Happy New Year!

Each time we start a new year it feels like we are taking a step into the future. In Germany we have the tradition of “Bleigiessen” —  a game to predict what the coming year has in stock for you. You melt lead over a candle, then dump it into water and interpret the figure that was created. But often predicting the future is less mystical because it has already started. Predicting the workforce shift of 2020 falls into that category, an enormous transition has already begun —  the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

According to the World Economic Forum, the biggest workforce shift is the increasing importance of creativity as a work skill.

That’s why The Dirty Easel is launching a new year-long program to help businesses embrace creativity: Creativity Course 2018. And if you sign up before March 31, 2018, your team will receive 50% off the cost of the course. That’s $2500 off.

Why is creativity important in business today?

I am sure you have heard many times that artificial intelligence and automation are bringing enormous changes to the workplace. An analysis by McKinsey predicts that 45% of current jobs will be lost to automation. How can we prepare for the changes that have already started to happen?

The World Economic Forum evaluated the most important work skills that will be requested by 2020.

Which work skill changes the most between 2015 and 2020? Creativity. In these five years creativity rises 7 positions to become the third most import job skill.  Furthermore, creativity is also closely related to the two most important work skills: complex problem solving, and critical thinking.

How creative is your team? Are you prepared to meet the increasing needs for complex problem solving?

Creativity is an Imperative for All Areas of an Organization

I recently lead a creativity workshop for a group of accountants, and when I asked who considered themselves NOT creative, every single hand went up. Until about 10 years ago, this result would probably not have been surprising for anyone. People who deal with numbers are usually considered the opposite of creative; they think logically and analytically and need to keep their imagination grounded. But things have changed. We now need creative people across organizations. Creativity and innovation are not only necessary to develop new products or marketing campaigns, they are needed in all areas of the business —   processes, systems, problem-solving, customer support, finances, and so on.

A common mistake occurring in many organizations is trying to outsource creativity to a team of so called “creatives” and let everyone else off the (creative) hook. But the most innovative companies don’t have silos of creatives; they have creativity in every department.

“A culture of innovation has to involve everybody, not just a select few. (…) A culture of innovation should embrace all areas of the organization.”  – Sir Ken Robinson

Fortunately, creativity is a skill that can be taught and learned. That is, we can un-learn to be creative, because as children we all knew how to invent and create. One of the biggest myths about creativity is that it is a gift that was only given to certain people — that you are either born creative or you are not. I am sure you have met someone who swears that he has “no creative bone in my body.” But the truth is, everyone is born with the ability to be creative and it is essential to cultivate that creativity. Our creative talents are diverse and our creative abilities differ, but it is in every human’s DNA to be creative.

Are you looking for ways to get your team ready for the challenges of the workplace by 2020? Do you want to cultivate that innate creativity as a team, department, or company?

Launch of New Creativity Program

To help organizations develop a culture of innovation and to use the next two years to be prepared for the work skill needed in 2020, The Dirty Easel is launching a new program in 2018. I developed a 12-month course that teaches people to be creative as individuals and as part of a team. In this course, creativity is cultivated through painting and other art forms and applied to creative problem solving at work.

The creativity course starts with an initial assessment. After that, the team will get together once every quarter for a 2-hour workshop to develop their creativity skills step by step. In between those hands-on training sessions the team will deepen the learning experience through quick exercises and mini-assignments. The materials provided can be used as icebreakers in meetings and individually to step aside from a work problem and get a quick boost of creativity.

Goals of the Creativity Course 2018:

• Building confidence in creative abilities across the team
• Understanding and applying the creative process at work
• Embracing failure as part of the process and as a stimulant for new ideas
• Growing collaborative creativity

Call today to learn how the creativity course 2018 can change your team and get ready for 2020!

Special Offer

If you sign up for this course in the first quarter of 2018 you will be eligible to receive the discount of 50% off. Book before March 31, 2018, and you will be able to get the one-year course for your entire team of up to 10 people for only $2500. If you have a team of more than 10 people or you want to develop creativity for multiple teams or departments, give us a call to get your special quote today.

Creativity takes courage. Leaving the well established paths takes courage. But,  “the only unique contribution we make in this world will be born of creativity.” (Brene Brown)

To a year of many unique contributions!