Creativity refers to the act of making something new and involves imagination and intuition. True creativity involves thinking differently and taking risks. Creative people question assumptions, take risks, and generate multiple solutions to problems. Employers value creativity as creative employees can solve problems innovatively and contribute to growth. Developing creativity enables performing tasks mindfully and opening possibilities for innovation. Creativity relies on domain expertise, creative thinking skills, motivation, and supportive workplace practices and conditions.

1. Importance of Creativity in
a Job

2. The experience of thinking, reacting, and
working in an imaginative way which is
characterized by a high degree of innovation
and originality, divergent thinking, and risk
taking.
Definition of Creativity

3. What is Creativity?
• Creativity refers to the act of making
something that previously did not exist.
• It is a way of thinking that involves the
imagination and intuition.

4. True Creativity and Innovation consist of
Seeing what everyone else has seen,
Thinking what no one else has thought and
Doing what no one has dared!

5. Creativity Always Involves Crossing
of Boundaries

6. So what makes creative people creative?
If we could look into the minds of creative geniuses, what would we see?
Joy of discovery
Questioning
Desire to interrelate
Tolerance of
ambiguity
Curiosity
Sense of challenge
Playfulness
Inquisitiveness
Willingness
to take risks
Positive
discontent
Desire to see
things differently
Desire to learn Willingness to
experiment
Wonder

7. Portrait of a Creative Person
“Creative people pay attention to their world,
see things differently, challenge assumptions,
take risks, are not afraid to fail, and strive to
generate multiple solutions to problems. They
are passionate about creativity and seek
opportunities to innovate.”

8. Creativity at Work
• Employers greatly value creative thinkers
because such employees can
– think of innovative work-related ideas and
approaches
– solve difficult or unusual problems
– relate meaningfully with co-workers and clients
and
– contribute positively to the growth of an
organization.

9. Developing your creativity will enable you to do
even the most mundane tasks in a mindful and
spirited way, opening up the possibilities for
innovation and self-fulfillment.

10. Creativity and Career Planning
• Creativity and Career Planning go hand in hand
as the new economy is largely based on the
exchange of knowledge.
• New employees must have the abilities to
– flow with change and opportunity
– continue to learn
– anticipate near and distant future trends and needs
– network and
– understand global change

11. Influences on Creativity
Discussion Point
A: What helps you
personally to be more
creative? B: What stops you
personally being more
creative?

12. Domain
Expertise
Motivation
Creative
Thinking
Ability
CREATIVITY
Workplace
practices and
conditions
Flexibility
and
imagination in
approaching
problems
Technical
Procedural
Intrinsic
Task-
focused
THE CREATIVE INDIVIDUAL

13. Motivation
• Proposed that people will perform more creatively if
motivated by the work itself, rather than rewards
or punishments.
• Research evidence supports the idea that intrinsic
motivation produces more creative outcomes than
extrinsic ones.

14. •You must have knowledge of a field to
produce something novel within it!
• Importance of knowing the territory
• Development of problem solving methods
using exploration and trial and error
methods.
• Identification of problems / sensing gaps
Domain Expertise

15. Creative Thinking Ability
A range of skills identified by researchers as key to
creative thinking are:
• Problem or opportunity finding
• Seeing problems in new ways
• Generating a wide range of ideas (divergent thinking)
• Recognising which of one’s ideas are worth pursuing
(convergent thinking)
• Persuading others of the value of your ideas

16. Workplace Practices and Conditions
Research has shown a wide range of environmental
factors influencing individual creativity e.g
• Management support (e.g. gives positive informational feedback)
• Co-worker creativity
• Team or departmental climate for innovation
• Autonomy
• Access to resources
• Time to experiment

17. Gather
information
and
resources
Stage 2
Preparation
Produce one
or more
ideas or
products
Stage 3
Idea
Generation
Check ideas
against
criteria for the
task
Stage 4
Idea
Validation
STAGES OF INDIVIDUAL CREATIVITY
Stage 1
Task
Presentation
External
Source
Internal
Source
End
Stage 5
Outcome
Assessment
End
Back
to 1
Success
Failure
Progress
INDIVIDUAL
COMPONENT
A
Intrinsic
motivation to
do the task
INDIVIDUAL
COMPONENT
B
Skills in the
task domain
INDIVIDUAL
COMPONENT
C
Skills in
creative
thinking

18. Consequences of Creativity
Individual
• Self-esteem, job satisfaction, promotion, financial rewards
Team or group
• Team morale, achievement of team goals
Organisational
• Performance, investment, customer/client satisfaction
Societal
• Quality of life of general public, natural
environment

19. Six Tips To Help You Enhance Your
Creativity
1. Open Your Mind - Have one new experience every day; no
matter how small. New experiences stimulate the brain
and help you make new and original connections; critical
for boosting breakthroughs.
2. Diversify - Involve others in your problem-solving efforts
who bring a different perspective or cultural experience
than yours.
3. Mental Floss – Relax; Stress, exhaustion, boredom and
even pain can block our pathways to creativity.
4. Stop Looking For the Right Answer - Look for many
right answers.
5. Discover Your Creative Rhythm - Start paying attention
to when you get your best ideas.
6. Health Makes Wealth - Regular exercise not only
benefits your body, it boosts brain performance as well.

20. … and another one: Find what you
love to do
“We know that people do their most creative work when
they love doing what they’re doing. There’s no
substitute for intrinsic motivation, that is, motivation
that comes from within. Although such motivation
doesn’t guarantee creativity, dislike or lack of
interest in work practically guarantees non-
creativity.”
– Ten Keys to Creative Innovation by Robert J.
Sternberg

21. Thank You!