RIGHT-BRAINERS, YOUR TIME HAS COME--THIS IS THE AGE OF THE
CREATIVE MIND.
BY MICHAEL O. COOPERS
In the not-too-distant future, creatives will rule the world.
I’m not just saying this because I consider myself a creative. The
interconnected systems we use to function in business and society, whether in
communication, transportation, design, finance, and more, are increasing in
complexity, and so are the types of issues and challenges that arise from these
systems.
The value of approaching these challenges in a purely linear fashion or
by rote is becoming less and less relevant. As fast-paced innovation surges to
amazing new heights and procedural thinking wanes, the demand for creative
thinking grows exponentially. What we find we need more of is a playful,
creative, forward-thinking approach to business and technology. More than any
other time in human history, the most effective work is being done by
right-brainers and out-of-the-box thinkers.
Video gaming provides us with a great example of how “playful” thinking
achieves results.
In the game SimCity, we’re given a basic understanding of how a city
functions and then by using general notions around cause and effect, we play
through various scenarios in real time to gain specific outcomes. We’re
thinking on our feet, responding spontaneously and often creatively to a
fast-shifting reality. Largely unscripted, we rely on our ingenuity, our
ability to think fast, and our sense of the big picture. In other words, we use
right-brain thinking.
This nimble approach to conceptualizing challenges and creating new
paradigms to solve them is what right-brainers do best, and with inspired
innovation creatively connecting the dots of our modern world, we’d say the
time of the right-brainer has come.
To be ready to take on leadership roles, many creatives must develop
managerial and leadership skills they’ve never had to learn. That is the
biggest challenge ahead: training two generations of creatives to take over
leadership from the more conventional leaders of today. If you’re a
right-brainer this is the perfect time to shore up your business skills so that
you feel comfortable managing and leading. Only then will the world be able to
benefit from your exceptional and inspired right-brained genius.
Here are the eight reasons why creatives will rule the world:
1. COMPLEXITY
It is a fact of modern life. It rules our daily lives. Left-brainers
are having more difficulty dealing with the amount of complexity they face in
navigating the systems humans have put in place and are giving right-brainers
more opportunities to lead. Why? Right-brainers and creatives can handle
complexity, are comfortable with a higher level of ambiguity, and are willing
to take more “risks” than left-brainers. We are big-picture thinkers who can
simultaneously focus on the tiniest details.
2. CREATIVITY
Right-brainers naturally make connections between disparate ideas to
create new and innovative solutions. Since we don’t have our noses in a rule
book, we’re able to think on a meta level, drawing parallels that others don’t
see. The less creative thinker may see our process as risky because they’re not
wired to see the connections that right-brainers see.
3. KNOWING WHY
Right-brainers are motivated by understanding. We naturally focus on
the “why” of any particular issue and our problem-solving approach reflects a
deeper comprehension of the situation at hand. Many left-brainers call
themselves problem solvers, and “business” purports to have a dedicated,
practical focus on solving problems. However, the conventional, left-brained
approach to solving problems often miss-fires, in that it fails to define
problems accurately and likewise doesn’t always fundamentally understand why a
problem needs solving to begin with. Both of these steps are critical to
conceiving effective solutions.
4. QUICK ADAPTATION
Since right-brainers are not solely relying on precedent, we’re not
particularly attached to the status quo or current trends. We synthesize
information quickly and thrive on learning, so we’re eager to adapt our
creative process to new modes of building solutions.
5. SHIFTING VALUES
Conventional business models often have a hard time creating value and
too often rely on value extraction. When a business cuts corners to raise
productivity, or depletes natural resources to grow shareholder value, that’s
not creating value, that’s just moving it around--in some cases stealing
it--which lowers the potential for sustainability. Nothing is created in these
cases because left-brain business doesn’t consistently support the human values
like enthusiasm and curiosity that underpin creative output. With business
sustainability becoming increasingly challenging, there is more demand than
ever for a shift in our business values toward creativity.
6. THE POWER IN STORIES
Storytelling is paramount in making connections with people and
generating enthusiasm for creative innovation. In sharing our stories, we
generate the empathy and collaborative commitment that will give our teams
enduring determination to tackle new challenges. Right-brainers are not afraid
to capitalize on the fact that we as humans value meaning over data.
7. BIG CHALLENGES = BIG RISKS
Right-brainers take risks. The rules we have followed for too long are
starting to break down. We love a challenge, and being forward-thinking means
we actually have a limitless pool of solutions to try out. We’re also not
afraid to make mistakes. Often the best innovation can emerge from happy
accidents.
8. DESIGN
Design thinking, or combining empathy, creativity, and rationality in
brainstorming the design process is an ideal way for right-brainers to work.
More and more companies are coming to value the ethos of design thinking,
taking people’s needs into account and using them to determine the meaning of
good design.
Our modern world is a puzzle and the pieces that make up the business
landscape are becoming clear. Right-brained creatives are stepping up to
provide invaluable innovation where conventional models are no longer able to.
In order for right-brainers to succeed, however, we must complete the puzzle
with its last piece, the business skills piece. The time is ripe for creatives
to lead and manage. If you’re a right-brainer wanting to make your mark in this
world, whether it’s in business, tech, or anywhere really, then make this last
piece of the puzzle your priority, so you can effectively contribute and
thrive. Go get ‘em right-brainers--the world needs you!
--Michael O. “Coop” Coopers is the founder of Innovators and
Influencers. For the past 15 years, he has worked with creative professionals
and right-brain entrepreneurs who are shaping and changing the world we live
in.
No hay comentarios:
Publicar un comentario