Creativity

Creativity is essential to our human development! There are several clients of mine that would laugh at that statement because they don't consider themselves creative. This is often because they might define creativity as something that an artist, painter, musicians, or great Aunt Sally does when she delivers your newest blanket to your door.

The creativity I am referencing is better defined as our ability to create in this world, it is that one attribute that makes us uniquely human.

A few months back I had a chance to visit with a musician friend of mine. He shared with me that he creates everyday even when he is not singing, performing, or creating rhythm. I found this perplexing until we dug a little deeper. It got me thinking about how creativity is expressed in the work place. Don't we want our people to bring the best thoughts, ideas, and problem solving to help us solve really complex problems. Why then do we consistently limit the environment necessary for creativity and innovation to thrive? Is that because Management is the enemy of creativity?

Is Management the Enemy of Creativity?

In my experience as a coach and leadership development guru, middle management presents some of the biggest impediments to organizational creativity and innovation, unless there is a clear culture that supports creativity and innovation

Teresa Amabile says, “There’s no question that it would be better for a business to learn to work with the creative impulses of its own people. But what would that entail in a large organization? Is the whole notion of managerial discipline antithetical to creativity? Or, as Scott Cook of Intuit recently put it, “Is the end of management near?’

Industrial-age thinking and management styles of command-and-control are out of sync in a creative and innovative environment  and should only be used in crisis situations. The time to reinvent management into leadership order to:

Enable collaboration by people with diverse and inclusive perspectives. Allow space for creativity to thrive in situations where there is slack and redundancy. Rethink organizational design and incentive systems in light of what really motivates creativity and innovation: intellectual challenge and public affirmation. Lead as though we expect creativity from everyone — not just isolated “lone geniuses”

Is Creativity a Bad Trait for a Senior Leader?

Psychologists have established that to most people, the prototypical leader reduces uncertainty and promotes stability, emphasizing shared goals and group identity to preserve the status quo. The stereotypes of creative people are at odds with that definition; the very act of advocating unproven solutions can be seen as rocking the boat. Although, the findings indicate that the dominant model of leadership is one that encourages useful, non-creative solutions. I propose that start to create intentional models to foster creativity at this level, why because if we don't we are denying our employees right to be uniquely human.

Bottom Line: Because of conflicting stereotypes about creativity and leadership, stakeholders prefer the prototype of a leader they see as fostering a stable and secure environment. However, if we don't change this model we will miss the generation that seeks to follow leaders with significant passion and drive we will not innovate, or bring balance that this generation craves to the work place.

In defense of creativity in the workplace

Adobe’s 2014 global study found that companies that embrace creativity outperform peers and competitors on key business performance indicators, including revenue growth, market share, and talent acquisition. Lazlo Bocks book, Work Rules also covers thinking and leading in this different way.