Just stumbled across your work, ordered the book right away and immediately thought of a situation two weeks ago, during a leadership training I facilitate for a smal cohort of 13 people, out of 12 nations: asked about their perceived future skills, that they assume to become more important to them within and for the next 5 years, nearly everyone had 'creativity' under his top5. This shocked someone from HQ, also representing HR/P&O: 'I don't understand, why so many of you listed 'creativity' here? That completely collides with our company goals! We are standardizing massivly! Creativity?!' - I took a deeeeeep breath, asking her, what creativity means to her? No answer, but a few completely puzzeled participants that felt off the street. Where does this 'suspicious' view on creativity come from? I witness this that often!
I suspect it comes from the idea that creativity is about being wild and crazy (while we here want to be reasonable and sensible). But to create anything you need creativity. If you want to standardize, you have to figure out how. It is encouraging that leaders see it and know it. But it would be important to spread that message to the less open-minded HR. Not knowing what creativity is certainly does not help.
Just stumbled across your work, ordered the book right away and immediately thought of a situation two weeks ago, during a leadership training I facilitate for a smal cohort of 13 people, out of 12 nations: asked about their perceived future skills, that they assume to become more important to them within and for the next 5 years, nearly everyone had 'creativity' under his top5. This shocked someone from HQ, also representing HR/P&O: 'I don't understand, why so many of you listed 'creativity' here? That completely collides with our company goals! We are standardizing massivly! Creativity?!' - I took a deeeeeep breath, asking her, what creativity means to her? No answer, but a few completely puzzeled participants that felt off the street. Where does this 'suspicious' view on creativity come from? I witness this that often!
I suspect it comes from the idea that creativity is about being wild and crazy (while we here want to be reasonable and sensible). But to create anything you need creativity. If you want to standardize, you have to figure out how. It is encouraging that leaders see it and know it. But it would be important to spread that message to the less open-minded HR. Not knowing what creativity is certainly does not help.