Creativity and the Role it plays in Successful Organizations
What is Creativity and Why Should We Employ It?
Most children are considered creative or even highly creative. Children tend to think the world is an extravaganza and so they rise to the occasion. Their imaginations are loaded with fun filled escapades and action adventures. They believe in magic and tooth fairies and if you ask them what they want to be when they grow up they will tell you they want to be Doctors, Veterinarians and Astronauts (Fatherly, 2019). For most children, inventiveness knows no bounds. Creativity flourishes because of curiosity, courage, instinct, non-conformity and more (Schuster, 2006). The key may be that they are not afraid to be wrong or make mistakes. Children seem to be born with an innate ability to believe in the impossible (Robinson, 2017). A famous study conducted over many years by George Land (1968), concluded that it is the non-creative behavior that is learned. Land had devised an assessment test for NASA to assist in their selection of engineers and scientist that would show the most innovative among them. The test was such a success that he decided to conduct the same test on a group that consisted of sixteen hundred children. Creativity was tested at five, ten and fifteen years of age. Results showed that 5 year olds tested at 98% creativity, 10 year olds at 30%, and 15 year olds were at 12%. That same test was given to 280,000 adults and showed only 2% creativity (Ainsworth-Land & Jarman, 2000). These results are staggering. And other researchers have reached comparable results with similar tests. For instance, one study of 272,599 students found that since 1990, IQ scores have increased while the scores of creative thinking based tests fall off dramatically (Kim, 2011).
Because worldwide educational systems were created for the industrial revolution, the top of the academic hierarchy are math and language, followed by the humanities and at the very bottom is where you will find the arts. Unfortunately, this hierarchy of subjects in schools and universities predispose us to unlearning our creativity (Robinson, 2006). Children are known for taking chances but then (unfortunately), parents, peers, and education gets a hold of them. For most children the visionary spirit will dissipate with age and a little bit more with each new school year. Standardized tests, rote learning, rules and limitations stifle creative juices (Wood, 2017). How do we get back what we have lost? Is it possible? What would/does creativity look like in adulthood?
Linda Naiman, the founder of “Creativity at Work” (2019), suggests that creativity is not made up of one thing. Creativity is a multifaceted set of skills. These skills include, but are not limited to, being able to uncover concealed patterns by looking at the world in new ways, taking unrelated phenomena and finding correlations, and being solution oriented (Naiman, 2019). And according to Sir Ken Robinson, creative ideas also need to have value (2006). This suggests that a creative mind is also a resourceful, inspired and enterprising mind. This indication proposes that it (creativity) is the gateway to incredible progress in all things (personal, social and/or professional) and can be responsible for realizing successes (Khalil, R., Godde, B., & Karim, A. A., 2019).
Creativity in this Era of Economic Productivity and How to Facilitate It
Looking at the timeline, we have come so far and we have grown so much. It is the 21stcentury; home to the rise of global economy (and downturn) and powerful private enterprise, a time of government mistrust, millennia’s and the coming of age of generation Z (Fox, 2019). It (the 21stcentury) is also known as the digital age and to some, the creative age. Economic productivity is compelled by knowledge for the first time in history. And this attention to productivity has become a fundamental resource held by most corporations and organizations; it has permeated our manufactured goods, and has become the representation of employability among individuals (Seltzer & Bentley, 2001). To excel and prosper in a system that requires people to engage in inventive approaches of knowledge, people need to be able to think on their own and one might argue, most importantly, to think outside the box. The emergence of creativity has never been more important. Edward de Bono (1992) argued, “There is no doubt that creativity is the most important human resource of all. Without creativity, there would be no progress, and we would be forever repeating the same patterns” (Edward, 2019).
It is hopeful that creativity is not an innate talent or individual characteristic. It is the implementation of understanding and competence to attain a valued goal and the importance of establishing environments that foster creativity (Seltzer & Bentley, 2001). Evidence from case studies that can and need to be applied to the corporate environment, shows key elements that are necessary to foster and encourage the creative mind. For starters trust is an important factor because if colleagues and peers form trusting relationships they are more prone to take risks and to learn from mistakes. Being able to make real decisions and choices on how tasks are performed supports freedom of action and is crucial for creative practice. There also needs to be a balance between skills and objectives since people can only flourish if they have the right expertise to meet the challenges. One of the more important features of initiating creative environments in is the promotion of open dialogue and communication. When concepts, assessments, and analysis are perpetually exchanged, new solutions can be reached and/or found. Lastly, it has been shown that creative capacity and enthusiasm are strengthened when solution oriented based activities lead to change and genuine results (Seltzer & Bentley, 2001).
The Importance of Divergent Thinking for Interaction and Participation
In this new result driven world, skill sets become obsolete quickly and it is crucial for people, cultures and organizations to employ a growth mind-set in order to keep up with these ever changing times. People need to be prepared and well equipped to solve problems that have many feasible solutions. Even politicians and governments are not immune to the consequences of these changes. Problems of today are vast as the world becomes smaller through technology. We can only hope that the leaders of today are ready and willing to explore and set new precedence as the laws and rules of yesterday become antiquated. As technology advances and opportunism becomes common practice, everyone from business owners and corporate leaders, to individuals of every social class must seek ways to increase their value to avoid becoming defunct (Bersin, 2017). Corporate companies are not impervious to these changes and some of them, like in the retail sector actually find themselves in the front lines. Executives must constantly and relentlessly explore many possible solutions for staying relevant in the eyes of the consumer and they do this by wielding a great amount of creative thinking skills among top executives. They know that as times change it becomes even more necessary for creative leaders to be adaptable as the pressures to transform and reorganize the corporate structure becomes inevitable. Apple, for instance, is a company that encourages expansive thinking and has been at the top of the most innovative companies list for 11 years in row (Ringel, 2018). They are one of many companies meeting the changing expectations by creating “experiences” within their storefronts. Another prime example of this type of retailer to customer experience is the one created by Starbucks. They not only have seasonal beverages but they have created a space that invites prolonged visits with their alternative music and welcoming interior. Target is jumping on this consumer experience bandwagon too. The retail chain is in the process of reimaging their stores to include two separate entrances so the visitors can “choose theirown adventure.”One door leads to a grab and go adventure for food, wine and online order pickups, while the other door leads to home, electronics, fashion and beauty displays (Langly, 2017).
The theme has become clear in that this new age brings with it the dire need for innovation, ideation, and mental flexibility. Creativity must be the driving force and at the forefront of structural business models and agendas. One-dimensional intelligence has shifted and evolved so that in its place we have a great obligation to find competitive advantages that yield unprecedented results (Hunter, 2013). To approach life from a corporate structure seems relevant since outcomes are contingent on the creation and implementation of ideas, theories, and considerations. In order to grow, the capability for dissecting the issues in new and creative ways is essential to becoming solution oriented in order to solve today’s problems. “Creative problem solving” refers to “any activity during which an individual, team, or organization attempts to produce novel solutions to ill-defined problems” (Puccio, 1999. p. 171). We must be adaptive and flexible as we seek to keep pace with innovation. Studies have shown that creative people exhibit flexibility and if the problem elicits divergent thinking, then a person can come to many conclusions. This provides that this kind of adaptability gives people the capacity to manage new technologies, circumstances, developments, advances, opportunities and changes that have become a staple in modern day-to-day existence (Runco, 2014). This also shows us that in order for advancement to occur, leaders must emulate creativity to help drive productivity and change.
The Importance of Creative Leadership Across Spectrums
Innovation and creativity has been at the epicenter of business models for centuries but now a rising need for innovative and creative leadership skills has become the flagship for generating success and sustainability. While it is essential for creative leaders to inspire people to generate new ideas, they first need to be able to recruit suitable people since it is a proven model that the greatest successes stem from the initiatives of the workers. In a study conducted by Amabile and Khaire (2008) at Harvard Business, over one-hundred leaders came together over two days to discuss management creativity and in the end the common sentiment was that one doesn’t manage creativity. One managesforcreativity (Amabile & Khaire, 2008). The need for internal contribution overall among employees has replaced the old model of top down management. One of the participants, a partner at IDEO, Diego Rodriquez said, “Consider the examples of InnoCentive, of Mozilla, of Wikipedia, all are contexts that bring in lots of contributors. And the fundamental structure of such networked organizations is not centralized and top-down. People don’t do what they do because someone told them to do it. Contributing to an interdependent network is its own reward.” A Professor at Stanford University’s School of Engineering, Robert Sutton, commented that the hierarchical company structures (including the inequalities in salaries) of yesterday’s businesses do not encourage the exchange of ideas. Another of Suttons ideas was that leaders needed to define “superstars” within their organizations as those people who assist, collaborate and help others to flourish and succeed (Amabile & Khaire, 2008). Leaders of today should encourage collaboration. By bridging gaps and cultivating team efforts, creative connections are forged that can ignite momentous ideas and innovations that can and will continue to change world in new and significant ways (Johansson, 2004).
Frans Johansson, the author of The Medici Effect (2004), explores what can happen when people from diverse disciplines, cultures and industries come together. Johansson feels his theory is simple in that what can be found at the intersection of differing viewpoints can be a substantial number of exceptional new ideas. The story and origin behind the name “The Medici Effect” in and of itself, is one of great influence and inspiration. Named after a banking family in Florence, the Medici’s, they encouraged creators of all kinds by financing their relocations to Florence. They brought together philosophers, scientists, poets, financiers, painters, sculptors and architects that would go on to engage with one another and learn from each other. The cultural differences and barriers were broken down to forge a new world based on new ideas – and the impact of that time, what we know as the Renaissance period, can still be felt today (Johansson, 2004).
The Medici Effect touches upon something quite significant that our modern day leaders, politicians, universities and even individual families can learn from; creative collaboration can be the catalyst for change and positive results (Johansson, 2004). Societies, industries and companies can benefit and bring about creative discoveries by engaging people from different disciplines and cultures so that new ideas can come to life.
A survey conducted by the Forrester Consulting firm for the Adobe Corporation (2014), showed that a company’s success is measured by its creative practices, culture and perspective. Some of the key findings in this study were that companies that promote creativity reach remarkable revenue growth and that creative companies actually benefit by obtaining greater market share and win recognition for great places to work. One survey result of great significance shows that it does not matter what type of industry and/or type of business, leaders and executives should promote, finance, and cultivate programs to increase creative capability (Forrester, 2014).
This research shows, that a vital key component to success is in fact creativity as it relates to forging special bonds, attracting clients, brand building and brand recognition. Therefore companies should pursue creativity as a veritable and real business objective. Recommendations for team leaders are to encourage a creative mindset, initiate rewards, and make sure executives are committed to including creativity in the business plans, strategies and agendas (Forrester, 2014). Implementing creativity into the workplace is a pivotal course of action that should take precedence if companies hope to compete, excel and succeed in this ever-changing global economy.
References
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