This article is the first in a series that explores how applying creative tools and principles in the workplace can help deliver better results and engender positive change.
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Why is a creative work culture important? How can it contribute to the high performance of teams and organizations? What are the benefits for employees?
Organizational creativity – a key differentiator
One common misconception about creativity is that it is a “magical” process strictly reserved for “creative people” such as artists, musicians, entrepreneurs and the like. But that couldn’t be more inaccurate.
The truth is creativity can be learned by anyone, in any business or profession, to tackle situations of any size or complexity. In fact, it is much more practical to think of creativity as a form of open-ended problem solving.
From an organizational perspective, seeing creativity in these broader terms turns it into a powerful, game-changing tool. It’s the difference between repeating the same mistakes versus learning from them. It’s the key to producing innovative new offerings and processes. And it can be an organization’s biggest opportunity to differentiate itself in a crowded market as well as retain its most valuable employees.
Empowering employees to make a difference
Many organizations get bogged down in the daily demands of their fast-moving world and implement systems and process that leave staff members feeling powerless and uninspired. However this need not inhibit a creative work environment as long as employees are also offered opportunities to introduce new ideas that can lead to improvements and innovations.
More often than not, employees respond well to being encouraged to experiment and pursue directions that diverge from the conventional. It engenders a level of trust that can not only provide a stronger sense of purpose at work, but also motivate them to be more engaged and invested in their job.
Overall, injecting more creativity in your organization is a true win-win situation, for both employees and organizations interested in fostering positive change. The only question that remains is how to get there. But for that you will have to stay tuned for the next chapter of the Creative Spark Series.
What do you think?
What kind of impact do you imagine an increased focus on creativity would have on your work? How do you see it improving your process and results? What are some ways you can start making these changes happen today?
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The Creative Spark Series is a joint initiative by the MARCOM Professional Development Annual Forum and marketing communications agency Banfield-Seguin, a proud supplier of theme creative for MARCOM 2013. The series promotes the benefits of creativity in the workplace and presents ways to successfully apply creative tools and techniques to inspire, influence and act.
