CREATIVITY
Creativity can be defined as the ability to think innovatively in order to start with new ideas or new interconnections between existing patterns. However, despite popular confusion, being creative is not simply limited to the theoretical level of imagination, but also requires action, i.e. “creation”.
Therefore, the interconnection between creativity and business innovation is strongly interviewed. Learn more on what creativity means at work here: What is Creativity? And why is it crucial for success?
Learn more on the importance of creativity in business here: The Importance of Creativity in Business: A Skill of the Future – Bay Atlantic University – Washington, D.C.
CREATIVE THINKING
Ability to see things from fresh perspectives, discover patterns, and draw connections between seemingly unrelated phenomena are all characteristics of creative thinking.
Creative thinking, like any other personal skill, can be trained and strengthened through practice and is closely related to other essential skills for any entrepreneur such as: lateral thinking, lateral thinking, decision-making, problem-solving, ideation, teamwork, etc.
In this sense, creative thinking can be applied to a multitude of different scenarios that will be part of your business venture in the field of inclusive sport and leisure for people with special needs.
For example, think about your business idea. Creative thinking plays an essential role in any ideation process – both individual and collaborative – and, in this sense, it is closely linked to the Divergent Thinking phase of the Design Thinking process, although it is equally applicable to practices from the convergent phase.
Creativity will also be key in more prosaic day-to-day activities, for example:
- Being innovative when promoting your product/service in an attractive way in a saturated market.
- Devising alternative solutions to everyday problems, which will equip you more efficiently to solve challenges in your entrepreneurial adventure.
- Establish systems of continuous improvement in your professional performance and imagine and generate more positive impacts for your target community/target group.
BENEFITS of CREATIVITY
Creativity – or creative thinking – is an essential skill for a social entrepreneur in the field of inclusive sports and leisure for people with special needs as it facilitates, among others:
- The ideation and design of new product/service offerings specifically tailored to the particular target group.
- It strengthens problem-solving skills, essential for facing personal and professional challenges. This, in turn, contributes to your adaptability, flexibility and sense of agency.
- Business decision making.
- Promoting business innovation and facilitating collaborative processes with other actors – teamwork.
- By encouraging the development of lateral thinking and critical thinking, it facilitates making new connections between acquired knowledge. Also on that note, creative thinking enhances problem solving through the devising of alternative solutions and the application of new working methodologies.
HOW TO BOOST YOUR CREATIVITY
Knowing the multiple benefits of creativity in your professional future as a social entrepreneur in a challenging and competitive environment such as the inclusive sports and active leisure sector addressed by the SPORTS INC project, we are sure you will want to train your creative thinking to benefit from its wide range of applications.
Therefore, here are some tips and tricks that you can follow to strengthen your creative abilities.
- Take time to evaluate your own creative skills and focus on your strengths – how could you improve them? Is there a way to innovate on them?
- Go check out the CHECKLIST proposed by the Erasmus+ project MILC to evaluate your own creativity and/or creativity in your workplace here
- Have a look at the strategic roadmap towards creativity devised by the Erasmus+ project CLIVE:
4.Aiming to introduce creative thinking in your work environment? Have a look here: Creative games and exercises to spur creativity in the workplace | SessionLab!
