Creativity is a Powerful Leadership Tool

What is creativity?

Creativity, for instance, is how businesses figure out new ways to increase profits and cut costs and it’s the driving force behind new product development. Managers have to find creative solutions to project management and balancing competing priorities while moving things toward their deadlines; they have to come up with creative ways to motivate their teams. A McKinsey study shows creative company leaders outperform their peers in several key areas, such as organic revenue growth and total return to shareholders. Here are some ways to cultivate more creativity in your company.

Read The Accidental Creative by Todd Henry

This book presents the idea that everyone is creative and that there are ways to increase creative output. It’s not just something that painters are born with and computer programmers lack. Creativity can be cultivated by everyone. Read this on your own or use it as an opportunity to start a department book club.

Host a creative meeting

We know, who has time for another meeting? But it can be held weekly, monthly, or even quarterly. Your team should come prepared to bring something they think of as novel, unique, or newsworthy. This is applicable to every department, from IT to finance to human resources. What books or TED talks are worth talking about? Have any businesses made the news recently because of a new innovation? Talking about other businesses, industries, and mediums helps keep the creative juices flowing.

Embrace the opposition

One way to improve creative and critical thought is to try on a different perspective. Listen to a podcast hosted by someone you aren't familiar with or don’t agree with, read a book by someone whose views are different from yours or try that restaurant you’re sure you’ll hate. Going outside of your comfort zone is an exercise in creativity.