Unlocking Your Creative Potential: Embrace the Power Within
By Laura Kyttanen
Share on Social
In today's fast-paced and ever-changing world, the importance of unlocking and harnessing our creative potential has become more crucial than ever. External pressures and dynamic shifts in the business landscape demand innovative thinking and adaptive approaches.
Which is why it doesn’t surprise me that this has been a major theme for coaching over the last few months - the rising fear of losing one's creativity or the lingering doubt about not having enough creative ideas to move the needle in their role or business.
Let's dive deep into this topic and explore what it actually means to be creative, why it’s critical to business success today, how to foster creativity as a leader and in yourself and some coaching stories which can help bring this topic to life.
First, it’s important to pause and consider this question:
“What does it mean to be creative to you?”
The concept of creativity is beautifully rich and multifaceted. Yet, for most of us we grow up with the belief that creativity is reserved for a select few or for people that don’t have any constraints. However, this type of fixed mindset is what stifles our natural ability to use our imagination and be creative.
In his book, "The Myths of Creativity," David Burkus shares a treasure trove of wisdom where he challenges many conventional beliefs about creativity. I will share a few key quotes and lessons from the book that resonate deeply as they are common focus areas in coaching sessions:
This perspective emphasizes that creativity is available to us all and it is unleashed when people are empowered to share their unique ideas and perspectives, not only by their leader or colleagues but also from within.
This quote reminds us that creativity thrives in collaborative environments. It emphasizes the importance of nurturing diverse connections and fostering a culture where ideas are shared, discussed, and refined through collective effort.
However, this type of collaboration might not be easy to implement at many organizations. In fact, according to a survey done by Harvard Business Review to uncover The Biggest Obstacles to Innovation in Large Companies - the number one reason is due to politics, turf wars, and a lack of alignment (cited by 55% of respondents). From my experience supporting large scale change at international organizations, ensuring alignment at the top is critical as well as looking at other environmental influences such as teams structure, organizational systems / processes and how employees are measured.
This insight challenges the notion that creativity requires complete freedom and lack of structure. It highlights the power of constraints as catalysts for innovative thinking, pushing us to find ingenious solutions within the boundaries we face.
This quote emphasizes the iterative nature of the creative process. It encourages us to embrace experimentation, learn from failures, and persist in refining our ideas until they reach their full potential.
Building upon this foundation, it is important for leaders to recognize they hold the key to unlocking the creative potential of their teams. Of course, before you can enable a creative culture you must become aware of what mindset might be holding you back and what you can do to tap into your own creativity.
Whether you are a leader or someone who is being asked to drive innovation in your organization, I invite you to take a moment for a little introspection.
Rethinking Productivity: The Power of Slowing Down
In a fast-paced world that values productivity and metrics, businesses often find themselves caught in a never-ending race to outperform their competitors. However, the pressure to deliver results quickly can stifle creativity. It's crucial to understand that spending time on creating requires a shift in focus— from pure performance and metrics to intentionally set aside time for reflection and exploration.
Questions for Reflection: When was the last time you intentionally slowed down and gave yourself or your team permission to explore or reflect? How could doing this positively impact your creative process?
Unlocking the Creative Flow: Overcoming Blocks
Creative blocks can be frustrating, but they're not insurmountable. The key is to embrace them as opportunities for growth and self-discovery. By understanding the underlying causes of creative blocks, we can develop strategies to overcome them and tap into our true creative potential.
Questions for Reflection: What are some of the common triggers for your (or your team’s) creative blocks? How might you reframe them as catalysts for new ideas and fresh perspectives?
Expanding Our Perceptions: Liberating Creativity
Often, our perception of what it means to be creative can be limiting. Creativity is not confined to artists or designers alone—it exists in every industry, every role, and every individual. Embracing this truth enables us to reimagine the possibilities and harness the power of diverse perspectives within our teams.
Questions for Reflection: How can you challenge and expand your own definition of creativity? What opportunities lie in embracing creativity beyond traditional boundaries? Who could you be and what might you (and your team) be able to achieve if you were to broaden your views on creativity?
Finally, allow me to share a couple of stories of clients (fake names are used due to client confidentiality) who have embarked on the journey to unlock the creative potential of themselves or their teams:
Sara approached me for coaching as she was having a hard time finding a job. Upon further exploration we found that she lacked belief in her creativity. However, through our coaching sessions, she began to shift her mindset, exploring new ways of approaching problems and embracing experimentation. In a few short months, she not only landed a job she has been able to apply her creative confidence to her new role and even position herself as a dynamic member of the team.
Mark is a CEO in the finance sector. He initially approached me for team building sessions focused on enhancing the team’s communication and to foster more creativity. After the initial offsite, I realized that before we could tackle supporting the team there was an even greater opportunity for the leadership in terms of alignment on strategic vision, priorities and what this meant for the team roles. Upon my recommendation, we then pivoted our focus to allow the leaders to voice their unique perspectives on the strategy and find a way to smooth out their differences so the team feels a more united front.
Ivan is a founder and CEO of a growing start up in the DEFI sector of finance. He started to feel concerned about feeling stagnant and devoid of fresh ideas. By engaging in activities that sparked his curiosity and venturing outside his comfort zone, he reignited his creative fire. As a result, he has been able to feel less anxious, delegate more to his team so he could focus on his key priorities and even work on identifying more groundbreaking ideas that would continue to position him as a trailblazer in his industry.
Above all, It takes courageous leadership (of oneself, your team or company) to foster creativity. Remember, creativity is not a finite resource that can be depleted. It is an infinite reservoir that replenishes itself when nurtured and celebrated. So, embrace the unique creative power in you and everyone around you and let it illuminate more possibilities that lead to success.
If you would like to discuss your own journey further or explore strategies to enhance creativity within yourself or your team, please don't hesitate to reach out. Together, we can unlock the vast creative potential that lies within you and your organization.
