IN defence of creativity

Creativity at work.  Sounds good doesn’t it?  In theory.  But in reality, there are projects to deliver, investors to impress and employees to manage.  It would be a nice add-on… at the end of a very long list.  So what would be worth an organisation investing their time, money and effort to prioritise creativity at work? 
 
Creativity is the seed for innovation, and research has found that innovation is one of the key factors that influence the long term success of a company.  Companies high in creativity and innovation also experience increased productivity, greater employee satisfaction, greater employee commitment, reduced staff turnover, and greater attractiveness to potential investors.  In short, creativity pays very attractive dividends. 
 
So why is creativity not the top priority for every ambitious organisation seeking excellence in their field?  First up, there are some misconceptions about what creativity at work actually means.  When we talk about creativity, we’re not talking about hiring creative individuals or coming up with innovative products.  We’re talking about creativity as the production of new and useful ideas by individuals in the workplace.  It’s about creativity on an organisational level – creativity as a way of working. 
 
Secondly, there is the belief that creativity is an abstract concept that is hard to define and objectively measure, let alone build a business case around.  The truth is, organisational creativity has key performance indicators that can be measured and developed just like anything else.  Conducting a creativity audit is the best place to start to get a good read on where your baseline organisational creativity is at so you can develop and strengthen your capability.
 
Every high performing organisation has at some point understood the value of trying something different in order to succeed.  As the new year approaches and thoughts turn to strategic priorities, we challenge you to consider adopting creativity as the enabler to achieve the outcomes you’re seeking in 2019.  It may be the best investment your organisation has ever made.

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