Lessons from the wild on why discipline and fundamentals fuel creativity, not suppress it
“Innovation” has become one of the most celebrated words in today’s business and academic world. It dazzles in boardrooms, headlines company visions, and inspires teams to “think outside the box.” But here’s the danger: when innovation overshadows process and discipline, it becomes hollow. True creativity does not begin with disruption — it begins with understanding. A system must first be mastered before it is modified. Without that, innovation becomes improvisation without direction, which rarely creates lasting value. In our rush to be “innovative,” we often treat process as mundane or old-fashioned. But process is not the enemy of innovation; it is its foundation.
Think of it like music. A pianist first spends years practicing scales, arpeggios, and hand coordination before ever attempting a jazz improvisation. A cricketer must master stance, grip, and timing before experimenting with unorthodox strokes.
Similarly, professionals must ground themselves in fundamentals before aiming for breakthroughs. Skipping this step is like trying to build a skyscraper on sand. It may look spectacular for a moment, but it won’t stand the test of time.
Nature offers us a perfect analogy. For lions, strategy is woven into their very existence. Every hunt is an exercise in timing, patience, teamwork, and decision-making. But lion cubs are never allowed to innovate right away.
Their first lessons are basic:
- How to stalk without being noticed
- When to hold back and when to strike
- How to work as part of a team
- How to endure failure and learn from it
Only after these fundamentals are internalized are the cubs given room to explore, to test their own style, and to improvise. By then, their creativity is not reckless — it’s anchored in experience. That’s why a pride is not just a collection of lions, but a well-trained, coordinated hunting unit.
Leaders and mentors can take a page from this playbook. An ideal mentor doesn’t throw people into the deep end in the name of creativity.
Instead, they:
- Ensure their team understands the basics of the system.
- Encourage discipline and practice before experimentation.
- Create a safe space for innovation once the foundation is strong.
This sequencing matters. When done right, it not only builds competence but also gives individuals the confidence to innovate responsibly. Innovation, then, becomes a natural extension of mastery — not a shortcut around it.
Innovation is powerful, but without a strong grounding in fundamentals, it risks becoming a distraction rather than a breakthrough.
Just like lions, we must learn the basics, practice the process, and build our craft brick by brick. Only then can we truly unleash creativity in a way that is impactful, sustainable, and worthy of being called innovation
