Creativity has been seen as one of the most important magic touches of humanity throughout history. Although it is the secret weapon of people who make a difference, especially in art and science, it is not a talent specific to artists and scientists, but a skill that is in everyone and can be developed. Creativity, defined as generating new ideas and looking at existing problems from different perspectives to offer solutions from outside the box, has become one of the most sought-after characteristics in companies and their employees today.
So why do companies expect their employees to be creative?
- Competitive Advantage: In today's competitive business world, it is vital to differentiate and offer innovative products and services. Companies that differentiate themselves and stand out from their competitors through creativity have the chance to be pioneers in the market. Tesla is one of the most important examples of this situation. Tesla's innovative approach has transformed the previously existing electric vehicle market by becoming a minimalist and technology-oriented product, and has caused traditional vehicle manufacturers to invest in this area.
- Problem Solving: The approach to addressing problems with different perspectives provided by creative thinking can lead to more innovative solutions instead of seeking standard solutions to complex problems. Especially in the marketing world, where it is necessary to show customers what their problems are and to approach to produce solutions to these problems, creativity becomes a very important weapon for companies.
- Innovation: Among the inevitable results of creative thinking are new and better products, services and processes. This is achieved through innovation. The most well-known example of this situation is Apple's redefinition of the mobile phone. Although there were touch phones before, Apple has distinguished itself from its competitors with its innovative approach by taking the mobile phone from being just a phone.
As can be seen from the examples above, creativity is a title that makes a difference in business life. So what are the basic components that pave the way for creativity? Let's take a look at them now.
Creativity is not a concept consisting of a single dimension. It is a complex process that emerges from the coming together of several factors that interact and are affected by each other. The three main components that form the basis of this process can be listed as follows.
- Expertise: Having in-depth knowledge and experience in a certain field is one of the indispensable conditions for creativity. The more knowledge we have, the more different connections we can make and new ideas we can produce. Thought experts such as Edward de Bono emphasize that expertise feeds creativity and paves the way for new discoveries. Albert Einstein is one of the most important examples that can be given for this title. Einstein, who changed the world of physics with his theory of relativity, had an in-depth knowledge of physics. This knowledge allowed him to produce new and radical ideas about the universe.
- Motivation: The main sources of motivation for being creative include intrinsic curiosity, desire to learn, and desire to have new experiences. The effect of motivation on creativity can be summarized as follows: Curiosity, passion, and desire to explore, which arise from intrinsic drive, encourage the individual to produce new ideas. The Goal-Oriented approach, working towards a specific goal, makes creative processes more efficient. The characteristic of resilience, on the other hand, is an important part of the creative process, making an effort without giving up when faced with obstacles. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi's concept of flow experience also shows that creativity is closely related to intrinsic motivation. In short; Flow refers to a person completely devoting themselves to an activity, forgetting about time, and experiencing a deep sense of satisfaction. This situation occurs when the person's skills and the difficulty level of the activity are in an ideal balance. The desire to do created by this situation maximizes motivation and opens the doors of creativity to the fullest.
- Creative Thinking Styles: Creativity depends not only on knowledge and motivation, but also on the ability to use different ways of thinking. Mental processes such as divergent thinking (producing different solutions) and convergent thinking (choosing the best solution) constitute important stages of the creative process. By definition, divergent thinking is the process of producing many different and creative solutions to a problem or question. It can also be called brainstorming. In this way of thinking, boundaries are removed, different perspectives are adopted and traditional patterns are broken. Covergent thinking is the process of choosing the best, most appropriate or most practical solution from among the different ideas produced. In this way of thinking, analysis, evaluation and decision-making skills come to the fore. Divergent and convergent thinking are two ways of thinking that complement each other and play an important role in the problem-solving process. Using these two styles in a balanced way helps individuals and institutions to be more successful. Again, if we were to give an example from the world of science about creative thinking styles, the name Richard Feynman comes to the fore. Feynman, who won the Nobel Prize in Physics for his work in quantum electrodynamics, was known for his ability to explain complex subjects in a simple and understandable way. He was a master at coming up with new solutions by seeing problems from different perspectives.
These three components are in a relationship that affects and supports each other. For example, being an expert in a field allows you to better understand the problems in that field and produce more creative solutions. Similarly, high motivation encourages the individual to learn new information and look from different perspectives. Creative thinking skills strengthen the synergy that comes from the combination of expertise and motivation.
Leaders who will bring creativity, which can have such important outcomes, to the forefront and nurture it in the company culture will always be one step ahead. So how difficult is it to achieve this? In fact, the strategies that can be implemented to achieve this are quite clear. Leaders who want to support creativity in the work environment and within the organization will eliminate many obstacles on the path to creativity by creating a culture that encourages learning, discovering and triggering the internal and external motivation sources of employees and teams, being open to different ideas and solution suggestions for the problems encountered, and demanding differences in an inclusive and supportive manner.
Ultimately, creativity emerges from a dynamic interplay of expertise, intrinsic motivation, and diverse thinking styles. It is not a mystical talent confined to a select few, but a valuable skill that can be nurtured and developed within every individual and organization. By cultivating a supportive environment that encourages learning, embraces diverse perspectives, and provides the necessary resources, organizations can unlock the full potential of their employees' creativity. This, in turn, drives innovation, fuels problem-solving, and ultimately provides a significant competitive edge in today's rapidly evolving world.
