Did you know that the creativity essential to business success is often a tightrope walk between encouragement and unintended suppression? This is how I dive into the intriguing insights of Teresa Amabile on the subtle ways (not only) leaders can either boost or hinder creativity. This topic is particularly dear to me, as I’ve personally experienced the transformative power of creativity in the business world, as well as the obstacles that can stand in its way.
Background on Creativity:
Teresa Amabile, an authority in the field of creativity research, explains how complex the phenomenon of „creativity in a business context“ really is. Often touted as a key skill for the future (you can find it in any study about Future skills), creativity in practice turns out to be a delicate construct that’s easily damaged. Amabile sheds light on the multilayered aspects that determine whether creativity flourishes or falters within companies.
- Teresa Amabile
The Reality of Creativity in Business:
Creativity in the business environment is much more than just crazy ideas or innovations; it’s the lifeblood that keeps companies relevant in an ever-changing market landscape. But how can leaders cultivate this essential resource or—unwittingly—snuff it out? Amabile identifies specific behaviors and systemic conditions that can either promote or inhibit creativity.
The Five Levels of Creativity According to Teresa Amabile:
- The Individual: Every employee brings a unique set of creative skills that can either be recognized and utilized or overlooked and wasted.
- The Team: The dynamics and structure of a team can either amplify or dampen its members‘ creativity.
- The Organization: Company cultures and structures can create an environment that either fosters or restricts creativity.
- The Industry: Industry-specific norms and expectations can influence and direct creativity.
- Society: Societal and cultural influences shape what is considered creative and how it is valued.
Key Lesson 1
Being Supportive: Leaders who offer support, encouragement, and resources to their team members significantly boost creativity. When employees feel valued and supported, their creativity soars.
Key Lesson 2
Emotions Matter: The ability of leaders to understand and manage both their own and their employees‘ emotions plays a crucial role in fostering a creative atmosphere (»also see my post about the impact of emotions on leadership).
Key Lesson 3
Recognition and Feedback: Providing constructive feedback and recognizing employees‘ contributions are essential practices for leaders aiming to encourage creativity.
Key Lesson 4
Small Wins Matter: Amabile’s research on the significance of „small wins“—minor successes on the path to larger objectives—highlights the importance of offering opportunities for these victories. Leaders who facilitate small wins can boost creativity and sustain motivation over time.
From Theory to Practice:
Ask yourself these three questions to boost creativity in your team:
"Creativity requires the courage to let go of certainties."
- Erich Fromm
"Creativity depends on a number of things: among them, a supportive environment, freedom from undue pressure, and the resources necessary to allow people to pursue novel ideas."
– Teresa Amabile
Outlook:
Knowing what helps or hinders creativity is crucial. Leaders should step in wisely (and sometimes with a sense of humour). Teresa Amabile’s insights provide (as usual) a valuable foundation for leaders to not only appreciate creativity but actively cultivate it.
About Teresa Amabile
Teresa Amabile is a renowned professor and researcher in the field of business psychology, best known for her work on creativity, innovation, and motivation within the workplace. She served as the Edsel Bryant Ford Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School until her retirement. Amabile’s groundbreaking research has significantly advanced our understanding of how organizational settings can influence creative and productive work. Her work emphasizes the critical role of the work environment in fostering creative outcomes and how leader behavior impacts employee creativity and motivation.
Further Readings & related work
Amabile, T. (1996). Creativity in Context: Update to the Social Psychology of Creativity.
Amabile, T. (1998). "How to Kill Creativity," Harvard Business Review
Amabile, T., & Fisher, C.M. (2000). "Stimulate Creativity by Fueling Passion," Leader to Leader.