Creativity. The underrated skill of the 21st Century

15 June 2023
15 June 2023 Martin Cheetham

I would go so far as to say that Creativity is THE most important skill needed in any area of business or life. According to the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2020, creativity was listed as one of the top three crucial skills required by employees to thrive in the workforce by 2025.

Creativity is an important aspect of human behaviour and can have significant impacts on personal, social, and economic outcomes. Here are some statistics that highlight the importance of creativity in people:

  1. In a survey conducted by Adobe, 82% of respondents believed that there is a strong correlation between creativity and professional success. They also felt that businesses that foster creativity outperform their competitors and are more likely to be innovative leaders.
  2. The IBM 2010 Global CEO Study, which involved interviews with 1,500 CEOs worldwide, found that creativity was identified as the most important leadership trait for future success. CEOs recognized that creativity drives innovation, which is critical for organizational growth.
  3. A study published in the Journal of Organizational Behavior revealed that employees who are encouraged to express their creativity at work experience higher job satisfaction, stronger commitment to their organizations, and greater overall well-being.
  4. The Harvard Business Review published research showing that companies considered to be the most innovative consistently outperformed their industry peers in terms of revenue growth, market capitalization, and total shareholder returns. Creativity plays a fundamental role in driving innovation and setting successful businesses apart.
  5. Creative individuals are more likely to be entrepreneurs: A study by the Kaufman Foundation found that individuals with higher levels of creativity are more likely to start their own businesses and be successful in entrepreneurship.

These stats highlight the significance of creativity in professional success, leadership, innovation, and employee satisfaction. Embracing and fostering creativity within a business can lead to improved outcomes and a competitive advantage in today’s rapidly evolving landscape.

“Creativity is intelligence having fun.” – Albert Einstein

Creativity is an integral part of human-centric design as it forms the basis of ideation. And ideation is crucial for innovation in the complex century we currently exist in.

Overall, creativity is an important aspect of human potential and has a positive impact on personal and societal outcomes. And with the advent of AI it becomes an even more critical skill…