Weirder than fiction: the reality and myths of creativity

Executive Overview Just about every major firm in the world has at least one MBA who's been steeped in every component of traditional business wisdom. So if you want a competitive edge, it's not going to come via some kind of unique and secret knowledge. Instead, it'll have to come from somewhere else—how you use that knowledge. That's where creativity comes in. It's the gift and discipline that provides the competitive edge—in marketing, production, finance and all of the other aspects of an organization. Firms and managers crave it. Awards are given for it. Incentives encourage and cajole it. But it's still the most elusive weapon in an executive's arsenal. And when all the corporate structures, policies, procedures and re-organizations are exhausted, we come back to a simple truth. It can only be found in the head of individuals. And it can only be unlocked by the owner of each head. The key rests in separating the reality of creativity from the myths.