Creativity: A Core Leadership Skill
Years back, my team members doubted their creativity. I chose creativity as a theme during one of our annual leadership meetings. After fun team-building activities and brainstorming exercises, they realized how innovative they were and how much untapped potential their own team had.
Creativity is too often considered a skill that only a few of us possess. But leveraging all available brainpower is essential in today’s fast-paced and competitive business environment.
Humans have always been creative, a skill that sets us apart from other species. Studies demonstrate that creativity is innate but can also be developed and nurtured through time. Though seen as opposites, both sides of the brain work together in an expert balance, integrating creative and analytical networks.
Without a safe environment where ideas can openly flow, managers can trigger creative defensiveness, fear, or shutdown. Instead of killing an idea, asking questions allows us to nurture the flow.
Regardless of our role or function, we are all creative individuals. Who we are and what we know makes us creative. As leaders, it’s our responsibility to develop this essential skill and engrain it in the culture of our organization.
