By Sir Ken Robinson

While it's a simple fact that innovation is the lifeblood of any successful organization, building an IT organization that supports creativity and innovation is anything but simple. Sir Ken Robinson, an international expert on creativity and innovation, and the author of The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything (Penguin/Viking, 2009), says innovation is best achieved when natural talent meets personal passion. To learn how CIOs can tap into what Sir Ken calls "The Element," contributing editor Patricia Brown recently spoke with him from his office in Los Angeles.

Why do CIOs need to be more creative now?

Creativity is the process of putting your imagination to work and generating original ideas that have value. Many people have misconceptions about creativity. They think only special people are creative. Or they think creativity is about special things, like design, music or architecture. I believe it's possible to be creative about anything that involves using your intelligence.

For companies to transform themselves successfully in response to drastic marketplace changes, a process of systematic innovation is essential. In the enterprise environment, this creates a special opportunity for information technology. The digital revolution has changed everything. Technology has always impelled changes in business practices. In many ways, it has had transformative effects on the culture in which businesses work.

To continue this trend, however, CIOs and IT people need to ensure that they're not trapped in old mindsets. It is essential that they be creative in the ways they develop new technologies and in the ways they advise their organizations on how to use them.