Creativity is at the heart to all innovation and proves important to the growth of a company. Studies show that out of 100, there are 3 to 5 people around the world who do not like listening to music but yet you do not need to be Mozart to understand the seven basic elements of music. They are tempo, dynamics, pitch, rhythm, melody, timbre and texture.
You may ask, how does understanding music lead to creativity? Modern science has shown that creativity is not reserved solely for artists and geniuses. It suggests that everyone has the cognitive capacity to come up with original ideas, something researchers term as “divergent thinking”. The idea that has the highest probability of success is what researchers call “convergent thinking”.
Though we may not be equally accomplished in these types of thinking capacities, studies have shown that music is a source of creativity. You will be surprised to know that understanding the seven elements of music will trigger your creativity and problem solving skills.
Creativity in business is a way of thinking that inspires and challenges people to find new innovative solutions and create opportunities out of problems. It is a crucial asset needed to shape a resilient individual because the business world is unpredictable and issues arise inevitably. That is why creative thinking is such a valued asset today.
Creative thinking prepares one to manage the unpredictable events that can occur in business. It allows individuals to create value to their teams and customers by fostering an innovation culture within the organization.
When creativity and innovation go hand in hand together, they bring the company out of its comfort zone and into a world of new, amazing ideas that brands your WOW factor with customers.
The business world is ever changing and the same method that works today might not work tomorrow. Customer behaviour is evolving and there is nothing that saturated markets can’t offer. You have to stay one step ahead of both competitors and customers.
With business creativity and innovation, this becomes possible. It helps you discover unique solutions that will keep your customers engaged and interested while at the same time, it helps employees to turn problems into opportunities.
Managing unpredictable events
Change is inevitable and managing this can be challenging. An unexpected event can either open possibilities or be disruptive. Effective management of unpredictable events reinforces stakeholder and customer confidence whilst bringing momentum to the teams involved. This is when Murphy’s Law comes into play – anything that can go wrong will go wrong.
So how do we negate the effects? The solution cannot be further from the simple truth, which is using the Pareto Principle. 80% of consequences come from 20% of the causes, asserting an unequal relationship between inputs and outputs. Combined with creativity, this will help the company to cross examine its processes at the same time, emerging with new innovative solutions and improved processes for better business turnover.
Overcoming obstacles and exploring new opportunity in business
Using creative thinking in solving problems helps you to overcome obstacles by using them as a springboard to find new opportunities and solutions. Acting as a catalyst of innovation, creativity aids in reinventing and refreshing your business ideas through the lenses of a growth mindset, keeping you ahead of your competitors.
It doesn’t mean that the process is easy because it requires an immense amount of effort, time, commitment and collaboration to find ideas that are not only unique and original but practical and viable at the same time. Creative problem solving shifts company focus from problem definition to solution implementation with the help of innovative approaches.
Boosts productivity
A creative perspective in completing certain tasks at work allows employees to better solve problems and foresee opportunities where others might only see blockages. Creative thinkers are generally more invested in the outcome of their projects which in turn boosts productivity.
Business creativity makes team members feel appreciated and helps with their business as well as personal growth. The company gets to reach uncharted territories and that motivates every team member to do their best, pushing themselves beyond the limits in a rewarding manner.
Aids in important decision making
Creativity promotes clarity and logical reasoning, strengthens critical thinking and sets up a good visual of the overall big picture. Mentally reviewing the problems and processes, coupled with past experience, allows you to visualise multiple solutions to a single problem.
Creativity is likely to flourish in an organisation that constantly stays open to new ideas and encourages participation. Employees will feel more empowered and inclined to put their creativity into action. Through openness, brainstorming, feedback sessions and testing, organisations will be able to determine the best option according to strategy and available resources.
Building a better team
In most organizational settings, leaders are expected to think creatively and come up with innovative solutions. However, fostering and harnessing the creative abilities of a whole team is more likely to produce a richer harvest of creative ideas and innovative solutions.
Creativity will naturally inspire people to work together and the thought process enables collaboration. A collaborative environment encourages individuals to put forward their ideas without judgement. Effective teamwork is the result of distilling these individual ideas and knowledge into a shared positive outcome.
Why is it important in businesses
Businesses need creative thinkers to bring new concepts to the team, someone who is not afraid of challenges and failure. It opens up new opportunities in the workplace and broadens your perspective in generating new ideas. Creativity helps to see and solve problems from different angles, it is not constrained to only one perspective. Problems become faster and easier to solve as a result.
Tips to include creativity into everyday activities
One of the most essential tasks is to incorporate creativity into your daily life. Simple steps like starting a daily project or head somewhere that inspires you could be a good start. Staying organized enables you to structure an action plan with proper goals and deadlines. Managing your thought process could be one way to incorporate creativity, try using the line “I can solve or figure this out” and be open-minded to any ideas that come your way.
Creative thinking involves keeping an open-minded thought process which also means thinking outside the box. It triggers the mind’s ability to come up with new designs or ideas. It also assists you with analytical skills to narrow down your thought process and help you to make proper decision making.
Do you need to adopt a more resilient culture, a faster problem solving process in your organization? Write to us at info@businessacademia.co
