CEOs in a recent poll agreed that creativity is the most important skill a leader can have. What seems less clear is how to actually cultivate it. Every leader is hoping for that next great idea, yet many executives still treat creative thinking as antithetical to productivity and control. Indeed, 80% of American and British workers feel pressured into being productive rather than creative.
Summary.
Many workers feel pressured into being productive rather than creative; and leaders, while they value creativity, often don’t know how to manage for it. Creating the conditions your team needs to flex their creative muscle means managing four tensions: clearly defining what creativity means for your specific firm without making it restrictively formulaic; balancing art and commerce; providing space for both collaborative and individual expression; and providing guard rails of structure and process without constraining people’s freedom. Leaders also have to carefully weigh how involved they should be in any creative endeavor, lest their participation inadvertently silence people who might have good, unconventional ideas.
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New!
HBR Learning
Team Management Course
Accelerate your career with Harvard ManageMentor®. HBR Learning’s online leadership training helps you hone your skills with courses like Team Management. Earn badges to share on LinkedIn and your resume. Access more than 40 courses trusted by Fortune 500 companies.
Build a better team and achieve more of what matters.