How to Communicate with Creatives

At Ethos3, our staff consists of a varied community of creative beings. Some of us write. Some of us design. Some of us develop creative approaches to solving administrative processes daily. The way we interact with each other and the way we interact with clients can range drastically as a result of our creative leanings. According to psychologists Guillaume Furst, Paolo Ghisletta, and Todd Lubart, the personalities of creative individuals encompass various factors. For one, creative people are often open to new experiences, highly energetic, and driven by inspiration. These traits, which encompass a factor called plasticity, result from the higher amount of dopamine found coursing through creatives’ brains. In addition to plasticity, many creative achievers display high levels of divergence. This means that creatives can be impulsive, disagreeable, conscientious, and independent. On the other hand, creatives can also act rigorously and persistently during the creative process – signs of convergence.

Author and scientific director of the Imagination Institute, Scott Barry Kaufman, used the following phrases to describe creative people: mindful dreamers, imaginatively gritty, passionately introverted, openly sensitive, playfully serious, logically intuitive, vulnerably resilient, and rebellious experts. I know, several of these characteristics sound like oxymorons. So, the big question is…how do you effectively and efficiently communicate with creatives, especially in a professional setting?

1. Keep conversations short.

The expansive openness in regards to experiences and ideas of a creative means that he or she will enjoy a compelling, thought-provoking chat. However, be wary of holding a creative from their work for too long as they will need time to process the new information you divulged to them. Plus, these mindful dreamers work best when they are observing the world around them – drawing inspiration and motivation for their creative endeavors.

2. Don’t make assumptions.

When eliciting the assistance of a creative individual or group on a problem or project, don’t assume that the person(s) understand every nuance of your field, industry, or career. A person who processes information more systematically than a creative will likely be confused by the vastly different approach taken to the same problem or project – and vice versa. But the key to interaction with creatives involves patience, compassion, and most importantly, trust.

3. Trust their expertise.

You may not know their methods, but you should trust your creative counterpart’s expertise. A creative’s passionate introversion allows them the ability to relentlessly research their subject – constantly enhancing their knowledge and fueling their desire to gain more experience in their field. Creatives are committed to challenging the status quo and tackling problems from other angles and with innovative solutions. Long story short, creatives know their stuff. Your project is not only safe, but will probably thrive in their hands.

4. Embrace their ideas.

They will have a lot of them. And they won’t always be good. But, a recent study discovered that to have good ideas, a person must increase ideation output. Creatives will have bad ideas, but they will definitely have a far greater amount of good ideas. A creative’s logical intuition combined with their playful seriousness adds up to some serious potential for a product, idea, or project to reach stunningly new heights. Consider practicing impartiality and acceptance the next time a creative suggests an idea that falls outside of your comfort zone. In fact, when an idea is produced, there are two main principles in action: a new joining of old components and the perception of relationships between old components.

How to Communicate with Creatives

5. Avoid negativity.

Studies have shown that negativity and sadness depletes the creativity of individuals. A 2004 study found that sadness heightened consciousness for mistakes and cause creatives to hold back. Instead, try reframing negative feedback or criticism by leading with a positive and then describing your issue when interacting with a creative. They won’t shut down and revert to more conservative methods and you will receive a fascinatingly spectacular product that accomplishes your preferred goals.

Conclusion

An intentional effort towards cultivating a healthy, positive relationship with creatives – whether they are members of your family and friends or professional peers – will only serve to enhance communications, streamline processes, and make everyone happier. For more information about creativity, as well as its use in the presentation industry, check out the resources below:

Why We Have the Best Ideas in the Shower: The Science of Creativity

10 Habits of Highly Creative People

Why Passion is Essential for Success as a Public Speaker


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