Creativity Needed, Apply Within

There was an interesting discussion on creativity the day before yesterday on this blog. People leaving comments tried to define it, explain it, consider it.

From my point of view, creativity is a combination of analytical thinking and imagination applied to problems to supply a workable solution. Whether or not there is anything new in the world is not the point. I'm not interested in splitting hairs over what "original" means–I'm interested in meaning making. And for me, that means untangling something that wasn't clear before.

So here is my thought on creativity: It's our nation's most valuable resource. Of course, there are other values that are important. But they come after creativity. In most companies I've worked for, the valuable traits are obedience, speed, silence, agreement, and giving up your own time for your work. And they aren't working very well as values.

I'm looking to creativity to provide value, meaning-making, innovation, and fresh views. Not just in the arts, but in manufacturing, medicine, education, politics, parenting, and leadership.

Personally, I think creativity needs to be taught in school and in the business world. Creativity needs to be encouraged, not buried in derision. Creative people may be different, but they are needed.

--Quinn McDonald is a certified creativity coach who teaches what she knows.

Filed under: Creativity, Opinion Tagged: Creativity, innovation, teaching creativity