Based on your readings so far what is your definition of cre

Based on your readings so far, what is your definition of creativity? Your posting with your definition must be at least 500 words and include the source(s) you\'re drawing from; i.e. which video or reading, etc.

Solution

Creativity can be understood if it can be properly defined. However, unlike other terms, the definition of creativity calls for some variability. The definition itself will carry different meanings for different people according to their age and their domains of performance. Consider the attributes of creativity one-by-one. The first attribute is the originality or uniqueness. If something is creative, it must be original. If it is not original, it cannot be creative. However, being original does not qualify a product or idea to become creative. An original idea must also be effective in order to become creative. By effective, we mean that the idea or the solution must solve the very purpose for which it originated. An original idea without having effectiveness is not creativity - it\'s just original. Similarly, an effective idea without originality is also not creativity because it can be duplicate, replication, or repetition of earlier concepts.

Now, consider the first attribute - originality. Is this absolute or relative? Generally, considering this to be absolute can lead us to weird inference because in that case, people having their intellectual rights registered will only be considered creative people in the world. But this is not the actual reality. A person\'s creativity should be known as his/ her ability to create unique solutions relative to the people having similar access to resources. For example, a child\'s creativity will be perceived based on the creativity level of other children in the same society. The ambiguity regarding the second attribute - effectiveness is that effectiveness is also relative. For example, what is effective today may be perceived as useless tomorrow (consider the economic policy of USSR as an example. it was considered unique, creative, and effective in the 70s and 80s and now is non-existent and even considered futile by some of the economists).

Apart from understanding the two aspects of creativity - originality, and effectiveness, there can be other perceptions and explanations of creativity based on the domain-specific requirement. For example, literature has associated open-mindedness and unconventionality with creativity. In a similar manner, process views, press theories, and products views are also concepts that go with creative people and creativity. The process view looks at creativity from the pure cognitive skill point of view. Product theory describes creativity as a process to meet the urge to create an original product. Press theory comes from the concept of the environmental pressure which may be responsible for the development of creativity.

Accepting these ambiguities, we understand that the originality and effectiveness quotients of creativity cannot be or should not be managed. Instead, managers should manage for creativity. From the organizational perspective, it is about incorporating diverse perspectives, which encourage creative insights and facilitate creative collaboration by, for instance, harnessing new technologies. The very nature of leadership becomes essential in managing for creativity. It shifts the focus from process management to people development. In other words, creativity needs leaders transactional dealing to get it modified into transformational. Then only, they will be able to inspire people to become more creative in the respective workplaces and also operationalize the creative solutions so that they become the foundation for innovation.

Sources

\"Encyclopedia of Giftedness, Creativity, and Talent\", Volume 1, By Barbara Kerr, Sage Publication

\"Creativity and the Role of the Leader\", By Teresa Amabile and Mukti Khaire, HBR