Creative confidence by Tom and David Kelley. Introduction

Blink 2
After years of being considered irrelevant, creativity is becoming a highly desirable quality.
“Creativity is only for the artsy types.”
How many times have you heard this or even said it yourself? In our modern society, there is a myth surrounding creativity – that only those who do things like paint landscapes or sing in jazz clubs are paid for their creativity, not lawyers and CEOs.

Many people think that there is simply no room for creativity in traditional work environments. For example, those who work in areas like medicine or law often face others who tell them that there’s no need to be creative to fulfill their duties satisfactorily, and that it’s even irresponsible to try and improvise.

For many decades artistic types, such as designers, musicians or painters, were essentially relegated to the kids’ table, while the “grown-ups” – i.e., the more analytical professionals – held important business meetings in the hallway or board rooms.

We even see this social rejection in the classroom, where creativity is smothered in favor of rationality, and small children are told to obey the rules and only color inside the lines.

Just think, when Paul McCartney was at school he was told to give up music and pursue a “safe career” in Liverpool’s manufacturing and shipping industries. Thankfully, he did not follow this ridiculous advice and instead became part of the most successful band in history.

But this anti-creativity mind-set is changing. Today’s businesses have begun to recognize that the best way to find novel solutions to complex problems is by investing more time and money in nurturing their employees’ innovative drives.

For example, a very recent IBM survey of more than 1,500 CEOs reported that creativity is the single most important leadership skill for enterprises engaged in the complex world of global commerce, where innovative solutions are necessary to pave the best possible path to success.

In order to reap the benefits of creativity, you’ll first have to rediscover your own. The following blinks will show you how to do just that.