With all the hype around creativity, it is still in need of more encouragement.

With all the hype around creativity, it is still in need of more encouragement

How much fresh thinking have you witnessed in recent times?

It is a fair question, as many CEOs will note, that creative thought is one of the top skills for business leaders, and yet, one of their biggest frustrations is that so few today are innovative and creative in thinking. It is, therefore, natural to ask how can this be better encouraged?

Of course, the counter argument is that business today is more process driven, controlled and in truth does not like “out of the box” thinking as much as it sometimes says. In fact, in a couple of recent surveys, many emerging talents noted that companies prefer those who follow company guidelines and do not think outside of the box. In fact, a leading area of discussion, often raised by clients, asks as to why many top sales professionals show no real vision for customers and instead focus on their own desires, needs and rules?

There are also many reports that note that one of the biggest barriers to progression is that so many young talents have a fear of failure and do not feel they are able to have a creative voice which will be heard. There is a compelling argument that says that although leaders may be frustrated by the lack of creativity, it is the day-to-day processes which create the barriers.

It does all create a contradiction. In fact, there is evidence that one of the major problems to emerge out of the “work from home” shift is that employees have even less curiosity or desire to be different. Creativity, it is argued, has declined. As a result, many companies are looking for a stronger return to workplaces as they are concerned by the fall in creativity.

It is far more prevalent than many realise. It should be no surprise as research has indicated that internal meetings have doubled with the use of VC calls and more tracking. It has led to rulebooks being followed with often an increasing lack of either probing or the exploration of more left of field ideas; it's far safer to follow the rule book.

We will all have sat in meetings with a company pitching and witnessed how the leads have not really listened to a brief but instead have sought to impose their models and views on the client. One of the great old sales experts would often note that they won business as they “had two ears and one mouth” for a reason and they would smile as they noted “it is amazing how often others seem to think it is the other way round”.

The irony, of course, and the importance is that this is a period which is asking for new models and solutions and needs creativity.

The question stands as to how do we today encourage greater creativity?

The argument is to create space for failure and for the different. If leaders really do want to see stronger creativity, then there is a need to allow space for all ideas to be explored and for all talent to have a voice.

The counter argument to this is “how often will one see a genuinely great new idea?.” Very rarely it is argued. Time costs money so why the need to be creative?

But isn’t this missing the point? Aren't the best service levels generated by those who feel free in their work and able to express themselves? Have you noticed how clients often respond positively to new ideas and individual trying to explore the art of the possible?

The positive argument is service levels are stronger with creativity and so is the work environment. There is a strong argument that many enjoyed WFH as they didn’t enjoy office environments so is this all part of the shift which is taking place anyway?

Written by Chris Sheppardson, founder of EP Business in Hospitality