Once seen as the province of industries such as design, marketing, and branding, creativity has become a skill that now pervades all aspects of business. The aim is to identify it, foster its growth, and then infuse it everywhere to propel abstract ideas into concrete ones and improve upon existing sectors.
That innovative drive—whether juicing up unsexy industries (Hi, supply chain) or galvanizing the power behind a new business pitch—is not always welcome, though. Getting shot down is often exactly what it takes to get back up again—stronger, trimmer, more focused.
“For me, the hallmark of a truly creative idea is actually that it will evoke, in almost every person, the response of no . . . truly creative ideas are not met with like fireworks and applause,” June Cohen, cofounder and CEO of the media company WaitWhat, said Friday at the 2021 Fast Company Innovation Festival. “They are actually met with a …