Innovation skills

In the innovation labs we organize to develop creative solutions for complex challenges we ask the participants to first do a self-assessment of their own creativity. Business leaders often hesitate to do so because of their misconception that being creative is related to being an artist. This is understandable because traditionally, creative education is almost always related to being artistic. We’re being taught how to draw and quick to (self)judge that our drawing is not good enough. “I cannot draw” is one of the first things our clients say when we ask them to visualize what good looks like – even when we use other creative tools.

One of our favorite writers, Brené Brown, calls this the creativity scars people collect. We urge you to ignore your gremlins and believe in your creative abilities despite those scars. Creativity is like a muscle; you can train it to regain your creative confidence and learn how to apply it. Like any muscle, creativity needs nourishment. What that looks like is different for everybody. It doesn’t matter what you do, so long as it fills the creative well for you. You may get your inspiration from going to museums, theatres, and movies, or from learning new things, reading, playing, cooking, or inspiring conversations. It can be anything really, so long as you enjoy it, and it stimulates your curiosity and your senses. Ample nourishment is the foundation for the further development of your creative competencies. As fashion designer Paul Smith puts it: "You can find inspiration in everything. If you can't, then you're not looking properly." 

What are your sources of inspiration? How do you train your creative muscle?