In the competitive landscape of business, the quest for creative talent is often heralded as a key to unlocking innovation and driving growth. Creativity has been the catalyst behind some of the most transformative advancements, reshaping industries and enhancing the human experience. For instance, the invention of the airplane revolutionized travel, turning idle time at airports into bustling hubs of global connection. Similarly, the simple yet ingenious addition of pins in bowling alleys transformed the sport into an engaging pastime. However, the necessity for creativity varies across roles, and not all positions benefit from a creative approach.
Many managers express a desire for creative employees, often based on the belief that creativity is universally beneficial. This perspective, while well-intentioned, is not always rooted in the practical needs of the job. The assumption that every role requires creativity can lead to a mismatch between employee skills and job requirements.
To determine whether a job genuinely requires creativity, objective measures are more reliable than subjective opinions. A practical method is to conduct a "benchmarking study," where successful employees undergo a creativity assessment. This approach provides concrete data on the creative attributes that correlate with job performance.
Research on creativity distills it down to two primary components:
For example, the "Abilities & Behavior Forecaster™ Test" evaluates candidates on 19 work-related factors. By analyzing scores on the Creativity Motivation scale and the Following Rules & Procedures scale, employers can discern an individual's creative potential. High scores in creativity motivation and low scores in rule-following suggest a propensity for creative thinking.
Employers have two main strategies to gauge an applicant's creativity:
Pre-employment tests, such as the one mentioned above, offer an objective way to predict creativity based on benchmarking results. Candidates with high creativity motivation and low rule-following scores are likely to possess the creative traits seen in top performers.
Traditional interview questions often fail to accurately assess creativity. Instead, open-ended questions like "Describe a problem you solved at your previous job and your approach" can provide insights into a candidate's creative problem-solving abilities. However, interpreting interview responses is more subjective than analyzing test scores.
Benchmarking studies have identified several positions where creativity is advantageous:
Conversely, roles such as accounting, customer service, regional management, sales, and store management often require less creativity.
It's crucial for companies to conduct their own benchmarking studies rather than relying on external data. This ensures that hiring decisions align with the specific needs and culture of the organization.
Hiring creative individuals for roles that do not require creativity can lead to dissatisfaction, reduced productivity, and higher turnover. It's essential to match the creative demands of the job with the talents of the employee.
In conclusion, the strategic hiring of creative talent necessitates a nuanced understanding of the role's requirements and a tailored approach to candidate assessment. By aligning the creative capacities of employees with the needs of the job, companies can foster innovation where it's needed and maintain efficiency across all operations.
© COPYRIGHT 2006 MICHAEL MERCER, PH.D.
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