativity and Innovation "training" (acclimatization to the idea we can be creative).