All businesses consistently are looking for a leg up on the competition. It can feel like human nature to look for a silver bullet solution to problems faced by employers. The most daunting task for most individuals or companies tends to be problem-solving. Conceptually problem-solving seems dreaded and perhaps rightfully so: having to solve a problem means having an issue that feels inherently unsettling. Problem-solving, as a question, clearly has no single solution. There is no quick fix, singular idea to turn problem-solving into an easy endeavor. However, there is one trait you can develop and look for in problem-solvers; creativity.
Creativity can be your number one tool when attempting to troubleshoot and problem solve. When you’re thinking and acting creatively, you’re purely generating concepts and ideas. The first step to any solution is figuring out what possible solutions are. Creating space for employees to brainstorm and conceptualize ideas in criticism-free areas is one tool most companies implement when tasked with a new challenge. When given the time and space to think creatively about a problem, people tend to engage with the situation and invest care and time into solving it.
It can almost become personal when you give individuals the space to get creative with a problem. The challenge of “how can I tackle this issue” is one that creative individuals can and should learn to relish inherently. Whether it’s starting a business, creating a piece of art, teaching a student–name a profession, and that job requires you to think creatively if you want to excel in it. The only way to solve a problem is to create a solution that requires the elasticity of mind to think about solutions that others have not. Possessing the bandwidth to engage with a question and seeing it as an exciting opportunity to develop a solution outside of convention will serve your growth as an individual.
Perhaps the greatest limiter for people engaging with their creative side is fear. Fear of judgment, failure, or not being good enough often holds individuals back from their creative potential. Concerns that your creativity will not be appreciated or, worse, insulted keep many people from engaging with their creative selves. In instances like this, it is pivotal to remember that being creative is a personal endeavor, and so only you can determine how success and failure feel. Never forget, it’s not the critic who counts.
