Creativity, a term difficult to explain but easy to perceive. Is it a gift or an acquired skill? Regardless of how you view it, what's certain is that it's varied and valuable; there are as many types of creativity as there are personalities on our planet. Companies try to foster it with colorful spaces, quirky chairs, brainstorming sessions, and suggestion boxes, all aimed at stimulating divergent and convergent thinking. But let's talk about the elephant in the room: the uncomfortable truths about creativity.
Your Creative Roots Matter
Here's an uncomfortable truth: your creative abilities are deeply rooted in your life story and self-esteem when approaching tasks. Were you encouraged to paint as a child? Then, painting might be low-hanging fruit for your creativity. But if you were told you weren't good with numbers, the structured and analytical creativity of a systems engineer or an accountant might intimidate you. To unlock your creative potential, you need to dive into your past and review when and how you were encouraged. And when you weren't, make it evident so you can look your creative fears in the eye. As an exercise, identify ten activities where your self-esteem is high and ten where it's low. For those high in self-esteem, engage in them more often, and for those low, give yourself a chance to try and improve, even slightly. This self-reflection will help you understand your creative strengths and weaknesses, guiding you on where to start and how to challenge yourself.
Brain Chemistry Matters
Creativity isn't just an ethereal concept; it's rooted in your brain's chemistry. The shift from divergent to convergent thinking is driven by dopamine, a neurotransmitter essential in motor behavior, emotionality, and affection. However, our brains are often overwhelmed by social media, ideal life standards, emails, WhatsApp messages, and the fast-paced world. Instead of having a well-balanced dopamine level focused on what's worthwhile, we have overflowing levels that lead to addiction to networks and, consequently, low serotonin levels, causing anxiety and depression.
To nurture creativity, it's essential to detox your brain. Disconnect from social media, seek inspiration in nature, and resist the temptation to rely on AI like ChatGPT for your next brainstorming session. Sometimes, what your brain needs is less whiteboarding and more walks in the garden, disconnected. The uncomfortable truth: You won't find healthy and enjoyable creativity in the chaos of the digital world.
Uncomfortable Discipline Matters a Lot
Contrary to popular belief, cultivating creativity isn't always fun. It involves activating new neural connections in your brain, meaning learning and experiencing things you haven't done before. Although some of these experiences are enjoyable, many involve stepping out of your comfort zone. Embrace knowledge and experiences you've previously rejected. Interact with people whose opinions differ from yours and try roles you might not like but can learn from. The path to creativity is an unpaved road; it can be fun at times, but dizziness is inevitable.
Creativity Requires Investment
Enhancing creativity in a company is not as simple as organizing annual team-building activities or ideation sessions. It requires dedicated effort and resources. You need someone in charge, possibly from the organizational learning area, to create concrete and focused plans on capabilities to develop.
Creativity in an organization depends on multiple aspects such as having clear challenges to solve, a structured educational plan, incorporating thought and generational diversity, experimental spaces, prototypes to build capabilities (which means budget), defining different KPIs, managing acquired knowledge, and exceptional management of culture and personnel.
Conclusion: The Attractive but Challenging Pursuit of Creativity
Creativity is seductive and marketable, but acquiring it is a challenging journey. It involves understanding the intricate dance of personal history, brain chemistry, tenacity, and organizational commitment. Embracing these uncomfortable truths can transform how companies and individuals approach and harness creativity.
Stay tuned for more insights on organizational development and creativity. Connect with me on LinkedIn here and don't hesitate to contact me for talks or further discussions
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