Why is creative thinking a valuable quality at work

“As a leader, you have the power to ask questions that can provoke self-examination, creative thinking, and problem solving in the other person!” (Chris Hutchinson, Ripple: A Field Manual for Leadership that Works)

Being highly beneficial for the business itself and advantageous for the individuals, creative thinking is an essential quality that should be promoted in the workplace by all parties.

But what do we mean by creative thinking? It is fair to say that we are not dealing with a temporary trend, but an approach that has historical roots. For example, an Italian genius Leonardo da Vinci with his 4 Principles for the Development of a Mentally Literate Mind created a ground for the concept of creative thinking.

Many scientists and artists made use of this valuable quality “that is a way of looking at problems or situations from a fresh perspective that suggests unorthodox solutions. It can be stimulated both by an unstructured process such as brainstorming, and by a structured process such as lateral thinking”.

Another interesting thing about the creative thought is that it can be split into divergent and convergent processes and you can choose the one most appropriate for your business:

• Divergent thinking – the intellectual ability to come out with a wide range of original, diverse and complex ideas
• Convergent thinking – the intellectual ability to logically assess, critique and select the best idea from a wide range of ideas

Encouraging creative thinking and being able to perform such a skill in the workplace will lead to an excellent state of mind for generating fresh ideas and numerous thoughts. By adopting this approach professionals are usually much more relaxed, open and playful. It is important to appropriate creative thinking techniques, if you wish to succeed in your business and achieve your goals.

How can this quality be promoted in the workplace?

• Foster and cultivate diversity

Creativity flourishes where diversity can bloom. Having dishomogeneous teams made of professionals with different backgrounds, ideas and perspectives can create enriching sessions of brainstorming.

• Create a friendly and calm workplace

You cannot expect to put in place a creative thought in a tense and formal environment. The playfulness is part of this technique. As far as the objective and goals are clear for all the employees you are not going to risk having overly carefree working environment. For example, “Google has implemented a 20% policy which requires that workers dedicate 20% of their working hours into personal projects which prosper creativity”.

•  Always encourage teamwork amongst your employees

Teamwork is a key ingredient when it comes to creative thinking, considering that the purpose is to share ideas, value those of your coworkers and also defend your own. It is not an individual and isolated process. A natural and respectful exchange of opinions is the perfect way to go.

•  Inspire employees by honoring creativity

Finding the best way to reward your employees for their creativity will give them a sense that the creative process is not just a game, but an original and different way of achieving new goals. Make people feel inspired and part of a greater creative process.

If you are looking for more creativity related topics, don’s miss more of our blog posts. Enjoy the ride!