April 21, 2023
In 2010, IBM released its Global CEO Study. In it, researchers surveyed 1,500 Chief Executive Officers from 60 countries and 33 industries worldwide. Through the results, CEOs shared their belief that…
“More than rigor, management discipline, integrity or even vision — successfully navigating an increasing complex world will require creativity.”
The report focused on three areas of the business that CEOs had the opportunity to seize: 1) Embody creative leadership 2) Reinvent customer relationships and 3) Build operating dexterity.
Fast-forward more than a decade later, and we’ve never needed a focus on these three areas of the business more.
In 2017, the United Nations created a resolution to adopt World Creativity and Innovation Day. The UN encourages individuals and organizations worldwide to celebrate the day on April 21 and help raise the role of creativity and innovation in all aspects of human development.
“Creativity drives our ideas and emotions, as well as our ability to connect, to question and to be understood. But culture and creativity are a lot more than an expression of our identities, they are livelihoods, careers, and economic opportunities for millions of people around the world, especially women, youth, and vulnerable groups. The creative economy has the power to drive sustainable development.” — the United Nations
To help kick off your festivities today and every day of the year, here are 23 ways to kick-start your celebration.
- Read the UN’s resolution to adopt World Creativity and Innovation Day.
- Learn a process of framework that gives structure to your practice like the one I teach in my book RE:Think Innovation.
- Practice some simple, daily exercises.
- Surround yourself with quotes that inspire you.
- Watch a webinar from the UN Innovation Network.
- Learn from generous experts who have been there and done that.
- Reflect on your failures and how they actually make you a better innovator.
- Practice creating an empathy map.
- Discover your innovation archetype.
- Practice exercises with your team to help you innovate better as a group.
- Take the 4-minute creative thinking test.
- Invest in creating a culture of innovation at your organization.
- Read about the UNESCO Creative Cities Network.
- Let Shazam co-founder Dhiraj Mukherjee teach you how to think like a kid.
- Find out how to tap into comedy for better ideas.
- Take a look at the most-watched TED talk on creativity from Sir Ken Robinson.
- Improve your creativity in 60 seconds.
- Use the Creative Problem-Solving Model to enhance creative thinking and solve complex challenges.
- Sign up for one of IDEO’s online courses.
- Read a book on creativity.
- Learn how to become more observant (creative and innovative thinkers are highly observant).
- Use these tools to make your strategy session more innovative.
- Nurture your curiosity.
Photo credit: Alexander Gray via Pexels
