By Sue Collin, SVP, RTi Research, Director of Qualitative Research
Creativity is often thought of as producing something related to the visual or performance arts. What if we have been defining creativity in a way that is exclusionary and leads to most people believing they don’t have a creative muscle?
As a qualitative research moderator my work revolves around having conversations with strangers, uncovering their thoughts, feelings, and unmet needs. These conversations are never linear. And in their twists and turns, I see creativity in action every day. It’s often not flashy or dramatic; rather, it’s subtle and nuanced. Helping participants express themselves is key to sparking ideas and creative questioning helps to ignite the spark.
Everyone Has Creativity
I believe creativity is a skill we all possess. It’s not reserved only for drawing, writing, or acting; it’s about how we navigate our world to solve problems, adapt to challenges, and find new ways to communicate. And recognizing that creativity thrives in the small and large moments of life.
Think about the last time you prepared a meal from a new recipe, threw a surprise party, facilitated a strategy meeting, or provided care to the sick or elderly. Or the way you improvised in a conversation with a colleague. They’re all instances of creativity at play.
One of my favorite examples of everyday creativity comes from a recent research session. A participant struggled to express how a product could better meet their needs. Instead of pushing for an answer, I asked them to imagine their ideal version of the product and describe it as if it already existed. Suddenly, a light bulb lit up over the participant and they were able to share a picture of features and benefits they could not express prior. That’s creativity—not just mine, but theirs.
These interactions remind me that creativity emerges in unexpected ways. It’s in the metaphors people use to explain their feelings, the stories they tell to illustrate their experiences, and the solutions they propose to improve their lives. These moments also illustrate that creativity isn’t rare; it’s a natural part of being human.
Creativity Is a Mindset
One of the biggest shifts in redefining creativity is understanding that it’s not only about what we produce; it’s about how we think. A mindset of openness, curiosity, and exploration can lead to new associations we make between seemingly disparate ideas. And when we experience this mindset shift, we start to literally see opportunities for creativity all around us.
How to Ignite Creativity in Your Work and Life
Here are several tips from the fields of design thinking, innovation, and personal development that anyone can apply to boost their creativity.
- Always Be Curious: Creativity thrives on curiosity which can take the form of meeting new people to seek out diverse perspectives and engaging in new leisure time activities. The more we expose ourselves to new people, new things, and new thinking, the more creative connections we’ll make.
- Collaborate: Creativity doesn’t have to be a solo practice. The power of collaboration enables fresh perspectives. Remember, 1 + 1 = 3.
- Ask Different Questions: When faced with challenges, shift our perspective by asking new questions, such as: What if? What if we took a play from another discipline? What if we used the tools we already possess but in a new way? Simple questions can open doors to unexpected solutions.
- Give Yourself Permission to Fail: Our fear of failure can be a roadblock to creativity, preventing us to take risks and experiment. Failure is often a path toward innovation. Just ask the inventor of Post-It Notes.
- Be An Active Listener: By truly being present and hearing what others are saying – without judgment or interruption – we can uncover insights that might otherwise go unnoticed. Intentional listening can also deepen our understanding of a problem and inspire a new direction.
- Start Journaling: Jotting down thoughts, ideas, and observations can help us recognize patterns to apply to new situations. Just like there is not one way to be creative, journaling can take many forms: bullet/list style, stream of consciousness as in Julia Cameron’s Morning Pages, doodling, collaging and more. And a journal need not be fancy – a composition notebook works just as well as a leather-bound journal, as long as it works for you.
Final Thoughts
Creativity doesn’t belong to a select few. It’s something we all have and use every day, often without realizing it. By redefining creativity, we can learn to see it in ourselves and others, helping to transform our work and lives.
The next time you face a challenge, remember you are creative. You have the ability to think differently and problem-solve. Whether you’re moderating a focus group, managing a team, or juggling family activities to get through the day, creativity is a wonderful asset. Embrace that muscle, nurture it, and watch it grow.
To hear more musings about creativity, check out my guest spot on the Insightful Connections podcast with host, Sebastian Mudoch-Gibson from QualRecruit.
https://www.qualrecruit.com/podcasts/ep-10-sue-collin-rti-research