Creativity is often described as the spark behind innovation — but at its heart, it’s something far more fundamental: the capacity to generate ideas. Whether you’re designing a product, improving a system, or leading a team through change, creative thinking underpins the decisions that move a business forward.
This idea-generating capacity is not reserved for a few “creative types”. It’s a universal human skill — one that leaders in finance, IT and other industries can nurture within themselves and their teams.
In this article, we’ll look at how creativity works in the brain, what research tells us about how ideas are formed, and why creative thinking is a skill worth developing in any modern workplace. We’ll also explore how businesses are putting this science into practice — including one particularly effective method that may surprise you.
Defining Creativity
At its core, creativity is the ability to generate ideas that are both novel and useful (Runco & Jaeger, 2012). In the workplace, that might mean designing a new product, solving a customer service problem, or finding a more efficient process.
It’s not about being the loudest voice in the room — it’s about making connections others don’t see yet.
How Our Minds Generate Ideas: The Geneplore Model
One of the most influential models of creativity is the Geneplore Model, developed by Finke, Ward, and Smith (1992). It suggests that creative thinking happens in two main stages:
- Generation Phase: We produce raw, spontaneous ideas (e.g., mind-wandering, brainstorming, improv).
- Exploration Phase: We evaluate, shape, and refine those ideas into workable solutions.
This model is especially relevant for business contexts. Great innovation doesn’t happen in a single spark — it’s a process of back-and-forth thinking between possibility and practicality.
Research shows that toggling between these modes improves performance in leadership and problem-solving tasks (Ward & Kolomyts, 2019).
The Psychology of Creativity at Work
Creativity is supported by several key cognitive processes:
- Divergent Thinking – This is the ability to come up with many different ideas or solutions to a problem. It’s a hallmark of creative thought and is commonly assessed in creativity research using tasks like the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking (Torrance, 1974; Runco, 2014). Divergent thinking helps teams see beyond the obvious and explore multiple options before narrowing in on the best one.
- Cognitive Flexibility – This refers to the ability to shift perspectives and adapt your thinking to new information or unexpected challenges. It’s vital for effective leadership and innovation in complex environments (Zabelina & Robinson, 2010).
- Associative Thinking – Associative thinking is the mental ability to connect seemingly unrelated concepts — a process central to creativity and idea generation (Mednick, 1962). In a business setting, this might mean linking a challenge in customer service to a solution from a completely different industry.
- Incubation – Stepping away from a problem can allow the subconscious mind to work in the background. Studies show that taking breaks — or even sleeping on a problem — can lead to more original solutions (Sio & Ormerod, 2009).
These processes work together to support innovation and resilience. With the right environment and exercises, they can be cultivated across all types of professional teams — not just those in traditionally creative roles.
Creativity in Businesses: Case for Applied Theatre
One exciting approach gaining traction in business creativity is applied theatre — using theatrical techniques (like improvisation, storytelling, or role-play) in non-performance contexts like business training.
Why does it work?
Because it mirrors the Geneplore model: exercises encourage spontaneous idea generation (generation), followed by team reflection and application (exploration). Plus, it’s fun — which reduces stress and unlocks creative flow.
A 2021 study at Griffith University found that applied improvisation workshops significantly improved creative confidence, communication, and collaborative problem-solving in Australian corporate teams (Hayes & Winslade, 2021). Participants reported feeling “more mentally agile” and “less afraid of failure” — both crucial mindsets in leadership.
These workshops don’t require acting experience. Instead, they tap into natural human playfulness, encouraging experimentation without judgment — something business environments often lack.
Why General Managers Should Care
As a general manager, you’re not just managing systems — you’re managing people and their potential. Fostering creativity in your team isn’t about fluffy fun; it’s about real, strategic advantage.
Creative teams:
- Solve problems faster
- Adapt better to change
- Build stronger client relationships
- Report higher job satisfaction
In finance and IT especially, where logic and analysis dominate, adding creative training can be a powerful counterbalance — helping teams think outside the box without sacrificing rigour.
Conclusion
Creativity is not a mysterious talent. It’s a mental process we can understand, support, and develop — especially within teams.
Models like Geneplore help us see how ideas evolve, and methods like applied theatre give us practical tools to build those skills. The future of business leadership isn’t just analytical — it’s creative.
Call to Action
Want to boost your team’s creative edge?
Sign up for our newsletter and get exclusive access to research-backed creativity tools, team-building ideas, and upcoming workshop events.
References
Byrne, C., MacLeod, C., & Sweet, L. (2020). Enhancing workplace creativity: Cognitive and affective outcomes of brief creativity training interventions. Journal of Creative Behavior, 54(2), 412–423. https://doi.org/10.1002/jocb.387
Finke, R. A., Ward, T. B., & Smith, S. M. (1992). Creative cognition: Theory, research, and applications. MIT Press.
Hayes, J., & Winslade, J. (2021). Improvisation training and creative development in organisational teams: Evidence from applied theatre in Australia. Griffith University Business School. https://research-repository.griffith.edu.au/ (Link indicative – please confirm actual article URL)
Runco, M. A., & Jaeger, G. J. (2012). The standard definition of creativity. Creativity Research Journal, 24(1), 92–96. https://doi.org/10.1080/10400419.2012.650092
Sio, U. N., & Ormerod, T. C. (2009). Does incubation enhance problem solving? A meta-analytic review. Psychological Bulletin, 135(1), 94–120. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0014212
Ward, T. B., & Kolomyts, Y. (2019). Cognition and creativity. In Cambridge Handbook of Creativity (2nd ed.). Cambridge University Press.
Zabelina, D. L., & Robinson, M. D. (2010). Creativity as flexible cognitive control. Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts, 4(3), 136–143. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0017379