Innovative Approaches
— Twyla Tharp
In a nutshell, creativity is the use of imagination or original ideas, especially in the production of an artistic work. It is getting out of one’s comfort zone and experiencing something new. It is ingenuity and learning how to be resourceful in a multitude of circumstances. Creativity comes first. One must imagine a creative idea before innovation can occur, as innovation is the execution of that idea. Innovation begins with one’s creativity.
For many, creativity is a delicate excursion beyond the borders of one’s comfort zone. This reluctance may cause many to hunch down, look back and forth only using the corners of their eyes and tenderly tiptoe away from the judgmental walls that encapsulate corporate groupthink and the accepted operating rhythm of the team members.
Indeed, exploration outside of one’s comfort zone may be exciting to some but terrifying to others. On the one hand, creativity may lead to unique perspectives, beautifully designed performances and ideas that influence and optimize efficiencies. On the other hand, it may lead to one’s banishment, ridicule, austerity and red-hot resistance due to the potential variation of nuanced interpretations of a fresh idea.
In the business environment, productivity will overshadow creativity. Where goals and politics are a mainstay, creativity is necessary but always carries with it risk. Where productivity guarantees high fives from leadership, creativity guarantees high risk.
Creativity is using imagination or original ideas, especially when producing an artistic work. Yet, creativity is not a gift that is reserved only for artists. It is a gift waiting to be unpacked by anyone with the courage to step out of one’s comfort zone with the desire to experience something differently.
Yes, even life sciences commercial teams who want to find ways to bring value to those they engage. To do something worth remembering. Ingenuity. Resourcefulness. Creativity breeds new ideas, discoveries, solutions and future possibilities.
While definitions of creativity often celebrate freedom and originality, they come with a caveat: Creativity is shaped — and sometimes stifled — by our thoughts, effort, courage and mindset. In the rare disease commercial space, one less obvious but powerful influence often goes unchallenged: leadership.
At first glance, this may spark disagreement. Yet leadership — whether through organizational norms or the silent signals of first-line managers — can unconsciously reinforce doubt, pessimism and groupthink. That’s why cultivating a culture of creative thinking isn’t optional; it’s essential. Leaders must actively foster environments where curiosity, experimentation and bold thinking aren’t just permitted — they’re expected.
Anyone reading this understands how complex the rare disease space currently is. In time, it will only get more complex. With all the headwinds restricting our opportunities to meet face-to-face with healthcare providers (HCPs) and share a word, one word, creativity is critical. (This includes remaining compliant and within regulatory guidelines.)
Still, there are additional headwinds even when you finally get front and center with the HCPs. We must learn to tap into our creativity as we share disease-state knowledge or product information while providing a fair and balanced educational presentation.
How will you get them to remember what you said or the purpose of your visit? Suppose you’re conducting a traditional “detail” and sounding like and using the same tactics as the other five to 10 representatives they saw that week. By week’s end, there is a high probability that the HCPs will forget close to everything you said to them.
With creativity at your side, you are more likely to educate and help your HCPs recall who the appropriate patient is for your product, your message and your important product information. The point is that leadership must seek opportunities to listen to and learn from those direct reports who think out-of-the-box.
These individuals willingly accept the gift of creativity and like a child during the holidays, enthusiastically unpack and play with the gift. Their contributions will lead to narrowing organizational gaps and patient access to appropriate therapy. It will lead to others thinking to themselves, “Now, why didn’t I think of that?”
According to one survey by Global Creativity Statistics, approximately 75% of people feel they must make the most of their creative abilities and believe they must fully tap into their creative potential. People want to contribute creatively. If these same people are stifled from sharing their creative ideas because of leadership or a stressful work environment, there is a loss to the growth of the individual and to the culture of the organization.
Another study demonstrated that exposure to a relaxing and non-judgmental environment increased creativity, with 72% expressing that they get their best ideas in the shower because it is there that they believe is their most relaxing and non-judgmental space. This, I believe, proves that one’s creativity is a mindset.
This is self-leadership or self-development and is limited to one’s growth. It is finding and cultivating hidden architecture within us.
Our inner architecture is built with chunks of creativity, curiosity, practicality and expressiveness. What we do with that architecture is entirely up to us. We can add more chunks of knowledge, allow it to remain the same or let the remaining chunks crumble into tiny, meritless pieces and wither away.
Peter W. Carbone is founder of Mindset Effect Consulting and author of The RISE (Rare Disease) Leadership Framework and The RISE (Rare Disease) Selling Framework. Email Peter at Carbone@MindsetEffectConsulting.com or connect through linkedin.com/in/peter-w-carbone-6165464a.
