Process vs Creativity
On a daily basis, there is a battle going on within your organization. And if you don’t pay attention to it, you can have teams working against each other without even really knowing it. It is the battle of Process vs Creativity.
PROCESS = Order, Efficiency, Control, Proven, Thought-out, Comfortable, Structured, Consistent, Goal-oriented, Repeatable, Non-Deviation, Alignment, Thorough, Comprehensive, Systematic, Streamlined, Compliance, Definitive
CREATIVITY = Exploration, Unstructured, Chaotic, Free, Fun, Imagination, Broad, Ideation, Exciting, Engaging, Unproven, Illuminating, Messy, Uncontrolled, Expanding, Rule-breaking, Invigorating, Possibilities
In many ways, "Process" is the enemy of "Creativity". And it is helpful to keep this in mind for a couple of reasons in the workplace:
1) In many organizations, it is this diametric relationship that can cause a lot of turmoil. When you bring together various people/departments in your organization for collaborative discussions, be aware of who is likely bringing "Process-mindedness" to the table and who is bringing "Creativity-mindedness" to the table. And be clear as to what the goal of your collaboration is.
Are you there to dream up the next great idea? Or are you there to align and clarify the path forward? Both mindsets are extremely valuable, but if you don’t have clarity of purpose for your collaboration, one will be trying to build structure, while another may be imagining an undefined world. This can lead to frustration and confusion.
Something to think about as you plan your next meeting.
2) In your own role, what is that relationship between "Process" and "Creativity"? Is your role all about moving through the steps, and not deviating outside the lines? Does that light you up, or would you rather be more creative (or at least have better balance)? Do the tasks of your role align with your personality on this spectrum?
Some people shine when they are in a job that gives them a blank canvas to constantly create, which is great if that’s their job description. Others attain great fulfillment in moving along a project plan checking things off the “To-do” list. This is something to consider to help identify what makes you most happy in your career, and to also know which is most important to your team members.