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Theme The Chartered Accountant

Creativity and Innovation

Driven Leadership
Today’s times are full of intense competitions. In the
phenomenal world professionals are adopting all means
to march ahead. Man is the most pristine creation of the
Universe. The cosmic system has endowed each of us with
immense potential to do noble deeds for a higher ideal. One
such endowment is creative power of human mind which can
turbocharge a professional like CA to access out of the box
ideas by lateral thinking. This has been vindicated by extra
ordinary success of a number of businesses and other leaders
in the past. A CA as a high caliber professional can through
Creative & Innovative Thinking (CIT) conceive breakthrough
brilliant ideas in various professional domains. Using
rational validating faculties of mind act sagaciously to excel
as numero uno hero and script unique saga of success. The
CA. Raj Kumar Manocha article discusses the concept of CIT and its tools to make a CA
Former Judge RCT
a multi-role super prowess professional.
“Think beyond boundaries; creativity knows no limits.
Creativity is a divine gift; use it to uplift humanity.
Innovation arises from inner stillness and clarity of mind.”
— Sri Sathya Sai Baba

C
reativity and innovation to achieve success. In contrast,
are vital to success in any failures in leadership often stem
field. Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s from over-reliance on conventional
teachings capture the essence of thinking and resistance to change.
using creativity and innovation to
serve humanity. The remarkable Why Do Some Business
success of Sathya Sai Institutions— Leaders Excel?
offering world-class free services
in healthcare, education, and Numerous individuals, including
environmental initiatives—illustrates Mahatma Gandhi, Albert Einstein,
the power of innovative leadership Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, and Ratan
and resource management. Across Tata, have achieved extraordinary
industries, from business and social success through creativity and
entrepreneurship to public policy, innovation. Many of these figures
trailblazing leaders have harnessed started humbly and did not
creative & innovative thinking (CIT) attend prestigious management

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The Chartered Accountant theme

institutions, yet their original Connecting to the

Yogic practices offer
thinking propelled them to global
profound insights into Superconscious Mind
recognition.
harnessing the power of the Many breakthrough discoveries arise
from deep reflection and intuition. For
What set them apart? It wasn’t
formal education alone but their
mind for lateral thinking—a example, German chemist Friedrich
ability to think differently, adapt, form of creative problem- August Kekulé discovered the structure
and create novel solutions. solving that goes beyond of the benzene ring after a vivid
For example, Steve Jobs dream in which he visualized atoms
conventional thought forming a snake. Similarly, in business,
revolutionized the tech industry
by applying lateral thinking, patterns innovation often emerges after periods
turning Apple into a leader in innovation. Creative of contemplation and mental clarity. By
thinking is often rooted in intuitive wisdom, driven by a connecting with deeper mental processes, individuals can
quest for growth and excellence. access new ideas and out of the box solutions.

How Does Creativity & Innovative Thinking Practical Examples of Creative Problem-
(CIT) Arise? Solving
Creativity often emerges from fresh perspectives Creativity can come from unexpected sources. For
and inner clarity. For instance, Walt Disney’s idea for example, when a toothpaste company struggled with
Mickey Mouse—a character that revolutionized the declining sales, a simple yet innovative solution came
entertainment industry—stemmed from an unexpected from a peon at a brainstorming session: increasing the
observation of a rat in a garage. This demonstrates that diameter of the tube’s opening. This minor change led
creativity arises when we look at everyday situations to a significant boost in sales.
differently.
Similarly, in a traffic jam, an illiterate boy offered a
Swami Sukhbodhananda, a spiritual leader and simple solution to a truck stuck under an overpass in a
management thinker, emphasizes that we must elevate traffic jam. He suggested that by partially deflating the
our consciousness to access creative thinking. Creative truck’s tires, it’s height can be reduced just enough for
solutions often emerge when we shift our mindset and it to pass under the overpass, allowing it to move freely
approach problems with openness and curiosity. As per and resolve the traffic issue. These examples highlight
him, the concept of creative and innovative thinking the importance of lateral thinking, which is not always
has existed since time immemorial. This is vindicated linked to formal education but rather to intuitive and
from the teaching of Indian mystic Saint Kabir, who creative problem-solving.
expressed this idea in one of his couplets (Doha),
Building an Innovation-Driven Ecosystem
gn&gn djrs lc x,] csgn x;ks u dks,A vugn ds eSnku esa] To foster creativity and innovation within organizations,
jgk dchjk lks,AA the following elements are crucial:
gn gn tis lks vkSfy;s] csgn tis lks ihjA gn vugn nksuksa tis 1. Strong work ethics and a growth-oriented workforce
lks okdks uke QdhjAA
2. Clear strategic vision with a focus on customers
Which means majority of people think and act on beaten
routine path. Very few have divergent differentiated
thinking and daring action which scripts saga of sterling
success of few.

Leveraging the Right Brain for Innovation

Nobel Prize winner Psychologist Roger Sperry’s
research demonstrates that the human brain has
two hemispheres—the left (logical, analytical) and
the right (creative, intuitive). In today’s world, too
much emphasis is placed on the logical left brain.
However, by nurturing the right brain, managers can
unlock creativity and drive innovation in the domain
of business and finance. Cultivating both sides of the
brain leads to breakthrough creative decision-making
and innovative leadership.

November 2024 | www.icai.org | 13

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Theme The Chartered Accountant

3. Open communication
For Chartered Accountants Case Study:
across all hierarchies
(CAs), creativity and innovative Transforming BSNL’s
4. A work environment that
thinking (CIT) is an essential tool Work Culture
encourages trust, positivity,
and inspiration for providing unique insights and During a challenging period at
BSNL, an innovative morning
solutions in business strategy to top routine (a prayer, motivational
5. Reward systems for
achieving innovative goals management in their role as CFO. talk and sharing of creative
ideas) called “Organization
A culture of creativity enables organizations to adapt and Sadhana” (OS) was introduced by the author. This
thrive in competitive environments as is demonstrated initiative fostered teamwork and commitment by
in Blue Ocean and Red Ocean Strategies of Marketing. incorporating a motivational start to each day. The
results were remarkable, as employees became more
Toolkit for Promoting Creative and Innovative engaged, punctual, and dedicated. This case illustrates
Thinking (CIT) how small changes in organizational culture can drive
significant improvements in performance and also can
A toolkit was also introduced to cultivate CIT among
lead to synergies.
managers when addressing challenges. The CIT
exercise comprised the following steps:
Yogic Higher-End Techniques for Lateral
1. Optimal Timing: Early morning, a time filled with Thinking: Unveiling Hidden Potential
pure and productive vibrations, was considered Yogic practices offer profound insights into harnessing
ideal for CIT exercises. the power of the mind for lateral thinking—a form
2. Posture and Focus: Managers sat in Sukhasana, of creative problem-solving that goes beyond
with their fingers in Chin Mudra, while consciously conventional thought patterns. These practices, rooted
observing their breath. in the Patanjali Yoga Sutras, involve focusing the mind
and unlocking the potential of the subconscious, which
3. Visualization: With closed eyes, they visualized plays a key role in generating innovative solutions.
the light of a lamp, symbolizing the removal of
darkness—dispelling preconceived notions and The human mind is composed of four primary
mental blocks regarding the problem at hand. components:

4. Breathing Awareness: Managers concentrated on 1. Mana: The sensory and emotional aspect of the
their breathing, with each exhalation symbolizing minds.
the release of negativity, self-doubt, and frustration.
2. Chitta: The subconscious storehouse of memories
5. Mind Power: With every inhalation, they and experiences (Sanskaras).
visualized an influx of mental power and creative
energy, allowing their imagination to soar to new 3. Buddhi: The intellect responsible for reasoning and
possibilities. decision-making.

6. Right-Brain Visualization: As they focused on 4. Ahamkara: The ego or sense of identity.

the inner light, they visualized the problem and Chitta, in particular, is critical in lateral thinking as it
imagined potential solutions in a creative and holds vast reserves of past experiences and impressions.
unrestricted way. Accessing this hidden storehouse allows us to draw
upon creative solutions that are often unavailable to the
7. Restful Awareness: Managers entered a state
conscious mind. However, this process requires a calm,
of restful awareness, unlocking the power of the
focused mind, which can be achieved through specific
subconscious mind.
yogic techniques such as Dharana (concentration),
8. Idea Generation: As their inner stillness deepened, Dhyana (meditation), and Samadhi (absorption).
fresh and original ideas began to emerge.
In Chapter 3 (Vibhuti Pada) of the Patanjali Yoga
9. Intuitive Insights: Throughout the exercise, intuitive Sutras, the simultaneous practice of Dharana, Dhyana,
flashes of ideas and solutions occurred, which were and Samadhi on a single idea is known as Samyam.
immediately noted down in a Creativity Journal for This practice is a powerful method of gaining deep
further action.

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The Chartered Accountant theme

and meditation allow professionals to access the

creative, non-linear thought processes housed in the
subconscious.

In essence, when we practice meditation, we move

beyond the habitual flow of thoughts controlled by the
conscious mind and unlock the vast potential of the
subconscious. This helps us tap into internal knowledge
and intuition, fostering creative, lateral thinking.

CIT Toolkit for Chartered Accountants

For Chartered Accountants (CAs), CIT is an essential tool
for providing unique insights and solutions in business
strategy to top management in their role as CFO. By
combining logical thinking with creative problem-
solving, CIT can turbocharge their professional prowess
as a practicing professional to discover new areas of
professional practice. For a high-caliber professional like
insights into a subject or problem. By maintaining this a Chartered Accountant, the logical capabilities of the
focused and meditative state, practitioners can access left hemisphere of the brain are well-developed. What
the subconscious mind (Chitta), revealing hidden is required is to leverage the creative imaginations from
patterns, insights, and innovative solutions. the right hemisphere of brain to enhance CIT, enabling
the emergence of exceptional, out-of-the-box ideas.
The practice of Samyam is not only a tool for discovering CIT will specially empower them to offer specialized
solutions but is also said to bestow miraculous powers services in diverse corporate advisory roles. CIT should
(Siddhis) or extraordinary attainments in the specific be integrated into CA education curriculum, especially
area of focus. By directing intense concentration and in strategic financial management, to prepare future
meditation on a topic, one can unlock deeper wisdom leaders for unique success in a dynamic business world.
and abilities, offering profound breakthroughs in CIT will enable the think tank at ICAI to carve out new
understanding. areas of service for its esteemed members and add
more laurels to the image of Chartered Accountancy as
An example of this is the story of August Kekulé, the a noble profession.
German chemist who discovered the ring structure of
benzene. After struggling to understand its molecular Conclusion: The Power of Creativity and
structure through conventional methods, Kekulé
accessed his subconscious through deep reflection, Innovative Thinking
resulting in a vivid dream of a snake eating its own Creativity is not limited to artists or inventors and
tail. This dream inspired the revolutionary idea of scientists; it’s a valuable asset for finance professionals.
benzene’s hexagonal ring structure, a breakthrough For CAs, the ability to think creatively can lead to
that transformed organic chemistry. ground breaking business and financial strategies,
improved client advisory services, and out of box
The Power of Meditation for Lateral Thinking decision-making. Embracing creativity in accounting
and auditing will lead to innovative approaches and
Meditation is a crucial practice for accessing the
trail-blazing success in all roles which a CA as multi-role
subconscious mind and enabling lateral thinking. By
professional can perform.
calming the critical, conscious mind (Mana), meditation
allows deeper thought processes to emerge.
This process is akin to the dream state, where the

subconscious mind takes over and reveals images and
insights based on stored experiences and impressions
(Sanskaras).

A well-known example of harnessing the subconscious

mind is Tibetan monks practicing tummo meditation,
through which they can raise their body temperature Author may be reached at
in freezing conditions by accessing deeper layers of [email protected] and
[email protected]
their mind. Similarly, in daily life, progressive relaxation

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