What is creativity?
Exploring 4 distinct viewpoints

If I asked you to rate your creativity on a scale of 0 to 10, with 10 indicating highly creative and 0 indicating not creative at all, where would you rate yourself? Note down your answer before reading any further.
I ask this question regularly of individual and groups I work with. Typically, I find that most people rate themselves 2 or 3 points off the mid-value (the inter-quartile range for the maths boffs amongst you!). Only once have I come across someone confident enough to rate themselves at 10. For me the interesting thing about these outcomes is not where individuals choose to rate themselves but rather that the majority accept the question without seeking any further clarification. The reason for this is that, generally, individuals are working on two hidden assumptions. First, we all know what the term ‘creativity’ means and second, that we can measure it as a number on a scale implying that the amount it we each possess is measurable and broadly fixed. Deepening our own self-awareness and flushing out our hidden assumptions is vital ongoing work for all coaches, so it’s important that we spend some time considering the term ‘creativity’ and reflect on what we and others think about it – its meaning, origins, beliefs, values and assumptions. All of which will influence how we approach and apply creativity within the coaching space.
Across society there is broad consensus that creativity is important, good and we need more of it. Darren Henley in his little book, Creativity – Why it Matters, sets out powerful reasons why we need to take creativity seriously in our fast-changing world. He highlights creativity as a catalyst for fulfilling human potential and initiating positive change; driving innovation across diverse fields, such as, the arts, business, technology, education and science; boosting the economy; enriching daily lives and empowering communities. Yet tying down what we actually mean by the term can prove elusive. To be honest, that’s hardly surprising given the relative recency of the emergence of the word ‘creativity’. Indeed, according to Jen Gash, in her book, Coaching Creativity – Transforming your practice, the term ‘creativity’ did not even exist before the 1950’s, let alone have a widely agreed upon definition. Though the concept now has a name and has, since its invention, been the subject of much discussion, study and research, its definition remains dynamic and evolving.
Gash proposes a short definition of ‘creativity’ as ‘bringing something new into being’. She reports on a well-known classification of ‘creativity’ put forward by Rhodes (1961), known as the 4 Ps: Process, Product, Person, Place. Each P attempts to describe a different aspect of creativity. Together these 4 Ps form a very useful starting point for coaches seeking to deepen their awareness of the concept ‘creativity’ to form a solid foundation of understanding upon which to base future coaching practice.
Read my next article to find out more about the 4 Ps of creativity and their potential to enliven and transform your future coaching practice and outcomes.
References
1. Henley, D. (2018) Creativity – Why it matters. Elliot and Thompson Ltd. London.
2. Gash, J, (2017) Coaching Creativity – Transforming your practice. Routledge. Oxon.
3. Rhodes, M. (1961) An analysis of creativity, Phi Delta Kappen, 42, 305 – 311.









