Balancing Creativity And Efficiency

According to the 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐈𝐎 𝐒𝐮𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐲 by Foundry, 𝟕𝟓% of CIOs find it challenging to strike the right balance between these two critical areas. This difficulty is notably higher in sectors such as education (𝟖𝟐%) and manufacturing (𝟕𝟖%), and less so in retail (𝟓𝟒%). (Source: https://lnkd.in/ebsed9i7) 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐄𝐱𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐬: The increasing emphasis on digital transformation and artificial intelligence (AI) is driving the need for innovation. In 2024, 28% of CIOs reported that their primary CEO-driven objective was to lead digital business initiatives, a significant increase from the previous year. This push towards innovation often competes with the imperative to maintain operational excellence, including upgrading IT and data security and enhancing IT-business collaboration. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐎𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬: The tension between innovation and operational excellence can lead to a misallocation of resources if not managed correctly. It can result in either stifling innovation due to overemphasis on day-to-day operations or risking operational integrity by over-prioritizing disruptive technological advancements. For instance, sectors with a high focus on operational challenges, such as education and healthcare, particularly emphasize IT security and business alignment over aggressive innovation. 𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐂𝐈𝐎𝐬: • 𝐄𝐦𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐚 𝐃𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐚: Get used to it! CIOs should advocate for an IT strategy that equally prioritizes operational excellence and innovation. This involves not only leading digital transformation projects, but also ensuring that these innovations deliver tangible business outcomes without compromising the operational integrity of the organization. • 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐈𝐓 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Strengthening the collaboration between IT and other business units remains a top priority. CIOs should work closely with business leaders to ensure that technological initiatives are well-aligned with business goals, thereby enhancing the overall strategic impact of IT. • 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩 𝐚 𝐅𝐥𝐞𝐱𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞 𝐀𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐌𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐥: To manage the dynamic demands of both innovation and operational tasks effectively, CIOs should adopt a flexible resource allocation model. This model would allow the IT department to shift resources quickly between innovation-driven projects and core IT functions, depending on the business priorities at any given time. ******************************************* • Visit www.jeffwinterinsights.com for access to all my content and to stay current on Industry 4.0 and other cool tech trends • Ring the 🔔 for notifications!

The flip side of freedom is responsibility! And it can't be truer for me as an owner of a personal branding agency. While I relish the freedom to shape my vision, collaborate with clients who share my values, and develop inspiring strategies, this autonomy also carries significant responsibilities that are often overlooked. My role requires me to not only innovate and create but also to safeguard my clients' reputations and deliver authentic narratives that resonate with their audiences. How do I balance Freedom and Responsibility: 1. Set Clear Boundaries: Establish boundaries between work and personal life to ensure that I have time to recharge. This balance allows me to approach my work with renewed energy and creativity. 2. Prioritize Communication: Maintain open lines of communication with clients. Regular updates and honest conversations about expectations can help manage responsibilities without stifling creativity. 3. Delegate Wisely: Empower my team by delegating tasks based on their strengths and expertise. Trusting my team not only eases my workload but also fosters a collaborative environment where everyone contributes to the agency’s vision. 4. Stay Committed to Values: Remind myself of the values that guide my agency. This commitment serves as a compass, helping me make responsible decisions that align with both my vision and my clients’ needs. 5. Embrace Continuous Learning: I treat learning like a sponge, soaking up knowledge to fuel my innovative strategies. This knowledge allows me to make informed decisions, balancing innovative strategies with responsible practices. 6. Measure Impact: Regularly evaluate the impact of my strategies on clients’ brands. This assessment helps me take responsibility for the results while ensuring that my creative freedom is aligned with clients' goals. 7. Cultivate a Support Network: Surround myself with mentors and peers who understand the unique challenges of personal branding. Their insights can provide guidance on balancing freedom and responsibility effectively. 8. Celebrate Wins and Learn from Mistakes: Acknowledge both successes and failures. Celebrating achievements boosts morale, while reflecting on mistakes fosters growth and reinforces my commitment to responsibility. By consciously balancing these elements, I can enjoy the freedom of running a personal branding agency while still being accountable to my clients and their stories. This balance not only makes my work more fun but also helps me build a stronger connection with the people I work with. #community #collaboration #branding #innovation #strategy #inspiration #team

A few months ago, I was struggling to concentrate on big picture items and strategic planning. My mind would bounce from thought to thought and I could only concentrate in about 20 minute increments. Anybody else out there find it difficult to get in the zone? I did some reading about getting into the flow state. Then the revelation: I was trying to approach creation tasks the same way I'd approach more administrative type work. Maker time vs Manager time is different! Here's the secret: the maker’s schedule thrives on long, uninterrupted stretches of time. Research shows it can take up to 30 minutes to hit that sweet spot of flow. No distractions—just you, your coffee, and an empty screen. ☕️💻 Yet, the reality of our workday often looks different. Meetings, notifications, and interruptions can steal away your focus. The human brain can only handle 4-5 hours of deep work a day, so even one meeting can derail your productivity. On the flip side, managers have their own challenge: a schedule filled with meetings. From one-on-ones to status updates, managing a team means constant face time. But too many meetings can leave you drained and with little time to do the actual work. Balancing these two schedules is key. Protect your maker time fiercely and streamline your manager meetings effectively. Achieving this balance can lead to unprecedented productivity and satisfaction. #LeadershipTips #ProductivityTips #TimeManagement #WorkFlow

Gone are the days of a linear career path. Not long ago, the idea of a successful career followed a simple formula: Choose a study field > land a job > climb the ladder > retire. But today, career paths are anything but linear. More professionals are weaving between industries, blending their passions and redefining success. I went from climbing the corporate ladder as an Accountant, to taking a leap into tech and creativity — aligning my career with my passions and purpose. At school, I gravitated towards structure and logic, which led me to study accounting. It seemed like a practical and stable choice — one that promised job security and a clear trajectory. But at the same time, I craved the creativity I found through studying art, IT and photography. So I decided to pursue a double degree in business and design. While studying at uni I kickstarted my career at an accounting firm, getting a head start in the corporate world. Meanwhile on the design side, a Fine Arts assignment led me to launch my photography side hustle. I soon found myself fitting creativity into the margins of my finance career and defying the belief that Accountants couldn’t be creative. I knew I had more to give beyond a traditional corporate career, but I wasn’t sure how to blend my skills and passions in a way that felt authentic. Then came the opportunity to work at Canva. This was one of those sliding doors moments. I found my sweet spot at a company that is values-driven and where I could contribute to doing good in the world, while seamlessly merging my analytical and creative skillsets. The transition from corporate to tech was huge, but it unlocked a whole new level of growth. I now apply my financial expertise while being surrounded by creativity, innovation and a culture that encourages out-of-the-box thinking. If you’re feeling stuck or considering a career pivot, here is some advice: — Your passions matter. If you feel pulled in multiple directions, explore your intuition. Unexpected opportunities may follow. — Skills are transferable.  The analytical thinking I developed in public practice helped me thrive in tech, just as my creative background has shaped my approach to problem-solving. — Side hustles can open doors.  My photography business isn’t just a creative outlet — it has built entrepreneurial skills, connections, and confidence. — Growth happens outside your comfort zone.  The world of tech was unknown, but taking the leap led to profound learning and career development. — You don’t have to have it all figured out.  Each challenge offers learning and adds to your story. You know I love a unique personal brand! Your career doesn’t have to fit into a box — there’s value in taking the unconventional path. If you’re currently navigating a career change or thinking about one, I’d love to hear your story and help unblock your next step. Photo taken on my third day at Canva — which seems like a lifetime ago!

𝐅𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐦𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬? Last week, during an Executive Presence retreat, I asked senior business leaders a simple question: 𝐻𝑜𝑤 𝑑𝑜 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑏𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑦𝑓𝑢𝑙𝑛𝑒𝑠𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑜 ℎ𝑖𝑔ℎ-𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑘𝑒𝑠 𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑒𝑟𝑠ℎ𝑖𝑝 𝑟𝑜𝑙𝑒𝑠? Their responses were both insightful and practical. Here are the top five creative strategies they shared: 𝟏. 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐒𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐤 One leader shared how he kicks off meetings with a fun question or a quick anecdote. It sets a positive tone and encourages open conversations. “When the room starts with joy,” he said, “we operate with more ease and confidence.” 𝟐. 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐬 Another leader, managing a high-pressure team, introduced short ‘breather breaks’—just five minutes to step away from screens. “Without these pauses, stress builds up and erodes composure. Now, my team comes back sharper and more engaged.” 𝟑. 𝐌𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐨𝐫𝐦 One CXO spoke about turning brainstorming into a game. “Instead of asking for solutions in a rigid format, I invite ridiculous ideas first. It removes fear, and surprisingly, the best solutions emerge from the most outrageous suggestions.” 𝟒. 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐄𝐱𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞—𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐁𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 A senior leader reflected on how his internal mindset affects the team. “If they see me rushing from call to call, constantly stressed, they’ll mirror it. So I started blocking time for deep work and personal rejuvenation—and my team followed.” 𝟓. 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐑𝐞𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐲 One business head shared how she acknowledges team members who bring presence and energy to the workplace. “A simple ‘Well done’ or a quick note of appreciation creates a culture of joy and motivation.” The biggest takeaway? Playfulness isn’t just about fun—it’s a leadership tool that enhances clarity, composure, and decision-making. When leaders embrace it, teams thrive. Which of these ideas resonates with you? Share your thoughts! #ExecutivePresence #LeadershipDevelopment #WorkplaceCulture #DecisionMaking #MindfulLeadership #LeadershipGrowth #PeakPerformance #StrategicThinking #CXOInsights #BusinessSuccess

As a CEO, I’m sure you’ve faced this dilemma. You want to foster innovation, but you’re worried about productivity dropping off a cliff. It’s a real challenge - after all, disruptive ideas can fuel growth, but so can meeting your deadlines. How do you balance the two? Innovation doesn’t have to be about moonshots or massive breakthroughs. Sometimes, it’s as simple as small, meaningful improvements in everyday processes. How? 1. Broaden the definition of innovation. When you take the pressure off delivering “big ideas” and focus on continuous improvement, you empower everyone to innovate. Think small, consistent changes that add up over time. 2. Adopt agile frameworks. Agile methodologies give your teams the structure they need to stay productive, while also allowing room for flexibility and rapid iteration—essential ingredients for innovation. 3. Create a safe space for failure. Failure is part of innovation. Encourage your team to fail fast, learn faster, and then build from those lessons. 4. Leverage technology. Automate routine tasks, streamline communication, and let your teams focus on creativity and impact, not busy work. Balancing innovation and productivity isn’t an either/or situation. It’s about fostering a culture where both thrive. What would you add? If you found this useful, repost ♻️ to help your network.

Innovation is unlikely to be achieved through consistent, conventional thinking. Most teams unknowingly favour 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘁𝘆𝗽𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴—and it’s limiting their potential. Ever been in a meeting where big, bold ideas get shut down too soon? Or one where endless brainstorming leads to zero action? That’s the clash of Divergent vs. Convergent Thinking—and most workplaces get the balance wrong. Convergent thinkers love logic, structure, and clear answers. Divergent thinkers thrive on possibilities, creativity, and unconventional ideas. The real challenge? Most workplaces reward convergence and overlook divergence. 💡 If you’ve ever felt like your ideas weren’t landing, this might be why. (Chances are, you already use both thinking styles—just not in the right sequence.) Here’s how to make both work for you, not against you: 1) Don’t Judge Ideas Too Soon ↳ Separate Idea Generation from Decision-Making ⎌ Innovation dies when every idea is scrutinized immediately. ✔︎ First, expand possibilities—then refine. 2) Create a Safe Space for Bold Ideas ↳ Creativity flourishes when ideas evolve, not when they’re dismissed. ⎌ Innovation dies in judgment-heavy environments. ✔︎ Encourage “Yes, and…” instead of “No, but…” to keep ideas flowing. 3) Pair Opposites for Problem-Solving ↳ Convergent thinkers help refine wild ideas. ↳ Divergent thinkers help break rigid thinking patterns. ⎌ Mixing the two? That’s where teams get stuck. 4) Pair Thinkers Strategically ↳ Visionaries need detail-oriented partners to bring ideas to life. ↳ Give each role equal importance. ✔︎ If an idea feels too safe, ask, “What’s a bolder alternative?” ✔︎ If it’s too abstract, ask, “How do we make this actionable?” 5) Create Space for Both Thinking Modes ⎌ People won’t share unconventional ideas if they fear judgment. ✔︎ Encourage curiosity over criticism. ↳ Schedule separate sessions for idea generation vs. decision-making. ✔︎ You’ll get better ideas and faster execution. 💡 The best teams don’t just have great ideas—they know how to shape them into reality. Which thinking style do you lean toward? Comment below! ------------------- I’m Jayant Ghosh. Follow me in raising awareness for mental health that inspires growth and well-being.

In theory, unstructured environments or non-traditional organisations sound appealing. The idea of spaces where creativity flows freely, teams operate without rigid hierarchies, and innovation happens organically feels modern and exciting. However, even in nature, ecosystems have structures. They may be dynamic and adaptable, but they still rely on underlying patterns and frameworks to function effectively. The same applies to organisations: while we might strive for fluidity and flexibility, structure is still essential to create the conditions for growth and adaptability. Aurora Orchestra illustrates this beautifully. They’ve redefined what an orchestra can be by breaking away from traditional setups. Musicians perform symphonies entirely from memory, eliminating the need for sheet music and stands. This allows them to move freely, interacting with each other and the audience to create an immersive, dynamic experience. The reality is that this isn’t a completely unstructured environment. The musicians still operate within a well-coordinated framework that ensures cohesion and precision. Their performances are meticulously rehearsed, with every movement designed to enhance the musical storytelling. Beyond performance, Aurora’s collaborative model also shows how structure supports adaptability. They work across genres, partnering with artists from various disciplines, but always with a clear purpose: to innovate and engage audiences in new ways. This approach allows them to experiment within a defined framework, balancing freedom with alignment to their creative vision. So, as we think about designing our own organisations: - How can we create flexible environments that still maintain the necessary structure to support growth and alignment? - Are there elements of traditional models we need to keep in place to ensure cohesion, even as we seek to innovate? - What structures can we put in place that allow for autonomy but also connect our teams back to a central purpose and shared goals? Aurora shows that while breaking convention is powerful, it’s the balance of freedom within a structure that allows an organisation to thrive. How could your organisation evolve if it embraced a more adaptive, yet structured, ecosystem approach? That wraps up my thoughts this week on organisations and operating models. Hope you enjoyed the journey! #organisation #organizationdesign #operatingmodel #agile Enjoyed this? ♻️ Share it and follow @digitalholly for insights on strategy, leadership, culture, and women in a future powered by technology. 🙌🏻 All views are my own.

Lesson Learnt : Specialization is required to be a subject matter expert but it also narrows down the scope of learning and impact you create to one domain. Innovation generally happens when problems are solved holistically along with systems thinking and divergent thinking . I learnt that being a specialist is first important to develop focused skills and knowledge sets in one domain but then there is a point it starts to become almost saturated , then explore parallel domains and creative aspects which opens up a lot more opportunities.

Your talent is worthless if you can't balance it with real-world demands. Most people chase success the wrong way: - Overworking during the week - Trying to be creative on weekends - Burning out trying to do both This approach is destroying both your potential and peace of mind. Instead, here's what actually works: 1. Integration over Separation Blend creative thinking into every professional task Make every meeting a chance to innovate Turn routine work into creative experiments 2. Balance through Boundaries Set clear limits for both work and creative time Create transition rituals between different modes Respect your energy levels above all else 3. Consistency over Intensity Small creative acts daily beat big weekend projects Regular professional development trumps sporadic sprints Sustainable practices win over heroic efforts The most successful professionals I've worked with don't try to be two different people - they become one balanced individual. Ready to transform how you approach your work and life? Pick one routine task today and approach it with creative intent. ✍️ Your insights can make a difference!