Power Skills: Creativity is Crucial to Innovation

By Beth Porter, Four Corners Broadcasting

Last month, I started delving into “Power Skills.” These are sometimes referred to as “soft skills.” They aren’t taught like engineering or acting. While we often think these are—or are not—a part of our nature, they can—and should—be developed by any leader.

In August, we explored adaptability and resilience. This month, we’ll delve into creativity.

In this instance, we’re referring to creative thinking and problem-solving as a means to innovation. On LinkedIn, creativity was identified as the most critical corporate asset out of 50,000 work-based abilities. According to an article in Forbes, a Future of Jobs study from the World Economic Forum cited creativity as one of the top five talents for the future. Innovation—or creativity--is crucial to solving the issues that our businesses and economies confront.

Building creative thinking skills

How do you develop and encourage creativity, within yourself and your team, to create value for your organization? Take a page from the Young Entrepreneur Council and incorporate these 8 steps to build creative thinking skills.

Journal (by hand!)

Journaling is freeing in its own right, from doodling to asking questions about the problem to bulleting the answers. Have fun with it! Use different colors. Many studies show that the act of moving your hand across paper will help you unleash your creativity. It’s a great way to jumpstart the process of coming up with new ideas.

Immerse yourself in new experiences

Creativity comes in large part from curiosity and exposure to new things. It opens up your mind to see new possibilities. Travel and experiencing different cultures is certainly one way to open up your thinking, but even walking a new route, exploring a different neighborhood, can spur a different perspective.

Read books outside your comfort zone

Usually reach for the new murder mystery? Instead, try historical fiction or maybe a self-help book for a problem you don’t have. Again, pushing boundaries and getting a peek at a different point of view can spark ideas and connections that you wouldn’t otherwise uncover.

Brainstorming…a classic for a reason

Brainstorming, especially with a group, really helps to unleash creativity! It’s a safe space where nothing is off the table and there’s no censoring. It’s fun, invigorating and often highly effective. There are no wrong answers. To be successful, everyone participating needs to just let the ideas flow. After you get a good list, start playing around with them to see if there are any connections that can be combined to form an even better idea! Encourage thinking outside the box…sometimes way outside the box.

Join a mastermind group

A mastermind group is a bit like a brainstorming session but with more focus. Mastermind groups meet on a regular basis and offer a combination of brainstorming, problem-solving and peer accountability. They are often made up of individuals from different industries, to bring diverse perspectives to the table. These groups require commitment, confidentiality and openness to new ideas and advice. When done well, they become catalysts for growth, play devil’s advocates and create supportive colleagues.

Learn something new

Each day, learn at least one new thing, whether it’s professional or interpersonal. This could be through reading, listening to a podcast from someone who comes from a different walk of life, or following that internet search down the rabbit hole!

Ask questions

When there’s a problem that needs solving, ask questions! What, how, why? What is your objective? How can you achieve it? Why is it important? Asking these open-ended questions help frame the issue and can be a great kick-start to a brainstorming session.

Seek out new perspectives

It’s easy to fall into the comfort of working with a group of like-minded individuals. But it can also be stagnating, as there’s no fresh new viewpoint to shine the light on a new path. Creative thinkers find a way to see problems from many different angles. For instance, if you have more of a driver personality, consult with people who are more attuned to and respectful of the emotional component of the situation.

Granted, there’s a lot to unpack here. You may already do some of the steps. Try adding one new approach to boost your creative thinking game. It will bring value to your decision-making and to your business!

Looking for an immersive experience in leadership development or to develop leadership skills for a team member? Consider Leadership La Plata, an excellent local resource. Check out www.LeadershipLaPlata.org for more information

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Beth Porter is the Senior Marketing Consultant with Four Corners Broadcasting and an alumni of Leadership La Plata Class of 2015-2016.