Where are all the creative people?
It occurs to me there is a great divide, an ‘us’ and ‘them’ scenario, going on when we talk about ‘creative people’. By labeling certain people as ‘creative’ we are in fact excluding others.
Now I know that some people are more creative than others, and we should all be very glad of that, but the truth is that creative people, of all types and talents, can be found everywhere. In fact they’re on all levels of your organization and the sad thing is that most of the time you don’t even know they’re there.
And because business leaders often have a narrow view of who the ‘creatives’ really are, they are not able to fully tap into the creative potential and wisdom of their organization.
I don’t know about you, but I’ve sat in many brainstorming sessions and production meetings and have always been amazed at how often the meek, mild, quiet person in the corner, who’s not considered part of the creative team, is the one who comes up with the killer idea, or adds a completely new twist to the conversation.
So the ‘us’ and ‘them’ thing basically comes down to our view of who a creative person is. My view is that a creative person is someone who thinks differently
To be creative is to create. Whether it’s a new concept, a new product or a new idea. Being creative is about thinking and doing differently. It’s about being unique, seeing the world from different perspectives, challenging the norm and seeking possibilities.
And yes it is true that by their very nature creative people think and behave differently, that they are motivated by different things, and that it takes a unique set of leadership skills to nurture, direct and manage them. But that shouldn’t exclude the fact that creative people come from all levels of an organization, from all walks of life, and all industry sectors.
So we need to broaden our view of who they are and where they can be found and we need stop thinking of creative people as those people in the corner with ponytails.
Now I’m not saying don’t respect, exclude or sack your creative team, far from it, because you need them. What I am saying is be careful about limiting your perception of who is and isn’t creative.
And if creativity is all about finding new possibilities, then ironically, by limiting your view of who ‘creative people’ are, you are in fact limiting your possibilities and ultimately not being very creative.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
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Reader Comments (11)
Totally agree on what you said. Being in the marketing business myself, specialized in indoor, I can only say - creativity is limited by the "creatives" themselves. Taking the trip on the safe road is the safest way to loose the path.
Really enjoying the blog. I work in entertainment media as an executive producer, handling mostly television branding & advertising campaigns.
Ironically, some of the most creative people I've worked with have been off the 'creative line', producers, even assistants and accountants. Creativity, especially in this new economy, is less about what you see, and more about how you think. For some, the opposite of success still isn't success- it's boredom.
We see a direct relationship between bored and engaged/focused professionals in their creative output and range.
Denny
http://dennytu.wordpress.com
Enjoy the post, if I may add my 2 cents. During my short career I have had the pleasure of sitting down with Account/Marcom groups and giving a "short speech" on how to get the best from creatives. I have found that many Account person to be "shy" of pushing the Creative, hard to ensure that they get the best results, some times allowing themselves to be led.
I believe that Account folks should really make sure they have their act together and then really push for the creative idea to solve the brief. Head banging is not a bad thing if the desired results rise to the top.
John
Love this post and love the insight. Those in the "know" and those wanting to be in the "know," will walk away with troves of applicabilities from your post. I'd like to highlight a part of your statement, " limiting your perception of who is and isn’t creative."
In the school of NLP a language style known as E-Prime is gaining popularity. This simply refers to the use of English language without the verb 'to be'. This verb is used rampantly and it creates ambiguity and assumtions. In its passive form it implies, 'it was understood' and 'it was believed'.
In effect, it incriminates people into being creative or not creative. The truth is that nobody "is" one way or another forever. We are constantly evolving. A 'not creative' person after generating some creative ideas can be regarded as 'creative' and vice-versa.
The bottomline? Creative outputs should be measured while people shouldn't be labelled.
I couldn't agree more. Ultimately, recognizing a great idea in it's infancy, cultivating and executing it flawlessly—that's where the rubber meets the road. And all too often creatives want to own the idea as well as the process. It takes a confident and mature creative professional to accept that good ideas can come from anyone, anywhere, anytime and to recognize that as creatives they are stewards of good thinking and great execution. As a creative lead myself, all to often I've watched insecurity or selfishness undermine or exclude ideas for the sake of ownership. Other departments would work much harder to sell-in and maintain the integrity of a great idea if they felt they had a part in it's inception and ownership. Sad, in these challenging times when so many external factors can diminish the quality of the work we strive to create.
The reason it's usually the meek quiet person with the "killer idea" is they usually think before speaking. This thought provides a solution.
It's good to recognise that any discrimination we make between people such as creative and not creative are artificial and inherently wrong.
Everyone has the ability to create i.e be creative but not everyone feels comfortable or empowered to show up as a "creative person" while others self identify as a "creative" and under develop other aspects of their personality.
Above I'm talking about the extremes where you can "see" through peoples language and behaviour that they see themselves as creative or not.
As a leader it's important to create an environment where the creative input from everyone is welcomed and valued. No one has a monopoly on good ideas and they can come from anyone at all within the organisation.
The purpose of estabilishing a Continuous Improvement culture is to allow people to build up their creative muscles. Too many organisations look for the big bang, big bucks improvements and don't realise that often people need to build confidence through seeing their small improvements implemented before they allow themselves to be very creative.
Joanne is spot-on!
Everyone is innately creative - and the only way any company will flourish is to embrace and acknowledge all ideas. (I know first hand working for The Limited that this is a tried and true practice, and Toyota has been doing this for years).
The snuffi-ness of creatives vs. non-creatives is a thing of the past: I am one of those funky creatives - having studied fine art, then applied to the design and marketing world, but took some time out to share it in high-school art rooms for a couple of years as a visiting artist: what I discovered? All students (even those labeled "difficult" in the box of ADHD on meds), thrived in a creative environment where they were acknowleged and were free to let their minds run where they so desperately needed to - they were all merely products of a left-brain/analytical education institution and society, period. So many ended up doing better in their other subjects as a result of this creative "release." I am a firm believer this is why there are more heart attacks, obesity, and drug use, but that's another story.
Don't believe me on acknowleging everyone's ideas related to corporate success? Read Dan Pink's "A whole new mind" (http://www.danpink.com) and see that there is a new mindset, or what we could call human evolution toward utilizing the right side of the brain more. There are numerous articles and evidence about this evolution toward using the right side of the brain more (just look at recent consumer statistics and desires). Then, remember what the evidence shown from studies of Albert Einstien's brain - he used both sides of the brain equally. Some will still remain stronger on one side or the other, but the key is to RESPECT and listen to each other.
Yes there are some who gravitate more, have the desire to practice creative activities more, and are stronger in their creative confidence to lead in the industry, but the point is to not put themselves on some superhero ego trip about it - yet be responsible with their talent, and always remember: form vs. function.
There's no war here - it's just a matter of shifting the mindsets and checking the egos of both the creative industry leaders and the traditional left-minded/analytic industry leaders for more respect of both methods of processing and balance:) (My opinion, many agencies rely too heavily on creative and sometimes hurt brands - like mad scientists, always saying "hey we could do this.." (the whimsical right brain, but at times irresponsible) without ever asking if they should (the necessary ring of the logical left braind). My company's success is a result of the same success I had with my art students: I tell them all right from the start: "all humans are innately creative...don't believe what society has told you. Now, let's hear what you have always wanted to do, create, or envision for the future, find the path to go with it while keeping our feet on the ground!"
Welcome to the Creative Age...it is here:)
Interesing and may I say creative thoughts.
Creativity is not only what a person says and does differently, but more importantly how lucky he / she is to find a truely creative person taking note of that!! Many creative thoughts and ideas having not been noticed, shunned or considered imparctical just die unnatural death, and alongwith that the creativity of the origiantor takes a knock!!
The worst suffers are the children, and the worst offenders are the parents and the teachers. The best ideas will come from the uninitiated but does the system have a place to bring such people into the loop, and moreso does the business allow this??
Yet; may the creativity prevail.
Creativity takes on many forms here at Primeau Productions Inc.
First, we have to be creative with how we get new business. Next we have to be creative with how we go the extra mile for our clients. Next we have to be second to none with our creative products. Lastly, we have to be second to none with our customer service and value added. Great article Nigel!!
Ed Primeau
www.videoproductionprimeau.com
Very nice blog, Nigel.
Like listening to the seven blind men describing the elephant, I see the truth in everyone's view. I especially agree with Pamela Hoke's view as I like Daniel Pink, and the idea of respect. R-E-S-P-E-C-T. To borrow an insight from Marty Neumeir: "as soon as a designer is hired, his perceived value of his or her talent depreciates faster than a showroom BMW." Soon he/she will be inundated with low-level tasks and be excluded from high-level meetings. Hmmm.
Doesn't sound like very much fun or very respectful.
Dawn's view that "Ultimately, recognizing a great idea in it's infancy, cultivating and executing it flawlessly" is true. Bill Backer recognized that in his book, The Care and Feeding of Ideas, speaks of ideas being cared for by "godparents" on it's way to maturity. They can be fragile.
As for labeling, what is termed "creative" is of the problem solving type. In this sense
everyone is creative, it's just that some are artists. I won't address the technologists.
Having confirmed my appreciation for everyone else, and going back to idea care,
I do feel environment is extremely important. No one bats 1000. Someone else was
talking of a stifling environment, uptight about punctuality, etc. Not good. I agree.
Many of these newer environments I think are central to answering your question,
where are all the creative people? Well, many are on the streets and have found other
avenues as in this movie: http://www.lemonademovie.com/
James Othmer explains the situation and is a partial answer as well:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113128574
enjoy your blog!
best,
Steve