I’ve always struggled with labeling what I do “creativity” although even with my corporate customers it most certainly is creativity. I struggle because I know that many people will immediately dismiss creativity expertise as something that is touchy-feely (or “airy fairy” if you live in the great white north, that is, Canada). People who have looked into it know that creativity is more than just self-expression, and know that it also is problem solving and decision making. My simple mantra is: you can’t have innovation without creative thinking!

Creativity to many managers, unfortunately, means “loss of control” and is therefore not a desirable thing. The term “deliberate creativity” is better because it implies some control, some structure, but it sort of takes the fun out of the word creativity doesn’t it? And many people, who believe that creativity can’t be controlled at all, will say there is no such thing as deliberate creativity!

The word Innovation on the other hand gives business people a warm fuzzy feeling. It means success, it means new markets, it means exciting new products, etc.

Okay, so call it Innovation when it comes to business, but what do you call it when it’s about you, your own life, your own challenges? Since about half the world believes they are not creative (even though everyone has that capacity) I’ll coin a new phrase and call it “Personal Innovation.” Personal Innovation is creativity applied to the challenges of your life, and it implies action, which I like. Innovation of any kind is not in your head, it’s an action you take, it’s results.

So, Personal Innovation…you heard it here first people.