Demystifying Creativity

These just keep coming now. Buckle up!

Creativity is the most sought-after talent on Earth, according to a LinkedIn study—so it must be true. The World Economic Forum's list of important skills cites creative thinking as number two, right between number one: analytical thinking, and number three: resilience, flexibility, and agility—whatever that is, but it doesn’t sound healthy.

We live in an evolving economy—a technological revolution. We’re all adapting and learning new skills. Businesses are hiring Creative Directors not just to tackle creative challenges, but to address all their problems. Even politicians now regularly toss around the word 'creativity' as they once did with 'freedom' and 'family.' Professional service companies are snatching up creative shops like it's Black Friday. Creativity seems to permeate everything.

So, why do labels like 'creative,' 'storyteller,' or 'contrarian thinker' make me feel like this 🤮?

It's because we've taken an idea that was once linked to art and literature and turned it into something exclusive. This shift primarily benefits those comfortable with labels in the workplace. As a Geriatric Millennial, I have a distaste for labels 😉.

My kind of creatives are not artists. We solve problems. And at some point in your day, so do you. We all carry a creative responsibility and a valid point of view. Label, or not.

If you work in an agency, engaging with clients one-on-one, you bear the responsibility of making your work relevant and accessible. It's about ensuring anyone can understand and feel confident in a creative discussion. Your job is not to talk down to people, not to dazzle with misdirection and showmanship to get your way; it's to include everyone so they can contribute meaningfully.

Creativity shouldn't be shrouded in mystery. Now, more than ever, it's the key differentiator of value. Yet, its significance often intimidates many. We shouldn't perpetuate this or create barriers to maintain the perceived value of our services. Because the core principles are simpler than we'd like to admit.

Creativity is understanding audience:

The Girl Scouts: with over 40,000 members selling 200 million boxes of cookies yearly in a fiercely competitive market. When Marijuana became legal in California, Girl Scout Danielle Lei positioned herself outside the GreenCross Medical Marijuana Dispensary in San Francisco. In less than 2 hours, she sold 117 boxes.

No strategy department, no insight, no media buy or creative studio—just astute thinking and a profound understanding of her primary audience.

Creativity is found in reduction:

Did you all watch Batman do the Big Mac at the movies? Well Ray Kroc (Michael Keaton) is credited with franchising McDonald's and considered a creative thinker. However, the true creatives were the McDonald brothers. Despite conventional wisdom suggesting that more choices attract more customers, they discovered that 87% of their income stemmed from just three menu items. Instead of expanding the menu, they focused on making these items faster and better than anyone else. It’s called the Pareto principle – 80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes.

Creativity is what you choose to say:

I have a habit of saying Scottish people invented everything. Well James Watt did not invent the steam engine; that credit belongs to Thomas Newcomen in 1712. Watt reinvented it, made it more efficient, and most importantly understood how to talk about it. What Watt actually invented was the term Horsepower to encourage market growth. He could talk to people about how many horses his steam engine could replace and they could understand him.

For many, the simplicity of defining creativity is uncomfortable. We relish being disruptors, striving for uniqueness, and often aiming to claim the title of the brightest mind in the room. However, the essence of creativity is straightforward—it involves understanding who you're speaking to, grasping what those people want and finding a way to communicate it to them that speaks their language.

This message is for everyone—marketing professionals, Creative Directors, Account folks, Strategists, Communication Managers, Small Business Owners, Studio Heads, Students—anyone out there listening. Take these insights along with you; let's start here, together we’ll begin to build better things.

Imagination isn't limited to those tagged as 'creative.' It's an inherent human ability enabling us to envision things not physically present. It allows us to plan and make good choices.

Originality may not really exist; ideas have parents. We continuously blend and recombine thoughts to birth new ones. The real essence lies in where these ideas lead us.

I think we're all a little self conscious about sounding smart. Being right or wrong. We like black and white, not gray. Approaching our work or life differently requires changing our habits and embracing uncertainty.

Uncreative behavior is something we learn, while creativity in business communication is a collective responsibility. Everyone's perspective matters and deserves attention.

Making things will only continue to get easier. Knowing what to make or say will always be difficult, so make it easy for people to contribute. Inspiration strikes from unexpected places.

As you were.

MrMcK.

Explore - Dr George Lands and Beth Jarman’s study, commissioned by NASA, to seek out creative geniuses. It may make you think twice, especially if you're a parent.

Follow - the Tweets (or X’s if that's what we call it now) of these good creative folks. @faris @austinkleon @nilsleonard @davetrott