What do you do if your industry doesn't value creativity?

If creativity isn't valued in your industry, you should be an advocate for its importance by showcasing tangible benefits like problem-solving, innovation and differentiation. Lead by example, infusing creative approaches into your work to demonstrate its efficacy. Additionally, initiate conversations with stakeholders, highlighting success stories from other sectors and illustrating how creativity can drive growth and adaptability in the context of your field. Through persistence and education, work to shift the industry mindset towards recognising and leveraging creativity as a valuable asset.

Creativity is different to learn. It's usually a capability one's born with. There's no goal for creativity. You use creativity to reach your goals and objectives. Same will help an organisation to grow, if they have a team with creativity.

ignite creativity in a traditional industry: Identify blocking reasons - fear of new ideas, clinging to old ways, or simply not seeing the value? Go beyond the daily grind. Is it design thinking, problem-solving differently, or storytelling that sparks your creativity? Can you connect your passion to industry needs? For example, can design thinking improve efficiency or storytelling enhance communication? Look for pockets of innovation within your industry. Connect with others who share your passion, even across departments Start small. Inject creativity into daily tasks - a creative solution to a common problem. Advocate for creativity benefits. Share success stories, present data on innovation's positive impact, and inspire others

Finding your niche is important and not easy. It will take a while. If you want to find your niche area as a company/business, you can do it with your team. Diversity, creativity and diverse creativity can then be used to arrive at better outcomes.

When building your network, look at the quality, not the quantity. While a larger network might help you to take your ideas to a wider cross section, your success really depends on quality connections.

Build a network of hidden innovators within your company (marketing team?) and unlikely allies (numbers-focused exec?). Collaborate across departments and even industries (architects anyone?) to spark fresh ideas. Be a connector, not just a collector. Advocate for creativity – share success stories and challenge the status quo. Together, you can ignite a fire of innovation.

Learning is a must. But learning is not enough. You should share and explore too. While creating will be enhanced when you learn, share and explore, you can use creativity to learn, share and explore- especially when you share things with others. So this is mutually benefitted.

Embrace the "perpetual student" mindset. Actively seek out learning opportunities: Look beyond industry publications. Explore fresh ideas from conferences outside your field (architects, anyone?). Partner with unlikely allies. Learn from colleagues in different departments (sales, operations). Collaborate, don't isolate. Cross-pollination sparks innovation. Share your learnings. Advocate for creativity, inspire others to embrace new ideas. Be a lifelong learner, not a know-it-all. This fuels your creativity and ignites change within your industry.

Sensing the environment you want to be creative with is very important. Right sensing, finding the right time and the right effort is very important. You should also know when to be silent.

Find your balance. Nurture your spark. Explore new ideas outside your field (conferences, online communities). Respect the framework. Understand your industry's core values and processes. Start small, win big. Inject creativity in daily tasks (fresh presentations, problem-solving). Celebrate small wins. Acknowledge progress and avoid overwhelming yourself with grand visions. Balance fuels innovation, not frantic bursts. Be a steady flame, not a flickering spark.

Be the Change: Don't wait for permission. Champion creative solutions for everyday problems. Frame your ideas in terms of efficiency, cost-saving, or improved outcomes to gain buy-in. Focus on Data & Results: Creativity isn't just about wild ideas. Research the impact of creative approaches in similar industries. Showcase data-driven results. Become a Thought Leader: Share your creative problem-solving strategies on LinkedIn or industry publications. Position yourself as an expert on the positive impact of creativity within your field. Be the Inspiration: Lead by example. Demonstrate how creative approaches can benefit your company. Your success can become a beacon for others who crave a more innovative environment.