Many people assume that creative thinking is a special talent gifted to only a few.

That belief is supported by the fact that geniuses are few and far in between.

It is also true that the extraordinary creativity that resulted in wondrous inventions and outstanding performances in the arts is rare.

But the notion that people with great creative talent are “gifted” is a myth.

Modern research on human cognitive development indicates that most people are creative, and some are more creative than others. But only some, who are more motivated and committed, act on their ideas while others ignore them.

Some people’s extraordinary talents in creative fields, when combined with determination and skill mastery, lead them to innovation. A high level of creativity generates a high possibility of innovation.

However, the achievement of excellence is also determined by opportunities, encouragement, training, motivation and – most important – practice, according to a study by University of Exeter in the United Kingdom.

No one ever reached high levels of achievement in their field without devoting thousands of hours to serious training and practice.

Ludwig van Beethoven trained for years at the piano and composition before becoming famous in his mid-twenties; Albert Einstein, who failed an examination to enter a diploma course, was only recognised as a leading scientific thinker at the age of 30.

Thomas Edison, arguably the most influential inventor in history, developed his ideas systematically. He even set up the world’s first full-fledged research and development complex containing everything necessary to invent “useful things that every man, woman and child in the world wants at a price they could afford to pay” that changed the way people lived and worked.


Characteristics of creative people, successful companies

Highly creative people like Edison and very successful companies share many common characteristics.

One is purpose. They know what they want and are sharply focused on achieving the outcome.

With purpose will come passion, perseverance and persistence.

Above all, they will have the patience to ensure all the preparations that must be made to pursue their purpose are in place.

That is because the creative process is and ought to be a systematic and logical process.

It is a step-by-step conclusion to a set of questions that a designer will ask himself. If the purpose is to design a gift box, the designer will start with wanting to know the purpose of the box and as much as possible the person who will receive the box. He will want to know how this person is expected to respond to the gift as well as the box. He is in fact profiling the person and pre-empting the outcome.

The designer’s job is to arrive at a solution that is obviously better, more resilient and more competitive than the one before.

The process is exacting and leaves nothing to chance. Everything is calculated and pre-empted – the positives as well as the negatives.

The designing process is a searching and thinking process.


Creativity is strategic investment

Many Malaysian companies do not invest in the creative process simply because they choose to see it as an expenditure, and not an investment.

Even if a new design presented to them is better but if it costs more than what they already have, they will not want it.

They will opt for what they believe can make a quick profit. If the product does not sell as they expected, they will simply reduce the price. If that does not work as well, they will offer more volume. When all means fail, they will drop the product altogether.

Any company that wants to keep competition out of its way simply must practise a culture of exploration and ideation. Once that has taken hold, the company will never go for an option that is faster or cheaper but not better.

All companies that are doing well will have creative people whose work is to come up with ideas to make their products work better, look better and last longer. Their purpose is to build and drive the creative process.

The environment of these places has been created to motivate their people by providing them with a sense of purpose, the feeling of being on the winning team, the excitement of contributing to success.

Their business is planned based on the logic that the input must be right for the output to be right.


Companies that are very creative are also very disciplined

Everyone sees advertising as creative simply because it is the most obvious type. It uses music, visuals, graphics, animation and often exaggeration just to make a point. Its use of artistry is forceful and intense.

But the support of creativity is no less present in other types of businesses, and often more, but often less obvious. The use of creativity in packaging tourism products and the creating of a friendly, casual atmosphere of an outdoor cafe are samples of creative thinking.

Successful companies are invariably innovative. It is often obvious, although not always, in the way they design their work environment; in the way they build their corporate identity and brand personality; in the way they manage their time, space and presence. They are smart. They are precise. They leave nothing to chance.

Innovative companies are disciplined companies.

People incorrectly think creativity must come out of chaos or is the secret of some unpredictable genius mind. Nonsense. That is not at all true. It is a fallacy to characterise all creative people as those who are not the same as the rest of us.

A creative idea, like the architectural design of a building, has to be carefully developed and thought through in a thoroughly disciplined manner. It must start with a clear purpose, a carefully determined blueprint. Like a building, it will collapse if there are no strong pillars.

All companies that are doing well, servicing well and selling well are designed well; designed to perform well. Their business is designed on the kind of logic they know will inspire a lot of people. They know that if there is no vision there can be no passion. Without passion there can be no innovation.