10 barriers for creativity and innovative in organization

* Management support is important because they give direction to the whole organization. If the management does not support innovation and creativity, then it is very hard for the employees to excel. This is because some organization prefers a formal structure where employees are following rules and respect the line authority from higher lever or superior without much questioning.
* Fear of loosing the time, resources and money by buying into the ideas of new creativity or innovation is holding some organization backwards. These risk avoider organization does not want to lose to its competitors by investing into wrong direction which is the end will cause it down. For example some companies are daring to battle for differences in creativity and innovations such as Sony BluRay DVD and Toshiba HD format because they are risk taker. Winner will takes all while losers will end up losing the market and initial investment in R&D.
* Employees fear for critism and lose face. When one to introduce an ideas, the first thing we will think is other people will accept our ideas, will our ideas be seen as ridiculous and laugh by other people and how are the people going to judge us.
* No financial benefits too drive employees. Some organization does not put creativity building is one the priority in the company. They will not allocate a hefty sum of compensation to a person who drives innovation and worst of all there is no such recognition. Remember money is one of the most important factors that drive people’s desire to excel.
* No clear direction form management. Sometimes management put too many efforts in a lot of projects, creativity and innovative drive but focuses none in one of them and the success rate is questionable to the employees. Some management does not do what they actually say. At one time they may say they are encouraging creativity and at one time none at all. These put employees in the gray area do not know actual intention and direction from the management.
* Drive not to align to market. Some innovation is not necessary because it does not reflect the needs and demands from the market. Consumer does not like the products because it is not well positioned and no natter how well innovative or creative it is, without well return on investment the products will be discontinued or fail in market causing losses to the company.
* Few or no empowerment in organization because all employees must follow a strict rules and regulation, formalities and culture that the organization enforce. They cannot think or act freely and thus this will be a barrier for creativity enhancement.
* Comfort zone. When organization already achieve a certain success there will be a comforts zone for employees to develop further. All benefits, systems, business revenues and etc are at their best and employees will think there is nothing more to improve.
* No young driving force. Organization sometimes too depends on all old employees inside without recruiting any young workforce from outside. This old employees which already in comfort zone does not able to think freely like new recruits and their knowledge is not developed because they depends on old past experience and norms in doing their job.
* No training provided by organization to drive and enhance the skills and knowledge of employees in area of creativity and innovative.