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An article dedicated to any person or organization that pursues their vision to create something exceptional.

When we talk about creativity, or being creative, technical creativity comes to mind, which makes it easier for us to solve problems. Like the famous design thinking concept that is presented as a methodology to develop innovation, offering a lens through which to observe challenges, detect needs and ultimately solve them.

“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them” Albert Einstein.

In the practice of transformation and change management ( both at a social and business level ) , creativity is a permanent exercise. In this area, the term creativity has often been associated with the technique of creating identities and solutions, thus acquiring a broader connotation oriented towards the search for solutions to problems or needs. It seems that we have become accustomed to defining creativity only in this way. I believe that we should not always apply and use it in this way, especially when we are thinking about people. You don’t always have to solve problems to create something.

For example: What problems has Mozart solved with his music? What problems have Monet or Picasso solved with their works? Creativity also means taking risks, letting things happen, and also starting a project without knowing what the final result will be. As we know, the best inventions and the best ideas are born by chance when we have not previously thought about how to get there.

Creativity vs. efficiency

Professional life has become an environment of constant change demanding from professionals new creative approaches to give quick answers and satisfy needs. We live in a world where having a plan is the most important thing to perform to the maximum and not lose efficiency and productivity. Consequently and over time, organizations have been transforming themselves so that nothing surprising can really happen.

But this has a cost: the cost of real creativity and innovation, both aspects that can bring us unpredictable things. Yes, unpredictable! We like to talk about “disruptive” strategies and actions to drive change and be different, but we leave no room for creativity to really make something innovative happen.

Encouraging error

In many organizations there is no longer a space for this important element that fosters innovation and progress in a society or a company. Although all people have creative potential, the truth is that many of them do not develop it.

There are many barriers to change that hinder creativity. It is therefore not surprising that the most innovative thing that has significantly influenced our lives in the last 60-70 years is the smartphone, which, when viewed objectively, is a re-invention of the telephone.

Over time, important values linked to creativity have been lost; such as testing, taking time to deepen concepts or insisting on a vision for the first light bulb to be born, even if it is after 1000 attempts.

It seems that today we force ourselves to function like machines that cannot fail. A company’s culture should encourage “failure” because it is an opportunity to be creative and make something truly exceptional happen. Therefore there must be a margin for error and thus encourage continuous improvement of the project.

Inclusive creativity

It is essential that the creative capacity is not concentrated in a small group but that this ability is extended throughout the society or specific organization promoting an environment and culture where each person feels responsible and has the freedom to develop ideas.

The philosopher Odo Marquardt said “Stories are born when something unpredictable happens”. If we are able to have faith in ourselves and avoid making short-term decisions motivated by our own interests , we will once again have the opportunity to do something truly exceptional for history.

Revised and updated version of the original article  ( in spanish ) published by Leonard Glab Frontera in EADA, 2017 and Medium 2018.

Author Leonard Glab Frontera

Strategic Communications | Research in intercultural conflicts and crisis | Peace Mediator | University Lecturer

More posts by Leonard Glab Frontera

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