4.2 Being Creative

As children we all experience moments of happy absorption, sometimes with other children, where activity and imagination are mixed in play. As adults, we often lose touch with that part of ourselves and focus more on efficiency and effectiveness. We forget how to imagine, explore and spark ideas through playfulness. As leaders it can be a challenge to recreate that kind of environment for ourselves and for others, but it is a vital precursor to innovation.

A lot of material about creativity is, understandably, focused on artists. If we're not a Mozart or Tracey Emmin or Ian McEwan, can we be creative people? This module is based on the belief that we are all creative and that we can all be more creative - even at work!

If you already feel that you are highly creative, great! If you aren't so sure you might need to observe yourself and spot the moments when you are being creative - or could be, if you gave yourself permission.

What does creativity mean to you?

Thinking about yourself at work:

• When do you feel most imaginative and playful?
• How often do you share ideas with colleagues?
• How willing are you to consider other people's ideas?
• Are you more likely to seek out people who have lively imaginations and talk about their ideas?
• Are you more optimistic than pessimistic?
• When you start something new, how confident do you feel that it will turn out well - even if you can't see how?

Before we go further in describing creativity and creative thinking:

Imagine that you are applying for a Creative Librarian of the Year award. You have been asked to write 100 words to describe yourself in terms of:

• your attitudes to creativity
• how other people see you in terms of creativity
• creative things you have done - small and large
• how you nurture creativity in yourself
• how you encourage creativity in others

Write your 100 words! You can use the Stepping Into Leadership Course Workbook to record your thoughts.

If, in the course of writing your self-testimonial, you thought of things that you wish you could say about yourself in relation to creativity (but haven't) then you're already on the path to being more creative.

Make a note of the things you would like to be able to say about yourself as a creative person. You can use the Stepping Into Leadership Course Workbook to record your thoughts.

Leaving space for creativity

Some projects, or aspects of a project require something to be commissioned - a building, a website, publicity materials. Those commissions require a brief. Some things in the brief might need to be very specific but if we want to tap into the expertise of others we should leave space for them to develop the fundamental concept in ways that we might not have imagined. In this very interesting video (27 mins) some top creative people talk about how they respond to a project brief. Notice how they want the brief to be about the underlying purpose of what people want to achieve - the WHY again!

Briefly from Bassett & Partners on Vimeo.

Even in situations where you are not intending to hand over parts of a project to others (internal or external), writing a brief is a good way to capture your aims and intentions. It is more about concept and less concerned, at this stage, with the means to achieve it. Interior space designers often use a 'mood board' - a collage of images, colour swatches etc. - that reflect the kind of things that the client has discussed or might like to consider. Web designers welcome a brief that points to features on other sites that a client likes or dislikes (with reasons why). A creative brief can include words as well as images.

Later in this module, the Innovation With Others topic will explore ways of involving others in a project. Even when this does not involve external commissioning, the project brief or mood board or concept statement is a good way to engage people in your ideas and leaves space for them to contribute.

Time for some free thinking!

For this to work, you will need to:

• Carve out 15 minutes of time when you won't be disturbed
• Have a notebook and some pens that you like
• Make a cup of tea if that helps you relax
  THEN:
• Play the slide show below - the idea is not to work through the whole thing to the end, just STOP whenever something grabs your attention
• Think about how it connects with something that matters to you
• When you have four ideas stop the slide show
• REVIEW your ideas and choose one that you want to do something about - soon

You can use the Stepping Into Leadership Course Workbook to record your thoughts.

You can use these on your own to get your own creative juices flowing or in teams or project groups to warm up and open up. You will not want to sit through all 100 in one sitting! You can treat it as a library, add to the collection with your own images or start your own scrapbook of things that touch you, make you think or are just plain beautiful.

Continue the course with: 4.3 Creative thinking