A Warm Cuppa Creativity?

Once upon a time not that long ago, there was a group of us in the corporate head office of a large well known international organization. The senior management team pulled a few of us into a boardroom, brought in some coffee and donuts, and then wheeled in a whiteboard to start a meeting.

Perplexed as to what they were doing and why they had chosen us, it soon became clear that they were holding a brainstorming session to help the company improve their operations in all departments. During this session, no idea was considered too small, deemed silly, or outlandish. Every suggestion was welcomed and there were no filters or restrictions allowed. It was just pure creative freedom that turned out to be a lot of fun!

The meeting was such a memorable experience for a number of reasons. First, it was great to be included in this type of brainstorming session, and it showed that the company management understood that good or even great ideas can come from literally anywhere. In addition, the unrestrained free flow of thought gave the group liberty from judgement and criticism. It was fun to hear everyone's ideas and the whiteboard filled up quickly! It was not only an experience that showed the value of brainstorming, teamwork, and collaboration, but it also showed the intrinsic value and potential ROI of creativity in action.

What place does creativity have in your business? How might you use this powerful soft skill to generate new and fresh ideas? Would you host a similar type of brainstorming session? There is much more to creativity than artistic value. In fact, LinkedIn named creative thinking the most in-demand skill nowadays. Other researchers also placed it in the top 3 skills required in running a business (together with critical thinking and problem-solving). Creative thinkers are actually the visionaries that drive a companies' growth and innovation.

According to the World Economic Forum, this skill is increasingly becoming a necessity, not a nicety. So given the rising importance of it, let's be creative and make an acronym that is easy to remember:

C: compile ALL ideas

R: recharge your batteries

E: engage in brainstorming

A: allow free flow of ideas

T: treat every idea with potential

I: imagine ALL possibilities

V: virtually anywhere can be a source of inspiration

E: engage the right people to help you

If you need help getting the creative juices flowing, brainstorming ideas, or expanding your horizons, perhaps our extensive list of virtual support services or virtual affiliates could be just what you are looking for!

"Creativity is intelligence having fun!"

Albert Einstein

Sources: LinkedIn/World Economic Forum