[00:00:00] Hello, and welcome to talent management truths. I'm your host. Lisa Mitchell creativity at work is the topic I'm digging into today for this solo. I'm recording this in the month of may and creativity is the theme of the month and my mastermind program for talent leaders, the talent trust. And so I've been thinking a lot about creativity and how this quality is often misunderstood.
[00:02:04] So let's start off with a question. What does creativity mean to. Okay. Have you ever declared I'm, just not very creative or perhaps you've heard a friend colleague or family member say this. Well, that was me for many, many years, which is completely crazy because in my teen years, I was always part of the high school musicals.
[00:02:23] And before that I studied piano, Viola and singing various choirs. Now on top of that, I like to think I have a pretty good eye when it comes to interior decor. I just love to renovate and decorate my home. But I figured that since all of that for the most part was long ago, and I don't really know how to draw or paint or like doing it.
[00:02:43] You know, I used to think I somehow lacked creativity. Now, perhaps you do engage in creative pursuits. You know, once we recognize as creative, such as drawing, painting, singing, or dancing, But I'm willing to bet that for most of you, these activities are outside of and separate from your work. I'd also be willing to bet that you don't necessarily see yourself as creative when it comes to work.
[00:03:08] I see this with my clients a lot, and it means they're missing out on so many possibilities. Now that is until they learn to stop telling themselves this particular story, that they are not creative. Bernay brown says I'm not very creative. Doesn't work. There's no such thing as creative people. And non-creative people, there are only people who use their creativity and people who don't unused creativity. Doesn't just disappear. It lives within us until it's expressed neglected to death or suffocated by resentment and fear.
[00:03:41] Whew. She also says that the only unique contribution that we'll ever make in this world will be born of our creativity. So in a nutshell, really the question is not how creative are you, but how are you creating. And so why should we want to become more creative? Well, several reasons come to mind for one thing, I think about how companies are always talking about the need for innovation, to be able to compete in the marketplace, to come up with new products and services, stay relevant, you know, new ways to attract the best talent, innovative ways to train new employees and keep them engaged.
[00:04:20] And so. And then there's the question of how we improve a leader's ability to think strategically or build better relationships. How can we get better at these things? Simple by switching things up by coming at them with a different, take a new perspective by not being afraid to experiment and iterate.
[00:04:41] Einstein is credited with saying that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. You might also say that the definition of insanity is choosing not to apply your innate creativity to problem solving and decision-making. And yet in the corporate world, as much as we say, we want innovation, we typically stifle it.
[00:05:03] We rely on and celebrate linear thinking and reason we frown on error making and don't build in opportunities for practice. But come on a little journey with me here, picture an artist at work, a painter. So this is someone we can more easily view as being a person who is being creative. I follow one in particular on Instagram, who I adore Susanna believes B and I love the photo.
[00:05:29] She posts of her art in the studio. You know, she's got paint on her shoes and brushes lying around. It's messy and gorgeous all at the same time. You know, she experiments there's many different versions of the sky painting. She produces. She plays with colors and angles and light and text. And the results.
[00:05:49] I mean, apart from the ones that we never see, you know, the experiments and the mistakes that got her to the good stuff, her work is stunningly beautiful. And from what I can see her bottom line for her business is pretty good too. She sells out all her originals in record time with each new collection.
[00:06:07] So, you know, let's break this down. How do we become more creative? Well, I think of, you know, three steps. So the first step is to actually believe that you are indeed capable of being creative and the way you can do that is by challenging your ideas around what constitutes creativity. We'll talk about that more.
[00:06:26] The second step is to ask yourself and others a whole lot of what I call ideation questions. The third step is to be intentional about applying a creative lens to what you choose to do and creating an environment that's conducive to the creative process. Let's tackle step one. So that's believing, choosing to believe that you are creative well, if, and I haven't convinced you that you are creative yet, I invite you to remember a skill you have.
[00:06:55] That other people at Meyer, the skill feels easy for you, but it isn't for many others, that skill is likely an example of your creativity. For instance, my husband is a handyman and renovator, he can fix stuff and wax poetically about gaskets and compressors, screwdrivers he's fearless when it comes to problems that we all encounter around the house, stuff that.
[00:07:23] Yeah, it freaks me out. I'm clueless. Well, nothing phases him from a flooded laundry room to an Eve's Trop. That's blocked with leaves to installing a new pendant. And, you know, oftentimes when he's on, on client sites, he encounters a problem that he can't fix right away, because maybe he doesn't have the right tool in the van, or he doesn't have enough time.
[00:07:44] the client told him it was one thing he's discovered it's much bigger, or he has to call a specialist contractor like about. So, what does he do? He gets creative. He MacGyvers a solution. Now, if you've never heard of the TV show MacGyver MacGyvering means that he improvises using his knowledge, for sure.
[00:08:03] Combined with his creativity around how to compensate for the lack of time tools or people. now let's take a look at step two. So this is the, the idea of asking yourself some ideation questions to help you tap into your creative. If we go back to the artist example, you know, I, I picture her in her studio and I can just imagine what her inner dialogue might sound like as she tilts her head looking at the canvas.
[00:08:28] You know, what if I used the medium pink shade over here instead of there, what else could I add or remove from this view? What if I look at it from a side angle, what do I see now? Hmm. How could I create more tension? So, et cetera, et cetera, you get the picture. Pardon the pun. so now think about a time when an idea just popped into your head, a sort of wild idea, even if you quickly dismissed it.
[00:08:53] Perhaps you thought you're at a restaurant and you think what if I just walked over to that person's table and stole their dinner roll. You got the giggles, picturing it. Now, maybe I've watched too much Seinfeld and I digress, but you know, maybe more realistically, you were suddenly inspired by. A new cuisine that you decided to try.
[00:09:13] So for example, I used to be a really picky eater and you know, my husband was great about it. He didn't shame me for it or act frustrated. He just asked me, well, what if you liked it? And what if you weren't afraid you'd hate it. And it's funny, those are questions that even today helped me look at other situations and problems, more creative.
[00:09:33] Okay. Time for step three, being intentional about applying a creative lens and creating an environment that is conducive to this. So once again, imagine the painter in her studio. How does she get into the creative zone if you will? Because I'm sure there's some days just like the rest of us that she doesn't feel like working perhaps she takes a break first to clear her.
[00:09:55] Then maybe she puts on some new tunes that she's recently discovered that suit the mood she wants to create. Perhaps she makes a cup of steaming hot tea and puts it in a really nice. once you've decided to be intentional about being creative. What have you asked yourself for ideas and how you might change up your surroundings and your state of mind so that you can tap into innovative creative ideas?
[00:10:17] I have one client for instance. she actually changes rooms when she needs to be in creative mode, strategic mode. you know, we've all been working at home. She goes to a different room that has a different quality of light and kind of changes her perspective. for me, I find that that works particularly well to.
[00:10:36] So really thinking, you know, being creative about what's around me and how is it impacting and influencing how I think. And, and how can you strategically manipulate that, adjust it to work for you instead of again, Okay. Allow me to recap. How do we become more creative? some initial steps for you to get started on one.
[00:10:58] The first step is to actually believe you are indeed capable of being creative by challenging your ideas about what constitutes creativity for you to the second step is to ask yourself and others, those ideation questions. What if, what might be possible? How could I look at this differently?
[00:11:16] Number three, third step is to be intentional about implying creative lens to what you choose to do and creating an environment conducive to this creative process and that my friends is it for today. Thank you so much for listening. I'll be back next week with a wonderful new guest. I promise until then take creative care of yourself.
