Ask anyone what one skill they would love to possess more than anything and they’ll probably say “the ability to fly.” Fine.

But if you asked them for a second dream skill, they’d probably say, “time travel.”

But coming in a close third would most certainly be creativity.

A 2020 report conducted by LinkedIn Learning found creativity to be the most in-demand soft-skill for job applicants. And strangely, the report made no mention or flight and time-travel in the top ten. Interesting.

So, what is it about creativity that makes it such a valuable skill for companies to seek out in their current and potential employees?

It’s relatively simple. People need creative skills to be innovative. And innovation drives growth. So, it makes sense to say, “Creativity will make you money.” There it is.

A survey by the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda revealed that creativity is one of the top three skills all workers require right now. With new technologies and products arriving every day changing the way we work, modern businesses need to develop their employees’ creative skills in order to remain agile, innovative, and profitable in a corporate world that is constantly evolving.

This is because creativity is no longer considered just an attribute displayed by tortured souls sitting behind typewriters drinking whiskey or people with crazy haircuts who permanently have paint under their fingernails. It extends far beyond those old, tired clichés.

Creativity is about how one chooses to see the world and crucially how to react to it. It’s the decisions one makes and the ways one sets about making things happen.

How to define creativity as a skill

This is a super difficult because it seems to mean different things to different people. Is creativity simply the ability to problem-solve? Is it being open-minded to new things? Is it having the focus to execute an idea fully?

Unsurprisingly, it’s all those things. And a lot more.

Creativity is understanding the task at hand, perceiving different solutions, having the motivation to experiment, being confident communicating your ideas effectively to others, and, occasionally being fearless.

And aside from all the financial and operational benefits, allowing your employees to be creative has tremendous effect on their well-being too. When employees feel encouraged to be creative, you empower them to try new things and work in new ways. This leads to a significant rise in employee engagement, mental wellbeing, and ultimately job satisfaction.

With this in mind, we would like to introduce you to a new series of course content released this month which explores creativity in its many different forms.

Creative Thinking Skills
In this course, we define the concept of creativity once and for all. We dabble in a little neuroscience and explore how new ideas are formed inside the brain. We identify the six key creative skills you need to have to maintain a creative mindset. And on top of all this, the course provides you with some real, practical advice to develop those key skills and maintain an innovative outlook on the job.

Inspiration
Every so often we can find ourselves lacking in the motivation and focus when trying to get things done. Imagine if we could actually inspire ourselves to stay productive and creative. That’s what this course is all about. We look at the three stages of inspiration, the importance of goal setting, why staying mindful of your progress will fuel inspiration, and offer up simple techniques to keep you in an inspired state of mind.

Managing Team Creativity
Research has shown that “identifying creativity” is one of the most desirable leadership attributes. So, what is required of a leader shepherding a team through a creative process? In this course we answer that question. In it we will teach you the skills and understanding to identify talent, stimulate collaborative creativity, and how to manage a team’s thoughts, opinions, and feelings during creative projects.

Storytelling in Business
In this creative communication course, we take the learner on a journey through the concept of storytelling. In it we explain why building a narrative into your business presentation, sales pitch, marketing material, even your cover letter, can make what you want to say really come alive. We show you why storytelling is such effective tool to use in a business setting and how it will make you a better, more engaging communicator.

Building a creative work environment
Whether you go into an office each day, work permanently at home, or even something in-between, your working environment is crucial to maintaining your creative energy each day. In this course we explore the idea of a creative work environment from two perspectives – the physical space and the social space. This course will give you practical   steps to optimize your physical workspace to keep you inspired. And also, you will receive advice on how to foster a creative social working culture within your teams.

So, there’s a little introduction to some of the exciting new content we have coming this month. For more information on our latest releases as well as details of our entire course library, head over to the dedicated product section of the website where you will find our course catalogue.