Creativity is the ability to turn imaginative ideas into reality. Finding hidden clues, solving the puzzle and finally, making connections with people is an act of creativity. Thinking (conceptualisation) and producing (execution) are two key processes of creativity.

Creativity needs to be nurtured. It requires a right conducive environment, ideal team members, personality traits and some luck! It is not easy to find the right combination, but the end results are worth it.

Why creativity is important in business?

Creative ideas are what set companies apart, making it crucial for today's businesses. The lack of creativity will make every marketing strategy, art direction, products and services the same. To standout from competitors, creativity is one of the secret ingredient that every businesses need.

When creativity knocks, positive thinking opens the door.

When you have a diverse group of staffs with different skillsets, it can be challenging to implement creativity in the workplace. But this shouldn’t stop you. Here are five reasons why you should encourage creativity in your workplace.

Freedom

Creativity has no right or wrong way. Creative thinking permits us to try out new things and take risks healthily. It is like going back to childhood, where we are free to try out new things when we are no experts at all. It's time to engage the world without the fear of judging ourselves.

Expression

Be authentic. As we get creative, we go deep into our thoughts, emotions and beliefs. It can be time-consuming and tiring to develop creative and innovative ideas, but this process enables us to express ourselves better. Look back, and you will realise all these ideas lead to self-discovery.

Confidence

Producing creative ideas that are made to the public lead to self-confidence. You will start to trust your instincts and value your work. Eventually, fear subsides, and confidence will begin to grow.

Stress-free

Creativity is about begin imaginative and fun. Taking time to use the energy to do something we enjoy will make anyone happy. Joy reduces our stress levels and is the highest importance in anyone's life.

Problem-solving

Creativity can help anyone to be a better problem solver in life. Instead of the direct problem-solving approach, logical and creative thinking can help you to approach the situation from all possible angles and overcome times of uncertainties.

Can creativity be measured?

Everyone can be creative and come out with a brilliant idea, even though we often think that we are not creative.

While creativity can be measured, the purpose of measuring creativity must firstly be defined. A high IQ doesn't mean high creativity. The most popular method of measuring creativity is the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking (TTCT).

Developed by Ellis Paul Torrance who built on J.P. Guilford's research work, TTCT measures divergent thinking and four other problem-solving skills. They are as follows:

Fluency - Total number of interpretable, meaningful, and relevant ideas generated in response to the stimulus.
Flexibility - Number of different categories of relevant responses.
Originality - Statistical rarity of the responses.
Elaboration - Amount of detail in the responses.

Reliability and validity of Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking (TTCT) have made Torrance known as the "father of creativity research."

However, creativity should not be limited by psychometrics measurements, as we are most likely unable to judge our creativity correctly. Indirectly, a person's creativity can only be assessed with questionnaires or but it cannot be measured directly.

Instead of finding ways to measure creativity, why not nurture creativity at your workplace?

Conclusion

Einstein once said, "Once we accept our Limitations, we go beyond them".

It may be challenging to teach someone creativity, but it is possible to teach the fundamentals of creativity.

"Dare to fail. Creativity has no rules."

Creativity allows everyone to be unique, encourages self-expression and solve today's problems. During your creative journey, explore all possibilities that you may never think and start reaping the positive health benefits of creativity.

Why Spark Creativity in Workplace?