I’ve been doing a lot of research on organizational creativity lately. One of the lessons I have encountered again and again is that, in order for creativity to flourish, individuals have to be willing to take risks and willing to fail.
Creativity, in an organizational context, is often defined based on the outcomes novelty and utility – both of which require judgment (Amabile, 1996). That judgment process involves taking the risk that their work will not well received. Dewett (2006) notes that those involved in creative efforts are usually mindful that their work may or may not be judged as creative. Therefore, Dewett concluded, willingness to take risks becomes a necessary antecedent to innovation and creativity. Willingness to take risk is defined as the “willingness to take calculated risks within the scope of one’s job in an effort to produce positive job-related outcomes such that one is open to potential failure as a result” (p. 260).
The role of leaders in all of this is to encourage individual to take risks and to play well with others when making judgments. Leaders can do this through communication, giving speeches and constantly encouraging people to experiment. However, a far more effective method may well be to shape the culture. In an overall culture where the negative impact of judgment is reduced and individual’s willingness to take risks is increase, a culture of creative people should naturally develop.
What are you doing to enhance the culture of creativity in your organization?
Amabile, T.M. (1996). Creativity in context. Boulder, CO: Westview Press.
Dewett, T. (2006). Exploring the role of risk in employee creativity. Journal of Creative Behavior, 40(1), 27-45.
David Burkus is the editor of LeaderLab. He speaks, consults and serves on the faculty of management at Oral Roberts University’s College of Business.
This is great!
These risks and peoples ability to use their judgement within the culture happens constantly. Many of the creative things people do in their daily work, they just see as work. The manager must go to where the problem is, and see what the people who do the work are doing to solve the problem.
I totally agree. I think we have this trumped up notion of creativity as something only part-time poets, part-time baristas have. In reality, everyone in every kind of word has the capacity to be creative. Thanks for the comment.
This is the heart of the matter, isn’t it? Trust. Willingness to take risks. Embracing the possibility of failure.
I believe that an organization is a network of conversations. The leader has to steer those conversations in the right direction.
Good sound bite, I might steal that. I agree though. In an age of knowledge work, leadership role is less order giver and more resource supplier.
Danilo, I definitely agree. The way we talk about our organizations is the way they exist for us. The culture of an organization exists in the way we speak about it and with each other. A culture of creativity requires conversations supporting creativity. Nice!
Well put Ben. Thanks.
I absolutely agree that it is a leader’s role to inspire new thinking in individuals. The best way to allow a company to thrive is to encourage a culture of open communication and risk-taking. People given that freedom will ultimately help a company flourish.
Agreed. Thanks for the comments Andrea.
It’s circumstances that bring out an individual’s secret leadership sauce for others to taste … hence it follows that the more circumstances there are, the more the probability of the sauce getting drawn out … which in includes circumstances of risk and failure. For the sake of promotions and ratings people fly safely over or under the radar, and do work they are good at or find convenient to do. And probably wonder later why they’re not able to lead people towards change or towards difference. If you like you could read my post ‘can we have some more of that sauce please?’ http://eyeseework.blogspot.com/2012/01/can-we-have-some-more-of-that-sauce.html
I’ll check it out. Thanks.