Imagination is the spark of innovation.

Have you ever marvelled at those individuals who effortlessly conjure new ideas? What allows them to perceive the world through fresh, unconventional lenses? The answer is simple: imagination.

Imagination, that wondrous ability to craft novel ideas and concepts within our minds, empowers us to gaze beyond the status quo and envision a brighter future. But it’s more than just a mental power; Imagination is the spark that ignites the innovation process.

Innovation, the transformative process that can deliver new products, services, and methodologies, propels progress and aids us in tackling age-old problems with innovative solutions. Yet, at its core, innovation is a dance with imagination.

Imagination beckons us to view the world through a kaleidoscope of perspectives. It dismantles the barriers of assumptions and preconceived notions, unveiling fresh opportunities hidden to those who tread conventional paths.

Imagination is the spark that kindles the fires of innovation, inspiring us to craft ingenious solutions to even the most daunting challenges. It encourages us to venture into the unknown, to embrace the audacious, and to champion ideas that may initially seem ludicrous.

Imagination as a leadership competency.

Imagination has evolved into a prized leadership competency. Countless studies have illuminated its pivotal role in shaping successful leaders, problem solvers, and innovators. It is the cornerstone upon which a brighter, more imaginative future is built.

Imagination will not thrive though if our basic physiological, safety, and belonging needs are not met. Organisational cultures must therefore be inclusive to allow for imaginative growth.

A study by Kantar found that imagination is the most important competency for business success in the 21st century. The study found that companies with more imaginative leaders are more likely to grow and innovate (Kantar Global Marketing Leadership Report 2022).

The University of Michigan found that imaginative leaders are more likely to be effective problem-solvers. Their study found that imaginative leaders are able to generate more creative solutions to problems than less imaginative leaders. (University of Michigan study: "Imagination as a Leadership Competency: The Role of Imaginative Thinking in Problem Solving and Innovation.")

The Stanford Center on Creativity found that imaginative leaders are more likely to be successful innovators. They found that imaginative leaders are able to see opportunities where others see problems and come up with new ideas that can disrupt markets (Stanford Center on Creativity study).

Government building imagination as a capability.

Camden Imagines, a pioneering program within local government in the United Kingdom, exemplifies how nurturing imagination can transform organisations and communities. By fostering imaginative skills, supporting imaginative projects, and integrating imagination into leadership development, they are ushering in a new era of creative thinking and innovative problem-solving.

Their program is creating space for imagination, encouraging experimentation, providing access to diverse perspectives, and celebrating imagination.

The program is helping to build imagination capacity:

• The program offers a range of training and workshops on topics such as creative thinking, design thinking, and improvisational theatre. These workshops help people to develop their imaginative skills and learn new ways of thinking. They have created 'Imagination Activists'.
• Camden Imagines also supports a number of community-based projects that are using imagination to solve local problems. For example, one project is working to create a more imaginative and playful public space for Camden's residents.
• Camden Imagines is also integrating imagination into the Council's leadership development programs. This is helping to create a new generation of leaders who are equipped to think creatively and solve complex problems in new and innovative ways.

Camden engaged the team at Moral Imaginations to support the delivery of this program. The team are 'building a movement of moral imagining: collective imagining to increase radical kinship with the human and more-than-human worlds, present, past and future.'

Building imagination into your competency framework.

Global giants like Google, IDEO, and 3M have recognised the immense value of imagination in their corporate cultures. They prioritise imagination as a core competency, provide training in creative problem-solving, and cultivate environments where daring ideas can flourish, yielding groundbreaking innovations.

For organisations eager to harness the power of imagination, there’s a clear path forward:

1. Define imagination as a core competency, signalling its importance to your employees.
2. Incorporate imagination-related behaviours into your competency framework, such as generating new ideas and thinking beyond traditional boundaries.
3. Invest in training and development programs that nurture creative thinking and problem-solving skills.
4. Cultivate a culture of psychological safety, where employees feel free to take risks and explore unconventional ideas.
5. Recognise and reward employees who leverage their imagination to drive innovation, thus fuelling progress within the organisation.

In a world constantly evolving, it is imagination that keeps us ahead of the curve, daring us to dream bigger, reach farther, and achieve the seemingly impossible.

Organisations should embrace the power of imagination, for it is the spark that propels us towards a brighter, more innovative tomorrow.