How Managers Express Their Creativity

Abstract

A definition of “Creativity in Management” is advanced as referring to the ability to solve problems in an exceptionally competent and original way. Creative managers are people who, by their own abilities and propensities or through learning, can receive great satisfaction from creative processes that are accompanied by new, original, adaptive (serving a function), meaningful and fully developed (competent) products. Since creativity is an ability, it must be translated into behaviour before the results can help either the individual or the organisation. The proposition is made that raw creativity alone may not necessarily lead to productive results. Creativity needs to be buttressed by support from the organisation and good managerial skills to obtain good results. It is also asserted that encouraging creativity and innovation provides opportunities for managers to influence the course of organisational productivity.