Contrary to what many people think, creativity isn’t limited to a person’s ability to paint, draw or even sculpt. And in a professional setting, creativity is not limited to graphic designers or art directors. Art and design, while expressions of creativity, hardly scratch the surface of what it means to be creative in the workplace. 

 

Yes, a creative department houses graphic designers and art directors, but also writers, strategists, video experts and social media specialists, all who exercise different forms of creativity that are vital to a company’s success, especially in a communications company. Recognizing this broadens ideas about what creativity actually is, to include imagination, inspiration and originality.

 

By this definition, aren’t we all creatives?

 

During the age of Enneagram and Myers Briggs personality tests, Adobe developed a creative types quiz as a tribute to the different creative types. The test highlights eight types: the Artist, the Thinker, the Adventurer, the Maker, the Producer, the Dreamer, the Innovator and the Visionary, noting that all possess distinctive qualities that make them creative in their own way. These types, characterized by their ability to analyze, brainstorm, develop and execute, are all important parts of the creative process in the workplace.

 

Everything we do at Branigan requires imagination, inspiration, originality and, well, creativity. We flex our creative muscles every day in every part of the company.

 

The ability to recognize each person’s creative type and his or her creative process allows for more successful collaboration and a deeper appreciation of an individual’s talents. An environment in which each team member’s creativity can come to life results in out-of-the-box creative solutions for clients and cultivates respect for forms of creativity that aren’t always top of mind. Collaborative meetings and brainstorms make it clear that all types of creativity — strategic planning, analyzing, writing, designing, etc. — are needed to produce great work for clients.