A couple of years ago, I was presenting to a group of Team Coaching colleagues about my
“philosophy” as a team coach. In preparation for the session, I first needed to get my head around
the word philosophy. I came across the explanation “a guiding set of beliefs, values, and principles”
— which sits much easier with me than calling it a “philosophy.”
During the session, I presented four themes, each starting with the sentence I believe in…
- The Power of Teams
- Camaraderie
- Learning
- Creativity
As I talked about Creativity, I had to pause to compose myself when telling stories of how it has
shown up in my life choices, in the teams I’ve worked in, and in the leaders and teams I now coach.
In the Q&A session afterwards, one of my colleagues asked about that pause and the emotions
behind it. Again, I had to pause. Then I found an answer: “I feel a sense of regret, because in my life, I
wish I had been more creative.”
Even now, a couple of years later, I feel tears welling in my eyes. But the emotions are not only
regret. There is also joy, gratitude, awe, and love — because I have encountered so many moments
of creativity. And I know, understand, and deep in my body feel the importance and value of
creativity.
I think of creativity as a type of energy. When we create space for ourselves, we enable that creative
energy to spark an idea. But when we are surrounded by everyday noise and demands, when all our
mental and physical energy is focused only on performance, then we have no energy left to “be
creative.”
The same is true for individuals, and the same is true for teams and groups.
My best friend, the artist Martin Smith, once told me that his most creative moments are between
projects. He may work on a piece for several weeks or months — in “performance” and “problem-
solving” mode. But once the work is installed at a client’s, he begins tinkering and experimenting
again in his workshop. And it’s then that his next amazing ideas appear.
Without creativity, we can’t create value.
It’s the same for Martin as an artist. And it’s the same in every organization.
The energy of creativity sparks ideas. From those ideas, organizations can innovate, (see image at one of my favourite places of innovation,) adapt, improve, learn, and discover new ways to create value.
Skillful Collaboration enables teams to lean into the energy of creativity in conversations, decision-
making, meetings, and peer coaching. We create space for individual creativity and facilitate the
skills of talking, listening, and thinking together. When teams can do this, new thinking emerges. And
when new thinking emerges, value is created.
Without creativity, organizations simply cannot create value.
What would become possible if your team created just a little more space for creativity?
