Human ingenuity creates greater business value

Achievement is measured not just by sustaining present performance, but equally assuring future prospects.

To secure the future, management must realise the importance of ingenuity at work. Ingenuity is an aggregate supply of creativity that an organisation applies to find unexpected and practical ways to solve problems and create greater business value.

Ingenuity constantly expands the realm of the possible in delivering competitive advantage. It can be generated through comprehensive experiences, break-through technology and a collective problem-solving skill.

However, creating human ingenuity is not easy. Business processes need to be redefined to make ingenuity part of everyday life. Companies must continue to attract and foster the most talented people. The environment should allow employees to work with freedom, within a framework of empowerment and accountability, vested with power to imagine, create and implement ideas.

Knowledge development must be the focus of efforts to sustain ingenuity. It requires development of a creative workforce and providing the technology and resources necessary to bring ideas to fruition. Technology has had a dramatic impact on the work process. Thus, planning and decisions based on technological literacy become crucial for any organisation to remain successful.

A company's success depends on the ability to foresee and prepare for the future. The challenge will be to fully empower employees to encourage risk-taking and enhance ingenuity.

Dr Nutavoot Pongsiri is human resources manager of Chevron Thailand Exploration and Production. Follow his article on the second Friday of every month.