There is a common misconception that creativity is only for artistic individuals. Oftentimes, business and creativity aren’t thought of as ideas that coexist. You may think business is for left-brained thinkers, while creativity is for right-brained thinkers.
Studies have shown that both hemispheres play huge roles in creative thinking. If creativity is so ingrained in our psyche, there is no doubt that there is importance to creativity in business.
Everyone is gifted with creativity, but as with anything, it is a muscle that must be exercised regularly to maintain.
The Many Values of Creativity
Over the years, creativity has been moving up the top 10 skills chart. As it’s been becoming a skill that is in high demand, we have to find ways to nurture creativity in business settings. Not only is there an importance of creativity in business, but its importance crosses over into everyday life.
- It inspires innovation
- It encourages growth
- It optimizes productivity
- It enhances problem-solving
- It gives you an advantage over competitors
Being creative has the ability to benefit your mental health, which ultimately benefits you in every aspect of your life. Taking time out of your day to work on your creative goals promotes positivity, bringing happiness and enthusiasm to anything you set your mind to. Working on creativity in business is a great way to maintain a mindful and relaxed state, which will help you accomplish any task at hand!
Inspiring innovation – “There are no wrong answers, only different perspectives.” – Amanda Mosher
One of the most sought-after creative qualities in employees is the ability to innovate. In business, innovation is what keeps companies thriving. From exploring ideas for new procedures to creating new products, creative thinking in business is a must. So how do you encourage innovation?
Most importantly, we have to put fear aside and support ideas that can potentially fail. Failure is part of the learning process and instilling that every idea is worth trying is important. Encouraging risk taking is a great way to boost your business creativity for yourself and your workforce.
Encouraging growth – “Don’t look for the big, quick improvement. Seek the small improvement one day at a time. That’s the only way it happens—and when it happens, it lasts.” – Daniel Royal, The Talent Code: Unlocking the Secret of Skill in Sports, Art, Music, Math, and Just About Everything Else.
Having a growth mindset is to believe that talents can be developed with time and effort. Talent is not something that you either have or don’t. It’s something that you achieve by taking the time to practice, practice, practice, until one day you’re a pro. Even then, you still continue to practice. By supporting growth through creativity in business, you’re fostering each individual’s path of self-improvement.
We all have skills to hone and good habits to create. It’s a matter of taking small steps every day toward our goals. As we brainstorm for the next steps to take, we inherently wake our minds through creative thinking to improve ourselves daily.
Optimizing productivity – “Productivity is being able to do things that you were never able to do before.” – Franz Kafka
We are constantly chasing the beast that we refer to as productivity. The question of how do we get more done than what we did yesterday is always on our minds. Productivity is incredibly important when it comes to creativity in business. When we flex our creative muscles, we are able to find innovative ways to enhance our production.
Creative thinking in business can lead to tackling productivity issues such as ineffective communication and inefficient procedures. When we’re given the opportunity to fix issues with a creative mindset, motivation naturally sets in. Once the feeling of appreciation and value for our ideas is apparent, it gives us the ambition we need for productivity.
Enhancing problem solving – “Every problem has a solution, although it may not be the outcome that was originally hoped for or expected.” – Alice Hoffman, Practical Magic.
Whether it’s a large or small problem, we are solving them every day. It’s often not thought of as a creative skill, but when you’re put in a sticky situation your creative thinking thrives. Mike Michalowicz’s book The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur has a great example of being faced with a problem and having to solve it. If you’ve ever run out of toilet paper while needing it the most, you know that it’s time to get creative real quick.
Learning how to problem solve is a skill that isn’t only used at home, but it’s valued when used creatively in business. Great things come from thinking outside of the box.
Beat the competitors – “Anytime you find someone more successful than you, especially when you’re both in the same business, You know they are doing something that you aren’t.” – Malcolm X
Competition is a great teacher. Just when you think that you are the best at something, someone can come along and beat you at your own game. In those moments, we learn which aspects of the task we need to reevaluate and work on.
That’s where the importance of creativity in business comes into play. Being able to look at your competitors and assess their motives and apply creative thinking to be a step ahead will ultimately set you apart from everyone else.
How To Boost Your Creativity In Business
Finding your creative side may sound like a chore, but it doesn’t have to be. There are a lot of fun ways to work on developing creative skills. Here are a few of my favorites.
Return on Inspiration – In a related article Return On Inspiration – The New ROI, I mention that to build creativity you have to work at it. Carving out time in your busy schedule to practice singing, dancing, an instrument, or even cooking, will enhance every creative bone in your body. You say that you’re not a creative type, lies! Trust me.
Start taking the time to work on your creativity every day. The more you use it, the more creative you become.
Be bored – When we’re kids, we often complain about being bored. What comes from boredom can be magical. It’s incredible what staring out a window can drum up in your mind. I once saw a TedTalk about the effects of boredom on creativity. It’s proven that if you can take away distractions like Twitter, Facebook, or Netflix, you free up brain power and allow your mind to wander. A wandering mind can bring out the most creative results.
Try the arts – A good way to work on creativity is by trying a new art form. This could be anything from drawing and painting to learning to play an instrument. By spending time learning the arts, you’re experimenting with different possibilities and outcomes. In the process, you will begin exercising creative thinking skills in an entertaining way.
Harness your creative power – My absolute favorite way to harness creative power is through song. I’ve been working with businesses through our team-building programs. By writing songs, we focus on fun while practicing creative thinking that can enhance other skill sets in the business. As a group, you’ll learn about yourself as well as your teammates in a safe and welcoming environment.
Don’t put your creativity on the back burner. Reach out to jump-start your creative power today!