Why 3 out of 5 business people are creatively unfulfilled.
It’s not this simple, and it’s absolutely this simple. The reason a huge proportion of people in business are frustrated, creatively, is because there simply aren’t enough jobs where creative thinking is highly valued.
Think about it. Most people who use their minds to make a living have strong desire to have their ideas heard and accepted. Most jobs don’t offer this. Almost all companies offer jobs that are creatively fulfilling. At most companies, however, those jobs make up a pathetically small percent.
The good news is for managers. If you can offer a fertile creative environment, you get the pick of the litter among the workforce.
The bad news is that it’s extremely competitive for this relatively small pool of jobs, so that too many people are on the outside looking in.
I saw it when I was in the advertising business. Yeah, the business that says it revolves around fresh ideas. Now I see it in most all business categories I serve, which is most all business categories. There simply aren’t enough jobs to go around to feed the creative hunger.
The need to realize one’s self creatively is basic to human nature. It’s as natural as breathing, and almost as important to sustaining life. What makes us us? Our genes and our ideas. That’s about it. At a genetic level we are unique. And the way we realize this uniqueness in our lives day to day is through the ideas we are allowed to put forth.
Most of what we think are thoughts shared by many other people. Our opinion about our favorite football team’s defense is likely greatly influenced by the sport writer at the local paper. The song in our head was written by someone else. Unless, that is, you are a song writer. Most of the “data” we process in our brains is not uniquely our own. Neurology experts tell is 95% of what we think today, we thought yesterday. That’s a lot of regurgitating of old, stale ideas. No wonder our thirst to be creative is so unquenched.
And where do we have the greatest need to have our own ideas? Our jobs. The place where we spend more waking hours than anywhere else. The place where our thinking actually has a monetary value. Yeah, money the stuff that buys everything else in our lives. We’re talking about some heavy psychological stuff, here.
There’s an ancient proverb that says: Show me a person who is unhappy on the job and I will show you an unhappy person.
Look at the businessman chart above. Do I know the exact percentages of people who are unfulfilled in their jobs? No. Am I absolutely certain that these people constitute the majority of the workforce? Beyond a 6:00 shadow of a doubt.
Yes, there are degrees of creative fulfillment. I’m saying most of the people are unfulfilled most of the time. I find this horrifying. Yeah, what do I know, I’ve only worked with close to 250,000 people in business in areas pertaining to creative development and facilitated brainstorming. (Sarcasm, noted.)
So this lopsided supply and demand market basically means it’s a buyer’s market. A market where the companies who allow their people to achieve their creative potential get the cream of the crop when it comes to filling out their workforce.
I believe this is one of the fundamental dynamics behind the ongoing success and failure of teams, departments, divisions and entire companies. An absolute correlation? Who knows. But I’m sure there is a very strong relationship.
It only stands to reason that the employers who get the most out of their people are the ones who give their people the greatest room to contribute and grow. Now this doesn’t mean every position at the “creatively undesirable” companies is a dead end for individuals who aim to exercise their ability to think creatively. We’ve all seen the branch of this or that company that defies the gravity of the overall organization. I frequently hear executives say they prefer working in the field, as opposed to under the watchful eye, or is that over-watchful eye, of management.
To those people who find themselves on the short end of this formula I say, “get another job, idiot.” I mean if you are truly unfulfilled, what the heck are you doing staying in this position?
I know it’s not always that easy. But it can be that simple. You simply have to make the move. Period. End of discussion. Or, end of your creative vitality. Take your pick.
At any given point in time in your career you are either on an up tick in terms of creative growth or you are on a down tick.
I believe it is the height of hypocrisy to stay in a job that you find unfulfilling. “But, I’m looking. Really.” Okay, if you really are looking to change your situation, I’ll cut you a little slack. But for only so long.
The reason there is so much bitching and moaning around the water cooler, and on the lunch hour, and over beers after work, and almost every other place when the boss isn’t within ear shot, is because too many lost souls are not trying hard enough to better their situations.
Stop complaining and start changing things!
The other alternative, of course, if it isn’t moving or complaining is to try to change your present employer from the inside out. You can do this. In the spirit of my good friend Ernie Schenck’s book, The Houdini Solution,… thinking inside the box, your limitations offer many opportunities. I believe this can be true. But I see more than a little difference between the challenge of the day and being in a suffocating job day to day. If you are trying to better your current situation, I wish you luck. No, I mean it. You just better be patient. And try to use a little restraint at the water cooler. Because, I have to tell you, playing the victim is not the answer.
And I’ll try to provide advice and inspiration in this blog to help you in this uphill battle. Just remember the greatest weapon you have to fight the good fight is that limitless idea machine between your ears. If challenges help us stretch creatively, and I absolutely believe this to be true, then use this disadvantage to your advantage. Keep the energy positive. Try not to let the setbacks discourage you. If enough people draw the line, and if enough people put forth creative ideas, even when management resists them, employers will have no choice but to offer more creative fulfillment. And then, everyone wins.
© 2007 Tom Monahan, Before & After, Inc.
Creative thinking in business.
