Creativity: The Trait That Belongs in Every Job Description

Creativity isn’t just for artists - it’s for everyone. Whether you’re solving problems as an accountant, designing solutions as an engineer, or improving processes in customer service, creativity is a skill every job needs. It’s about finding new ways to tackle challenges and adapt to change.

Here’s why creativity matters in every role:

• Problem-solving is universal: Over 60% of employers seek candidates with strong problem-solving skills.
• It drives flexibility, innovation, and collaboration: These skills help you adjust to change, improve processes, and connect ideas across teams.
• It’s trainable: Creativity isn’t an innate talent. Techniques like purposeful daydreaming, divergent thinking exercises, and structured frameworks like SCAMPER can help anyone build this skill.

Organisations that prioritise creativity see better results, happier teams, and stronger innovation. Start small - encourage brainstorming, build psychological safety, and reward creative contributions. Creativity isn’t optional anymore; it’s essential for every role, in every industry.

The Science Behind Innovation: A Learnable Skill

Understanding the Brain's Role in Innovation

The idea that some people are simply born creative while others are not is a misconception. Neuroscience shows us that innovation isn't an elusive talent - it's a complex process within the brain that can be understood and cultivated.

When your brain generates creative ideas, it relies on the cooperation of different neural networks. Two key players in this process are the cognitive control network and the default mode network. Typically, these networks function independently, but during creative thinking, they collaborate. Imagine two separate departments in a company suddenly teaming up on a project they've never worked on before - it’s challenging but can lead to incredible results.

At the centre of this process is the frontopolar cortex, which acts like a conductor in an orchestra. Studies have shown that stimulating this area of the brain can help people make more inventive connections between unrelated ideas.

The hippocampus, a region associated with memory and imagination, also plays a pivotal role. It helps you draw on past experiences and combine them into fresh concepts. Meanwhile, the salience network helps filter through your thoughts to pinpoint which ideas are worth pursuing, clearing away the mental clutter.

"Creativity is not one system but many different mechanisms that, under ideal circumstances, work together in a seamless way." - John Kounios, PhD, experimental psychologist at Drexel University

Your brain operates on two creative speeds. System 1 is responsible for those quick, unconscious flashes of insight - those "aha!" moments. System 2, on the other hand, takes a more deliberate approach, allowing you to refine and develop ideas over time. Both systems are crucial, and with practice, they can be improved.

Interestingly, research suggests that 20% of our most important ideas come during moments of mind-wandering. This is why solutions often pop into your head while you're showering or taking a walk. Even when you're not actively working on a problem, your brain continues to process it in the background.

By understanding these neural processes, we can take steps to actively improve our ability to think creatively.

How Innovation Can Be Developed

The brain's creative mechanisms can be trained, much like building muscle through exercise. With deliberate practice, anyone can enhance their imaginative abilities.

One of the most trainable aspects of creativity is cognitive flexibility, or the ability to shift between different ideas and perspectives. Studies have shown that practising divergent thinking exercises can lead to noticeable improvements, with younger individuals often benefiting more than adults. This suggests that while creativity can be nurtured at any age, starting earlier can yield stronger results.

One effective technique is "purposeful daydreaming". Instead of letting your mind wander randomly, you can guide it towards specific problems or challenges while staying in a relaxed state. As cognitive neuroscientist Adam Green explains:

"Letting yourself daydream with a purpose might allow brain networks that don't usually cooperate to literally form stronger connections." - Adam Green, PhD, Georgetown University

Another useful approach is remote association practice, where you actively brainstorm links between unrelated concepts and write down even the most unconventional ideas. This trains your brain to think outside the box and make broader conceptual leaps.

Your surroundings also play a role. Spending time in open natural spaces has been shown to expand attention, encourage mind-wandering, and boost creativity.

For a more structured approach, tools like the Creative Problem Solving (CPS) method or the FourSight Thinking System provide step-by-step frameworks to guide you through the innovation process. These methods ensure you engage with every stage of creative thinking, from brainstorming to implementation.

Additionally, mindfulness and attention training can strengthen the brain's salience network. This helps you focus on what matters while remaining open to unexpected connections. The combination of focused attention and cognitive flexibility is a cornerstone of innovative thinking.

The evidence is clear: creativity isn't something you're born with or without. It’s a skill that can be developed and refined over time. Organisations that prioritise creativity training see noticeable improvements in their teams' ability to innovate. On an individual level, engaging in creative activities, learning new skills, and seeking diverse experiences can enhance your brain's capacity for innovation.

These methods show that creativity is not a mysterious gift but a skill set that anyone can build with effort and intention.

Overcoming Barriers to Innovation in the Workplace

The Role of Fear in Suppressing Innovation

Fear can be a major roadblock to innovation in the workplace. A striking 85% of executives acknowledge that fear frequently hinders innovation efforts within their organisations. This emotional barrier often distinguishes industry frontrunners from those lagging behind.

Employees commonly fear criticism, uncertainty, or potential career risks when proposing new ideas. If they witness colleagues being penalised for failed experiments or see bold ideas dismissed, they are more likely to stick to safer, less creative paths. Such environments discourage the very risk-taking that drives progress.

Data highlights this stark contrast: organisations with high levels of fear are three times more likely to experience creative blocks compared to innovation leaders. Only 11% of high-fear workplaces excel in innovation, whereas 58% of low-fear organisations take the lead. Career concerns further amplify this hesitation, as employees shy away from suggesting unconventional ideas. To counter this, top innovators integrate innovation into career progression, being nearly three times more likely to expect executives to actively engage in creative thinking. Additionally, employees in these forward-thinking companies are 11 times more likely to report that risk-taking is actively encouraged.

Fear doesn’t just stifle individual creativity - it can create a ripple effect throughout the organisation, leading to stagnation. When employees hesitate to voice new ideas or challenge the status quo, the entire organisation suffers. Addressing this culture of fear is critical for unlocking creativity at every level. This approach ties into earlier discussions on fostering cognitive flexibility and structured approaches to innovation.

Building Psychological Safety to Support Innovation

To overcome fear and encourage innovation, organisations must prioritise psychological safety. This involves creating an environment where employees feel confident taking risks, sharing unconventional ideas, and learning from mistakes without fear of judgment or negative consequences.

Psychological safety evolves over time, fostering a culture of inclusion, learning, contribution, and constructive challenge. Leaders play a pivotal role in shaping this environment. By actively listening, showing empathy, and embracing vulnerability, leaders signal that imperfection is acceptable and that learning from mistakes is valued. When failure is reframed as part of the innovation process, it becomes a stepping stone rather than a setback.

Some companies have implemented tangible initiatives to promote this mindset. For example, Adobe’s Kickbox programme equips employees with a physical toolkit that includes a £1,000 prepaid credit card and resources to explore new ideas. Atlassian encourages openness through quarterly "ShipIt Days" and regular team retrospectives. Canva celebrates learning from setbacks with its "Fail Wall", turning mistakes into opportunities for growth.

Consistency is key. Leaders must align their words with their actions by celebrating smart risk-taking, providing resources for experimentation, and recognising creativity as a critical component of career advancement alongside traditional performance measures.

Creating psychological safety isn’t a one-off effort - it requires ongoing attention. Organisations should regularly evaluate the workplace atmosphere, address fear-inducing behaviours promptly, and continuously reinforce the message that innovation is both expected and supported. This sustained focus ensures that employees feel empowered to contribute their best ideas without hesitation.

Creating a Culture of Innovation: Techniques for Encouraging Creativity in Your Team

Strategies for Building Innovation into Every Role

Creating a workplace where innovation thrives requires more than just fostering psychological safety. It also demands practical strategies that make creativity a regular part of every role, even those traditionally considered rigid or limited. Let’s explore how structured methods and proactive approaches can embed innovation into day-to-day work.

Introducing Structured Innovation Frameworks

Structured frameworks provide a clear and repeatable way to approach innovation, particularly in roles where creativity might not seem intuitive. One such framework, SCAMPER, offers a seven-step process - Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put to another use, Eliminate, Reverse - to reimagine and refine existing ideas.

This method simplifies complex challenges by breaking them into smaller, actionable components. A well-known example is McDonald’s, which has successfully used substitution and modification to develop new menu items.

SCAMPER can be applied across various functions. For instance:

• A finance team might use the "eliminate" step to streamline reporting processes.
• A customer service team could apply "combine" to merge multiple customer touchpoints into a seamless experience.

To get the most out of SCAMPER, encourage teams to focus on one step at a time by asking targeted questions, such as:

• What could we substitute in this process?
• How might we combine this with another idea?
• What would happen if we reversed this approach?

These questions push teams to explore possibilities systematically, ensuring every angle is considered.

Job Crafting to Encourage Innovation

Innovation doesn’t always require formal frameworks; sometimes, it’s about empowering individuals to reshape their roles. Job crafting allows employees to adjust their tasks, relationships, and perspectives to create room for new ideas.

"Job crafting is an innovative strategy that breaks away from rigid job structures, which can stifle motivation and creativity. It lets employees redefine their roles, using their unique skills and interests to feel more ownership and excitement about their work." – HRD Connect

There are three main ways employees can reshape their roles:

• Task crafting: Changing what they do, such as adding or removing responsibilities.
• Relational crafting: Adjusting who they collaborate with to gain fresh perspectives.
• Cognitive crafting: Shifting how they view their work to uncover new opportunities.

A standout example of organisational job crafting is Google’s 20% time policy, which allows employees to dedicate a fifth of their work hours to passion projects outside their formal job descriptions. This approach has boosted engagement, led to innovative breakthroughs, and improved retention rates.

Employees can begin job crafting by identifying areas where their personal interests align with organisational goals. For example:

• A data analyst passionate about sustainability might take the lead on environmental reporting.
• An HR coordinator interested in tech could suggest automating repetitive processes.

Encouraging brainstorming sessions and promoting collaboration across departments can also spark creativity. Employees might connect with colleagues they don’t typically work with, seek mentorship, or delegate tasks to focus on areas where they can make the most impact. Reflecting on daily tasks - perhaps through journaling - can help uncover opportunities for innovation, while sharing challenges and ideas within teams can lead to more effective role adaptation.

Measuring and Rewarding Innovation Contributions

Innovation thrives when it’s measured and recognised. Yet, many organisations fail to track creative contributions effectively. Only a third of Fortune 1000 companies use formal metrics to evaluate innovation output, and while 77% of business leaders prioritise innovation, just 22% have systems in place to measure it.

"Innovation is real work, and it can and should be managed like any other corporate function." – Peter F. Drucker

To measure innovation effectively, use a mix of input, output, and recognition metrics:

Some organisations have developed creative ways to measure and reward innovation:

• 3M requires 30% of each division’s revenue to come from products introduced in the last four years. It also allocates 15% of employee time for exploratory projects.
• Haier names new products after the employees who developed them, offering a unique form of recognition.
• Penn Medicine hosts innovation tournaments to celebrate employee creativity, measuring results alongside broader innovation metrics.
• DHL tracks data such as idea submission rates, implementation times, and regional impact to assess its innovation initiatives.

As innovation programmes mature, measurement strategies should evolve. Early efforts might focus on participation rates and idea generation, while later stages can prioritise revenue impact and market reach. Avoid vanity metrics and instead focus on measurable impacts and return on investment (ROI).

Communicating these metrics regularly is crucial. Use dashboards to visualise progress and pair data with compelling success stories. Sharing these narratives across the organisation not only highlights the value of innovation but also reinforces its importance for career growth and overall success.

Case Studies: Innovation in Action Across Industries

Examples from various sectors clearly show that creativity isn't just a buzzword; it's an integral part of progress in industries as diverse as healthcare, financial services, and manufacturing. These stories highlight how thoughtful approaches to innovation can breathe new life into traditional fields.

Healthcare Innovation Through Patient-Centred Design

Healthcare systems often wrestle with fragmented patient experiences and communication breakdowns. In 2019, researchers at the Mayo Clinic addressed these challenges using patient journey mapping. This method visualises every step of a patient's experience to uncover areas needing improvement. Led by Lindsey M. Philpot, the study analysed 17,141 patient surveys alongside observations from 16 half-day clinic sessions with 14 different providers. The findings spotlighted major gaps in communication, especially around diagnoses, medication details, and follow-up care.

Improving how patients and providers communicate had a noticeable impact. For instance, the percentage of patients seeking medical advice online dropped significantly from 40%. By mapping the entire journey - from first symptoms to completed treatment - teams identified key moments where better communication could make a real difference. This approach proves that innovation doesn't always mean complex tech; sometimes, it's about rethinking how people interact. This patient-focused strategy is gaining recognition among both public and private healthcare stakeholders and sets the stage for similar breakthroughs in other sectors, like financial services.

Financial Services and Hackathon-Driven Product Development

Barclays took a bold step in innovation with its Rise Hackathon Series, which brought together startups, universities, and fintech talent. Instead of keeping innovation confined to their internal teams, Barclays invited external experts to tackle pressing challenges in finance, technology, and sustainability.

The results were impressive, with the hackathons producing solutions such as blockchain-based payment systems, AI-driven chatbots, and new avenues for sustainable investing. Barclays didn't stop there - they incorporated these ideas into their services, showing how collaboration can fuel meaningful product development.

Hackathons are proving to be more than just brainstorming sessions. A striking 78% of banking executives believe these events are effective for driving innovation, while 57% see them as key to attracting and retaining talent in the digital age. These events offer banks access to diverse talent, enable quick prototyping without high risks, and encourage collaboration both internally and externally. The time pressure of hackathons often sparks creative solutions, resulting in ideas that might not emerge in traditional settings. Today, over 80% of Fortune 100 companies host hackathons, and 60% of participants report receiving job offers or promotions as a result. Clearly, hackathons have transitioned from experimental initiatives to essential tools for driving progress. Manufacturing, too, has embraced innovation strategies that thrive on risk-taking and rapid iteration.

Manufacturing and Prototyping with Failure-Tolerant Models

In manufacturing, innovation often stems from a willingness to fail and learn quickly. Failure-tolerant prototyping encourages manufacturers to use inexpensive, simple materials to test bold ideas without significant financial risk. Each failed attempt provides valuable insights that guide the next iteration.

This approach allows teams to identify flaws early and refine designs continuously, reducing the chance of costly errors later in development. By involving stakeholders and users throughout the testing process, products evolve based on real-world feedback rather than internal assumptions.

"In medicine, we learn more from our mistakes than from our success. Error exposes truth." - A surgeon from a pioneering heart surgery team in the 1950s

Rapid prototyping not only speeds up design cycles but also ensures immediate feedback, helping products meet high standards and reach the market faster. This method shows that manufacturing innovation isn't just about advanced technology - it's about fostering a mindset where disciplined experimentation turns ideas into tangible products.

Conclusion: Building the Potential of Workplace Innovation

The insights and examples shared earlier highlight practical ways to embed innovation into the workplace. Innovation isn't some elusive gift reserved for a select few - it’s a skill that can be nurtured and applied across all roles. From patient-centred design in healthcare to hackathon-driven solutions in financial services, and even failure-tolerant prototyping in manufacturing, structured creativity has consistently delivered tangible results across industries.

Consider this: companies that prioritise collaboration and autonomy are five times more likely to be high-performing. McKinsey research shows that achieving a "flow state" can boost productivity by up to 500%. Yet, despite 84% of executives recognising innovation as critical, only 6% are satisfied with their teams’ outcomes. This gap is a golden opportunity for leaders who are ready to act.

"Learning and innovation go hand in hand. The arrogance of success is to think that what you did yesterday will be sufficient for tomorrow." – William Pollard

The foundation of effective innovation lies in intentional leadership. Leaders must encourage collaboration, embrace diverse viewpoints, and view failures as stepping stones for growth. It’s about celebrating the effort and lessons learned, not just the end results.

Practical steps can make a world of difference. Dedicate time for brainstorming and foster environments that spark creativity. Remove red tape and adopt open-door policies to empower your teams. According to a PWC survey, 93% of CEOs who invest in upskilling report that their workforce is better equipped to face new challenges.

To measure progress, track innovation through specific metrics like idea generation rates, prototype advancements, time-to-market, or the revenue impact of new ideas. These metrics offer clarity on what’s working and where adjustments might be needed.

Making innovation part of your organisation's DNA is key. Embed it into mission statements, team goals, and individual objectives. Break down silos through cross-functional collaboration and balance routine tasks with opportunities for experimentation and reflection. Organisations that successfully integrate innovation into their culture tend to outperform competitors, achieving five and a half times greater revenue growth.

The journey doesn’t require an overnight transformation. Start small. Pick one action - whether it’s fostering psychological safety, allotting dedicated innovation time, or tracking new ideas - and put it into practice with your team this week. Building a culture of creativity is a steady process, but it’s one that can future-proof your organisation and set it apart in a rapidly changing world.

FAQs

How can creativity thrive in structured roles like finance or customer service?

Creativity isn’t confined to traditionally artistic fields; it can thrive even in structured roles like finance or customer service when the right environment is nurtured. By encouraging collaboration and hosting regular brainstorming sessions, teams can uncover new ideas and solutions, even within more rigid frameworks.

In finance, leaders can inspire creative thinking by giving employees the freedom to explore alternative problem-solving methods. It’s equally important to create a space where team members feel comfortable sharing their ideas without the fear of criticism or failure. Similarly, in customer service, empowering staff to think independently and take proactive steps to address customer needs can elevate the quality of service. Recognising and rewarding these innovative efforts not only boosts morale but also reinforces the value of creative thinking in day-to-day tasks.

How can organisations create a culture where innovation thrives and employees feel safe to share ideas?

To nurture an environment where innovation thrives and psychological safety is a priority, organisations can focus on a few practical steps.

Promote open communication by creating a space where employees feel at ease sharing their ideas and concerns. This means encouraging honest conversations without fear of criticism or judgement. Regular feedback sessions and open forums can go a long way in building trust and fostering transparency.

Shift the perspective on failure - view it as an opportunity to learn rather than a setback. When mistakes are seen as a natural part of the creative process, employees are more likely to take calculated risks and think outside the box.

Lastly, make sure every voice is valued. Structured meetings or brainstorming sessions can provide a platform for everyone to share their thoughts. By embracing a range of perspectives and ensuring inclusivity, organisations can unlock new ideas and push innovation forward.

What are some practical ways to develop creative thinking skills, and which exercises are most effective?

Developing your creative thinking abilities doesn’t require elaborate tools or setups - simple exercises can do wonders for sparking imagination and fresh ideas. Take the Incomplete Figure Test, for example. This activity involves completing partially drawn shapes, encouraging you to weave imaginative stories or come up with unexpected visuals. Then there’s Mind Mapping, a visual way to organise ideas that helps you uncover surprising connections between concepts.

For a quicker challenge, try the 30 Circles exercise. You’re given 30 blank circles and tasked with turning each one into a unique object within a limited time. It’s a fun way to push your brain to think on its feet and generate creative solutions under pressure.

Incorporating these exercises into your routine can help you tap into your creative side, even in structured or restrictive environments. Creativity flourishes when you give yourself permission to experiment and explore new possibilities.

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