Is Your Creativity Supported or Stifled at Work?

Coaching Articles by Ann Vanino

“The new corporate contract is that we’ll offer you an opportunity to express yourself and grow, if you promise to leash yourself to our dream, at least for a while.”  
— John Sculley, former Apple CEO

 

Creativity is self-expression. Is it unreasonable to expect the honoring of creativity by the organization you work for? No, it is not.

One of my favorite business books is David Whyte’s The Heart Aroused: Poetry and the Preservation of the Soul in Corporate America. In the book, Whyte talks about the dark side that is created in organizations when creativity is stifled. Our workplaces are more productive and happier places when creativity is encouraged.

What is needed is the integration of individual creativity with the purpose of an organization. This purpose should be one that all employees buy into and have input on. For creativity to thrive, hierarchy for the sake of authority has to go. Bully bosses, disrespect and disregard have no place in a creative organization. Honoring the individual and commitment to a common purpose are the center points of a successful organization.

IS YOUR CREATIVITY ENCOURAGED IN YOUR WORK?

Here are some exercises you can do to begin to express your creativity at work and to assess if your creativity is supported or stifled in your workplace. 

EXPRESSING YOUR CREATIVITY

  • The next time you undertake an assignment at work, take some time to identify at least three different ways to approach the task.
  • Once a week at work, take a walk or create quiet time to daydream. Focus on the work you are doing. Imagine it being everything you want it to be.
  • Float a few new ideas to your co-workers or customers.
  • Give yourself permission to think creatively in all that you do.

IS YOUR CREATIVITY SUPPORTED OR STIFLED AT WORK?

Ask yourself these questions to determine if your creativity is supported (yes answer) at work:

  • Can you name three creative contributions you have made to your organization’s mission that were appreciated by others?
  • Do you feel respected by those you work with for your skills and what you bring to your organization?
  • Is creative self-expression valued by your customers?
  • Are new ideas a regular occurrence in your workplace?
  • Are you fulfilled in your work?

Ask yourself these questions to determine if your creativity is stifled (no answer) at work:

  • Do you hold back in presenting your ideas to others?
  • Have you ever had an idea shot down by someone in a negative way?
  • Does your organization have only one way of doing business?
  • Is there a dominant person in your workplace who calls all the shots and does not consult others?
  • Are you dissatisfied in your work?”

Observe your workplace for a week and, on a scale of 1 to 10, rate it for its support of creativity and self-expression (1 = low, 10 = high).

You have a right to creative expression. If you honor your creativity and find ways to express it, you will find fulfillment and satisfaction in your work.

 

©Copyright 2008 – 2022 by Ann E. Vanino
All rights reserved in all media.

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About the Author

Ann Vanino is a long-time career coach, personal coach and author who helps people thrive and grow while embracing personal and planetary change. She writes and practices in the High Mojave Desert of Southern California, inspired by the silent beauty of the landscape. More about Ann.

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