Most organisations relish the opportunity to promote innovative and creativity into their culture, because from such a platform flow new ideas about service and product delivery. An innovative culture is a benefit to most businesses because staff will be encouraged never to stand still but always look at issues and concerns and opportunities from different angles. However, although most organisations want 'creativity and innovation' to become part of their business, most stifle its very creation by failing to address those parts of the organisation that breed orthodoxy and conformity.

For a culture of creativity to evolve requires the replacement of the traditional organisational functioning with an alternative model. This model has to be based upon a 'human relations' model that encourages diversity of thinking and rewards transformational behaviour.

Building creativity into a business culture requires:

• A commitment to 'results through people' reflected in basic HR policy and practise
• The formation of a Leadership culture where expertise for solving the problem enjoys equal value with seniority
• Review of key positions across the organisation where key people need to reflect a transformational, rather than a strictly functional or administrative, role
• A performance management process that reflects a commitment to stretch, allows people to take thoughtful risks
• A developmental process that focuses on business, as well as technical, skills