The (Ignored) Principles of Creativity

In his classic tome Out of Our Minds: Learning to be Creative, Sir Ken Robinson includes a section entitled “The Roles and Principles of Creative Leadership.” I’m going to take some license and turn his principles on their head. That is, I’m going to reverse what he has stipulated as essential to any organization and, instead, share how those factors, when not implemented, can have a most negative impact on the “creativity quotient” of an organization.

For example, his first principle is stated thusly: “Everybody has creative potential.” The obverse of that principle—and the one often exhibited in numerous organizations—becomes: “Only a select few are recognized for their creative potential.” In short, employees are either part of the “creative class” or part of the “noncreative class.” Suffice it to say, that when the inherent creativity of everybody is not recognized, celebrated, and invited, any enterprise will suffer concomitantly.

Robinson’s sixth principle (“Creativity takes time.”) often takes the form of “We just don’t have the time to be creative.” It’s difficult to put a monetary value on creativity. We can do that with time and products, but assigning dollars and cents to innovation is virtually impossible.

Besides, creativity is not bound by the constraints of workplace time, the classic 9-to-5—it happens irrespective of the standard work day, often inviting itself to a social gathering on the weekend, slipping past the front door and up the stairs in the middle of the night, or catching up to a family car trip at the Grand Canyon or through the Florida Everglades. Creativity is not governed by schedules or calendars—it can be, and should be, unrestrained.

Neymark195/Pixabay

9 Creativity Principles

Following, then, are nine principles that stimulate and enhance the creative potential of groups. The second, italicized sentence in each pair is a creative depressant for any school, small business, nonprofit organization, college classroom, major corporation, or local charity.

In Principle vs. In Practice

1. Everybody has creative potential. Only a select few are recognized for their creative potential.
2. Innovation is the child of imagination. Innovation is discouraged at every turn.
3. We can all learn to be more creative. Only a few people are capable of learning to be more creative.
4. Creativity thrives on diversity. We must all think alike for any progress to occur.
5. Creativity loves collaboration. Collaboration is frequently discouraged.
6. Creativity takes time. We just don’t have the time to be creative.
7. Creative cultures are supple. "It’s my way or the highway!”
8. Creative cultures are inquiring. We have all the answers we’ll ever need.
9. Creative cultures need creative spaces. Everybody works better when they stay in their own office.

A successful organization is seldom static. It moves forward; it moves ahead—and it also embraces a creative philosophy that celebrates innovative thinking as an essential component of the organization, rather than as an afterthought.

The conscious awareness of the import of creative ideas on “the bottom line” often means changing the status quo and reducing or eliminating “corporate killers” from the workplace. Admittedly, when some practices have been in place for a long time, that’s difficult to do. But, if ignored or downplayed, they do have the potential to seriously and negatively impact forward progress—and that’s never a good thing.

How does your workplace/organization embrace (or ignore) creativity?