4 Ways to Get Your Creative Groove On

By Sarah Miller Caldicott

How dost thy creativity?  Is it blooming like a red, red rose?

Many brows have furrowed of late, concerned that America is losing its creative edge at a time when “thinking different” is more important than ever.

For example, there was great hand wringing over Newsweek’s July 2010 issue, which bemoaned the loss of America’s creative groove.  A recent IBM survey of 1,500 CEO’s also caused a stir with its revelation that creativity is now considered the most important competency for leaders today, outmatching financial prowess and other factors.

So, where exactly can we find creative leaders, and sharpen our own creative talents?

Just ask Lady Gaga, who scored the #1 spot as the Most Creative Person in Business in America according to Fast Company.

But if platinum wigs are not your thing, how can you signal to others that you’re creative?  What can today’s executives do to get their creative groove on?

Study Reveals Four Drivers of Creativity

While the Torrance test of creative potential has long stood as a measure for out-of-the-box thinking capacity, not all of us can readily take that test.  So here’s a terrific alternative for you to use in assessing your own level of creative juice.

A 40-year study undertaken by the Richard Byrd Company of Minneapolis, MN – called The Creatrix® – evaluated data from over 70,000 executives from every industry, across a multitude of countries.

The study indicates that, rather than considering creativity as one big “skill bucket,” we need to parse the bucket into four parts.

These four parts are called “drivers.”  By focusing on the relative strength of each driver, we can each sharpen our overall level of creativity. 

Sharpening Your Creative Edge

The Creatrix indicates that the four qualities shown below represent core components of our creativity. Consider these four drivers as you read each one, and see how you stack up:

1. Independent-minded – Individuals who score high on this driver can move forward without being solely subject to the control, influence, or determinations of others.  They can generate ideas or concepts without outside input, and are willing to share such ideas when asked. 
2. Inner-directed – This driver gauges how individuals set personal goals.  The inner-directed person not only monitors the expectations of performance from others, but sets deep personal expectations of performance that are not impacted by external influences.  High scores here indicate ability for self governance in diverse conditions.
3. Uniqueness – Here is the driver we most commonly associate with “Creativity.”  But there’s a catch.  Individuals with high scores on uniqueness not only appreciate and value diverse qualities within themselves, they observe and appreciate the uniqueness present within others as well.
4. Ambiguity – An omnipresent driver in our 21^st century lives, ambiguity rules how we operate in situations of uncertainty or vagueness.  Those individuals with strong ambiguity scores can achieve success without significant infrastructure or pre-existing resources.

How did you do?  As you proceed through your week, consider the presence – or absence – of these four creativity drivers in your life.  Are you setting your own goals, or abiding only by goals others set for you?  How do you fare in ambiguous circumstances?  Could you name those qualities within yourself that you believe are unique? Do you embrace or shy away from uniqueness in others?

Don’t Rest On Your Creative Laurels

As an inspiration to get your creative groove on, consider this quote from a master of creativity, Thomas Edison:  “Discontent is the first necessity of progress.” 

Don’t rest on your creative laurels!  Like Edison, continuously expand your creative strengths and hone them every day.  Part of how America can get its creative groove back is for each of us to value our creativity, and engage it each day.

Who knows…you may be the one Fast Company names to replace Lady Gaga as next year’s Most Creative Person in Business.  Go for it!

Please Don’t miss a post! …Receive new posts like this from MENG marketing executives automatically in your inbox by subscribing right here!

Photo is Lady Gaga at CES 2010 by Domain Barnyard.