Can money boost creativity?
When we are asked to perform tasks with clear parameters — like using a specific group of words to tell a story — a bit of money can help boost creativity, according to researchers from Bocconi University and UC Santa Barbara. But if we’re asked to dream up something from scratch, cash doesn’t seem to sweeten the deal. What helps our creative juices, no matter the type of task? The knowledge that our peers will be scoring us on creativity, the researchers found.
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Having been both a managed creative and a manager of creatives I have witnessed that creativity takes energy from the creator. If her energy is being spent on health, welfare or other concerns, there's less energy for creative output. If money can alleviate those concerns -- even temporarily -- then it becomes an effective catalyst for creativity and, possibly, a motivator. I've always found Keith Bontrager's formula for building custom mountain bikes to be apropos and applicable to creative work. "We offer three models: Good, Fast and Cheap. You can choose any two."