Why championing creativity as a mindset can work wonders.

When I was young, all I ever wanted to draw was Spiderman; there was nothing better than opening up a pristine pack of felt-tip pens to create my own comic storyline. Creativity was embedded in my mind and soul long before I even knew I could build a career around it.

Clearly, a creative mindset is more than artistic expression (no matter how amazing my Spiderman adventures were). It’s the ability to think differently and generate original ideas. It’s the drive we have as humans to find unconventional answers to everyday challenges. Creativity is a mindset that transcends industries, disciplines and individual pursuits.

You get your imaginary ‘creative’ badge (here I go again, making things up) when you’re able to infuse imagination, curiosity and originality into everything you do – and push the boundaries of traditional thinking. That takes persistence, open-mindedness, and a commitment to nurturing creativity within an environment that supports experimentation, collaboration and the freedom to learn.

Creative minds are fascinating and an ongoing source of inspiration to others, regardless of age, role or skill level. It’s endlessly motivating to see a creative ‘in the wild’. Always on the hunt for fresh information to rouse their instinct, alongside a deep hunger to problem-solve and ultimately, to provide the ideas that both wow and act as intended.

Championing creativity as a mindset starts with focusing on the purpose and the deeper value it will bring. To see the broader application for growth beyond the visual and verbal concept. To be obsessed with creating intrigue and wonder in a world that needs it. To make others think, feel, and do something differently as a result of that creative expression.

A mindset that is open and not fixed or closed.

A way to view the world with wonder.

According to classical psychology research, the creative mindset can be broken down into three different flavours – exploratory, transformational and combinational:

• Exploratory creatives can generate novel ideas or solutions by investigating new paths, experimenting with new approaches, and breaking away from conventional thinking. They are curious, open-minded and willing to take risks, so tend to thrive in situations that challenge them.
  
  
• Transformational creatives can radically transform or reframe existing ideas, concepts and perspectives to fundamentally change the way we understand something – and identify new patterns or insight along the way. This results in paradigm shifts, breakthrough inventions or revolutionary advancements.
  
  
• Combinational creatives can combine existing ideas, elements, or knowledge from multiple places to create something new. They have a knack for seeing connections between seemingly unrelated concepts or merging ideas from disparate sources to deliver innovative solutions. They rely on their capacity to identify relevant information, leading to innovative designs, interdisciplinary collaborations or hybrid solutions that bridge gaps.
  

So, which creative mindset are you?

When marketing has to work that much harder to capture an audience’s attention and keep their interest, it's valuable to have a mix of these creative types within teams. In championing the creative mindset, we should encourage people to play to their behavioural strengths.

By continuing to embark on projects with a mix of creative mindsets, all perfectly positioned to bloom, we can set brands apart with creative that changes perceptions and drives action. First time, every time, and for longer-term impact. All that, and we still get to do some colouring in. Now, where did I leave that new pack of felt-tip pens…