Creativity at work: the management skill CEOs value most

In the age of artificial intelligence, automation, and constantly evolving business models, there is one skill that CEOs consistently place at the top of their priority list: creativity. According to a Forbes report, more than 75% of chief executives say they struggle to find professionals with this soft skill. Why? Because it is the only human capability that becomes scarcer and more valuable the further technology advances.

Boosting creativity to drive innovation

While machines can carry out automated tasks and processes without external help, companies increasingly need creative professionals who can conceive innovative ideas for the future of the organisation. Unlike hard skills, creativity is a capability applicable across the entire workforce — and it has the remarkable power to remain relevant over time, with no risk of becoming obsolete.

In fact, the World Economic Forum has consistently ranked creativity as one of the three most in-demand workplace skills for several consecutive years — a trend projected to continue at least through 2030, according to its future of work forecasts. In an environment where AI can write code, generate images, and analyse massive datasets, the competitive advantage of people lies in thinking divergently, connecting disparate ideas, and proposing solutions no algorithm could create.

That is why organisations that embed creativity into their upskilling programmes are better equipped to compete: their employees do not simply execute — they transform. And that capacity for transformation is what separates companies that merely survive from those that truly lead.

Why CEOs need creative teams

Imagine what the world would look like if no one had ever dared to innovate. At a global level, creativity is the engine of progress. For experts, this management skill not only drives personal and collective development but also delivers concrete, measurable benefits to organisations:

• Improving corporate image. Companies that innovate are perceived as sector leaders and build greater trust among clients, investors, and talent.
• Building more engaged professionals. Employees who are given the freedom to contribute ideas and experiment develop a stronger bond with the organisation.
• Driving the development of new products and services. Collective creativity is the source of ideas that eventually become real competitive advantage.
• Solving complex problems with greater agility. Creative teams do not freeze when facing uncertainty; they find alternative solutions where others only see dead ends.
• Attracting and retaining talent. Top professionals seek environments where they can grow, experiment, and contribute. Organisational creativity is a key differentiator in the talent market.

According to the IBM Institute for Business Value, creativity has consistently topped global reports on the most sought-after skills in leaders and employees. In a context of accelerated skills transformation, overlooking it is a strategic disadvantage.

Types of creativity in the business environment

Not all creativity works the same way. Understanding the different types helps HR and L&D departments design more precise training programmes and identify which creative profile each role or team needs.

Keys to developing creativity at work

Creativity is not an innate gift reserved for a select few. It is a trainable capability that develops with practice, methodology, and the right organisational context. These are the three key behaviours that professionals and their teams can cultivate:

Challenging conventional ways of working

One of the biggest barriers to creativity in organisations is the “we’ve always done it this way” mindset. With the rise of technology, new business models, and accelerating change, settling for the status quo can be a strategic mistake. Challenging the norm means: being critical without shutting ideas down, analysing the consequences of proposals without being paralysed by fear of failure, and bringing forward ideas that genuinely improve team performance and productivity.

Generating new ideas and solutions

To create new ideas, the focus must shift away from the problem and towards solutions — exploring paths not yet taken. This includes critically reviewing processes, drawing insights from other sectors or disciplines, and maintaining a permanent attitude of curiosity. Platforms like isEazy Skills offer content specifically designed to develop power skills like creativity, with personalised learning paths that integrate into the daily workflow.

Developing divergent thinking

Divergent thinking is the ability to generate multiple possible responses to the same problem. Unlike convergent thinking — which seeks the single correct answer — divergent thinking explores, branches out, and connects. Practising it systematically is one of the most effective ways to expand individual and collective creative capacity.

How to foster creativity in your teams from HR

The HR department and L&D leaders play a critical role in building the organisational context that makes creativity possible. This is not about organising a one-off brainstorming workshop — it means embedding the development of this skill into the company’s learning and cultural strategy.

Some particularly effective levers:

• Include creativity in individual development plans. Identify what type of creativity each role requires and design personalised learning paths.
• Design upskilling and reskilling programmes that incorporate lateral thinking and creative problem-solving as cross-functional competencies.
• Build psychological safety. Creativity flourishes when employees know they can propose ideas without fear of ridicule or negative consequences. This requires conscious leadership and culture — not just training.
• Use active learning methodologies. Gamified e-learning, simulations, project-based learning, or real-world challenges are far more effective for training creativity than traditional lecture-based formats.
• Measure and recognise creative contributions. What gets measured, improves. Embedding creativity indicators — ideas proposed, projects implemented, process improvements — into performance evaluation systems sends a clear cultural signal.

isEazy gives HR and L&D teams a complete ecosystem for developing skills like creativity at scale, with formats tailored to the pace and needs of each employee.

Telefónica Spain is a strong example of how an organisation can systematically approach the development of transversal skills like creativity. With isEazy, the company implemented an ambitious learning programme that allowed it to optimise its training processes and transform the skills of its workforce. Discover how they did it →

CASE STUDY

How Telefónica trained its employees in new skills with a large-scale reskilling plan

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Creativity and growth mindset: the winning combination

Creativity does not operate in a vacuum. For it to flourish sustainably within a team or organisation, it needs fertile ground: the growth mindset. Carol Dweck, a professor at Stanford, demonstrated that people who believe they can develop their abilities through effort and continuous learning are significantly more resilient, more open to experimentation, and more capable of generating original solutions when facing adversity.

The takeaway for learning leaders is clear: teaching brainstorming techniques or lateral thinking is not enough on its own. If professionals do not believe they can become more creative, they will not — regardless of how many tools they are given. That is why any creativity development programme must also address the beliefs and attitudes that make creativity possible.

Teams with a growth mindset make more mistakes — and learn from them — propose more ideas — and refine them through feedback — and persist longer in the face of obstacles — because they see them as part of the process, not as a sign of failure. Combined with the right creative techniques and a supportive organisational environment, this mindset is what separates teams that innovate consistently from those that merely react to change.