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Work is an Outlet for Our Creativity

February 15, 1999

"Work can be energizing, exhilarating, and a place of learning and growth.  It can provide an outlet for our creativity.  Creativity is, among other things, learning.  Creativity is learning new ways of looking at old problems and learning new ways to arrange old solutions so that they produce a better result.  It is learning to challenge old assumptions and limitations.  Creativity dictates that we be completely conscious of opportunities to learn and improve everywhere in our workplaces and our lives.

The uniqueness that each of us brings to the workplace is the fuel for creativity.  That uniqueness is part of the Wonder Child and part of our spirit.  When employers build spirit-respecting workplaces, they provide the match and tinder for lighting the fire in each of us.  People have an unlimited supply of fuel, most of which has been locked away with our spirits, kept safely away from our workplaces.  When our uniqueness is respected, our spirits spill forth with creativity.  The creative solutions that result have limitless applications throughout the enterprise and can have significant ramifications on the bottom line.

Workplace spirit, creativity, and innovation are contagious.  Organizations that have learned to foster creativity and innovation find that when people become conscious of improving everything in the work environment, improvements just continue to happen (Gilley, 1997, pp. 240-241)."

Reference:  Gilley, K. (1997).  Leading from the heart. Boston:  Butterworth-Heinemann.

What are you doing to encourage creativity?

* Leading from the Heart is available on loan at the OSU Leadership Center.  A listing of all the Leadership Center's resources is available on our website www.ag.ohio-state.edu/~leaders

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Created: 2009-01-06, Updated: 2009-01-18