Defining Creativity
Recently on Copyblogger, Brian Clark posed one of the questions that I love most in this world: “What Does Creativity Mean to You?” I think my fascination with the question is the simple fact that there are millions of definitions for creativity - none 100 percent right or wrong. Each person has their own definition for what creativity means inside their own world.
I recently Mooched Jack Foster’s How to Get Ideas I’ve only read the first few chapters so far, but the first chapter alone is worth getting the book. In Chapter One, Foster seeks to define the abstract notion of an ‘idea.’ He includes contributions from former students, knowledgeable scholars and famous authors.
Each definition seems to ring truer than the one before it. Many have the same essence as the definitions of ‘creativity’ that Brian includes on his blog. But, all have something similar at their core — the concept of the unexpected.
Ideas do seem to come us at unexpected (and inopportune) times: in the shower, waiting in line at the bank, chatting on the phone with a friend. But, where the unexpected plays the biggest role is in content; our best ideas tend be the ones that are most unexpected by those around us.
Think of any advertisement you’ve liked over the years. What was the thing that appealed to you most? Was it funny, sad, inspiring? Why was it funny, sad, inspiring?
More than likely, your answer to the last question has something to do with the fact that it was different, unique…..UNEXPECTED.
My favorite explanation for ‘ideas’ from Chapter One of Mr. Foster’s book:
A man becomes creative, whether he is an artist or scientist, when he finds a new unity in the variety of nature. He does so by finding a likeness between things which were not thought alike before….The creative mind is a mind that looks for unexpected likeness. - Jacob Bronowski
Arriving at Pure Joy and Getting Things Done
So, I finally gave in and am now reading David Allen’s Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress Free Productivity. I’ve tried picking up the practices by reading blogs and articles on GTD, but I realized I was just wasting more time. I needed to go straight to the source.
I just picked it up yesterday, and last night as I was reading, there it was. Staring me in the face only 10 pages in was this passage Mr. Allen included from Craig Lambert’s Mind Over Water:
Rowers have a word for this frictionless state: swing…Recall the pure joy of riding on a backyard swing: an easy cycle of motion, the momentum coming from the swing itself. The swing carries us; we do not force it. We pump our legs to drive our arc higher, but gravity does most of the work. We are not so much swinging as being swung. The boat swings you. The shell wants to move fast: Speed sings in its lines and nature. Our job is simply to work with the shell, to stop holding it back with our thrashing struggles to go faster. Trying too hard sabotages boat speed. Trying becomes striving and striving undoes itself. Social climbers strive to be aristocrats but their efforts prove them no such thing. Aristocrats do not strive, they have already arrived. Swing is a state of arrival
Now, even David Allen was talking to me!
Ever since taking this leap into the freelance world, I have continued to receive messages and signs affirming my decision to just go for it: the newsletter our real estate agent sends out, about 4 different passages from my daily devotional, an email from my church, the most incredible writing opportunity I could have ever asked to begin my freelance life (and it PAYS full-time for the next three weeks). I could go on.
I love this special message from David Allen’s book though. If you’ll take a look at the picture that is the background of my blog title banner above and then click on Pumpin’ in the sidebar along the right side, you’ll see why I am eating it up so much. 
Alright, back to organizing my life.
Fear and Silence
Fear is one of the biggest obstacles to effective communication within an organization, and it can have countless other negative effects on a company. The most damaging of these effects is the creation of a climate of silence - supporting the notion of undiscussables.
Undiscussables are those secrets that almost everyone knows: problems with office politics, bad managerial practices, ethical issues, decision-making procedures and the list goes on. Don’t let the term fool you though. Undiscussables are talked about. In fact they are often talked about at length in the hall, the bathroom, on breaks and after work. They are discussed in secret and talked about in every place but the right place - a forum where the issue has the best chance for resolution.
Back to the fear issue: “undiscussables” develop because there is a climate of fear that exists within the organization. People are fearful of the repercussions that may come with speaking up and trying to make these issues “discussable.” If employee feedback is not a common practice and doesn’t receive the support it deserves, people will most likely remain silent and refrain from giving their point of view.
You wanna talk about irony? Just take a closer look at why employee fear develops: managers’ fear of negative feedback. Fear is both the cause and effect - and that’s a problem that shouldn’t be ignored.
So, how can you move toward a place where you can discuss these undiscussables? Here are three ESSENTIALS when it comes to opening a forum for the undiscussables.
1. Blame-Free Forum
If you are going to discuss an issue, the people involved should feel as if there is an actual discussion taking place. If they feel as if blame and judgment are already established, they will shut down and feelings of mistrust will almost always ensue.
2. The Appropriate Forum
Some issues should be addressed in a large group setting, but there are certain circumstances that are better handled one-on-one. Make sure you take the time to really assess which setting is the best. Ask for advice if you aren’t 100 percent sure.
3. An Open Forum
Focus on the very thing that has likely caused fear to emerge within the company. Be open to feedback. In fact, seek it out. The discussing of “undiscussables” is a new concept for you. It may take more than one attempt to get the process working right. By collaborating on the issue, you can make that happen much more effectively and efficiently.
Some Favorite Sources of Inspiration
Thought I’d share a few links today. These are just a few places that have been fueling my creative soul lately. Hope they work to fuel yours too!
::::: Creativity-Portal :::::
This is absolutely one of my NEWEST favs. Creativity-Portal is one of those sites where you will find something completely different every time you visit. All of the articles are top notch and provide some invaluable advice.
::::: { A } :::::
And here is where I reveal my scrapbooking obsession. I bought Ali Edwards’ first book after seeing an ad in a magazine, and I’ve been addicted ever since. Her blog is more than just scrapbooking. She really does an amazing job of illustrating creativity in simple, sleek and totally lovable terms.
::::: Etsy :::::
This site simply amazes me. A place to buy and sell handmade goods, Etsy is a DIYer’s dream. I hope to get a store going soon now that I have the time to do so. This is also a place where I’ve found some wonderful inspiration for my wedding planning.
::::: Vintage Logos (flickr album) :::::
I cannot remember where I came across this collection, but ever since then I’ve found the striking simplicity that is exhibited in the pages is truly inspiring for design. Sometimes I tend to “overdo” things when it comes to designing. Something like this helps keep me grounded.
::::: Write to Done :::::
I wish Leo Babauta would write more than twice a week for this one. I definitely crave his incredible inspiration more than that. Luckily, I can read him at Zen Habits too!
K.I.S.S. —- Keep It SUPPORTIVE Sweetheart
Did you have those parents who fussed at you when you colored outside the lines as child? Yeah, I hated getting stuck at your house for a play date when I was little.
I respect my mother and father for a number of things, but until just recently the most underrated of those marks of honor happened to be their appreciation for creativity and imagination, and letting my sister and I develop our own.
They didn’t interrupt me in my Fisher Price 
kitchen as I sat on that plastic yellow chair chatting it up with Big Bird and Oscar and even our dog Maggie on my little kitchen phone. They didn’t correct me when I would thrash about all over the living room, looking anything but graceful as I demonstrated my newest ballet moves from class. And, they certainly never criticized my choice of artistic expression, even when it included colored crayons crossing rigid coloring boundaries.
Just how many people’s creative potential has been squashed because their chubby little hand couldn’t hold a crayon steady enough to achieve perfection? Well, the illusion of perfection.
Many organizations make these same mistakes that parents do. Companies are driven by numbers and benchmarks, just like parents driven by norms and standards. And, while certain areas of business should be driven by a prearranged and established benchmark, and there are definite norms parents should adhere to, that defies the very nature of creativity and intuitive thought when applied incorrectly.
With that effect in mind, how can organizations keep from alienating creative personnel and trampling on their work habits and methods? Here are three simple things that will get your organization closer to an ideal creative environment:
1. Foster a better understanding of creativity and the creative process
across all levels of the company.
One of the biggest misconceptions about creativity tends to be that it’s a rare occurrence and exists in only a fraction of the population. What if the real reason for creative scarcity is an overpopulation of uptight parents who can’t see past the thick black outlines? What if that’s been our problem all along?
Pick a slow business day one month and make it “Creativity Day.” Give your employees options. Bring in outside experts and specialists from the creativity and art fields to lead workshops or learning sessions, and help boost the company’s overall exposure to the creative process. Offer two or three different choices.
2. Let them do it their way.
I’ll be honest. I can’t understand why this concept isn’t an easier one for businesses. We’ve already established that organizations tend to focus on results and numbers to measure performance and success.
So, “the means” aren’t nearly as significant “the ends,” right?
Okay. Then, step back and let creative employees do what they do best and be creative. And, let them do it whatever way suits them best.
Who cares if your lead designer needs to stand upside down on his head for half an hour before starting on any new concept development for a client? If his end result is consistently more efficient, more superior and more unique than that of his peers, you should be more than okay with it, you should be on your to put a nice comfy pillow down for those special brainstorm sessions.
Creative types accept that we’re a little different; it’s always comforting when you know your boss does too.
3. Create an encouraging atmosphere.
When it comes to creative aspirations, there are no right or wrong answers. In fact, every first thought deserves second one when you are searching for the most creative solution to a problem.
Managers often do the most damage to creativity with their uninhibited reactions to creative concepts. When a manger looks for reasons not to use a certain idea, rather than exploring reasons to pursue it further, the creator’s motivation is most often the casualty of response.
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Creativity is something all businesses need to wake up and pay attention to before the loss of its incredible potential. If you take the time to institute these three basic creativity boosters, you’ll see a change in creative output and overall pride within creative personnel. You might even discover some creative potential you never knew was there.
