Creativity’s bottom line: How winning companies turn creativity into business value and growth

Most of us can remember a couple of favorite ads. They’re funny, clever, thoughtful. Creativity can delight, even inspire. But does it generate business value? The short answer is yes. That conclusion came through clearly in McKinsey’s analysis of one widely recognized proxy for creativity. To have a quantitative measure that could be used to examine the linkage between creativity and business performance, we developed the Award Creativity Score (ACS)

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Roger Federer Just Gave the Best Graduation Speech I've Ever Heard. He Summed It All Up in Just 14 Words

Roger Federer is going viral. This time, it's not for a tennis victory. Rather, it's for his remarkable commencement address, which he delivered on Sunday to the 2024 graduating class of Dartmouth College. Federer's speech is an amazing case study in emotional intelligent speaking: It's funny, motivating, inspiring. It's emotionally moving. And most important, it has valuable takeaways--

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Work Burnout, Boredom, and ‘Boreout’

TikTok is seeing an increasing trend among all too many workers: #boredatwork. This one hashtag has over 200,000 videos attached to it, clips often using humor to expose the otherwise depressing culture of underwhelming in the workplace. Many of the clips are of people stirring the pot – workers engaged in small acts of mischief in an effort to disrupt the monotony of the workday.

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The ‘Entrepreneur Penalty’

Leaders constantly say they want employees with innovative ideas who can revolutionize products and processes. The good news is that there’s a big pool of start-up founders and entrepreneurial-minded people who have made their careers coming up with interesting ideas. The bad news is that these candidates often can’t get a job interview. Researchers at Rutgers University recently asked recruiters to evaluate mock résumés for candidates with comparable levels of education and experience in traditional companies, start-ups, or both.

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High-Conscious Leadership: Needed Now More Than Ever

A rare breed of leader is required when environments are permeated with distrust, tension and volatility. The good news is that many emerging and experienced leaders have the ability to meet the demands; it’s a choice to look inward with courage to heal past traumas, embrace vulnerability as a source of strength, lead with genuine compassion for all stakeholders, and light the way toward a better future.

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Why Every Employee Deserves to Get Leadership Development

There’s a lot of talk in business today about the importance of demonstrating leadership at every level. Yet, many organizations still play it safe, earmarking far more leadership development opportunities for designated “high potentials.”  This strategy might seem efficient, but if you want your team to win a race, wouldn’t you want every runner to have a shot at being first?

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It All Begins With the Belief That It Is Possible

This was a realization I came to many years ago. I’d just accepted the position of dean at Washington State University, and it wasn’t long before I felt overwhelmed. On day one, I realized we were in trouble with issues ranging from disengaged alumni and financial troubles to the dire threat of losing our AACSB accreditation. My new team presented me with a report detailing not one, not two, but twenty-six critical areas needing immediate attention to save our accreditation.

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The 6 Most Common Leadership Styles and How to Use Them

More than ever, today’s employees long for purpose, a sense of belonging, and opportunities to grow. This means workers are ready to roll up their sleeves and make things happen. And yet according to the American Psychological Association’s recent survey, employee happiness is down while burnout remains high. In fact, the survey found that 77% of U.S. workers said they experienced work-related stress, while more than half said the negative impact of stress was driving them close to burnout.

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The Influence of Social Media on Language and Communication

Social media has undoubtedly revolutionized the way we communicate and connect with others. Platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram have become integral parts of our daily lives, allowing us to share thoughts, experiences, and emotions with just a few taps on our screens. However, this digital transformation has also had a significant impact on language and communication. In this blog post, we will explore the various ways in which social media has influenced our language and communication patterns.

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How To Effectively Integrate AI Into Your Business Operations

The year 2023 was the coming out party for artificial intelligence (AI), and it was a raucous celebration, from the historic popularity of ChatGPT to the enormous investments in AI-related companies. While its real-world impact is still being determined, one thing is sure: We’ve entered a new era of technological advancement, and these solutions are here to stay.

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If You Have These 3 Habits, You’re More Resilient Than Most People, Experts Say

Everyone experiences unexpected hardships. You can bounce back and learn from them with an important soft skill: resilience. The more mentally resilient you are, the more quickly you can recover from challenges or persist in the face of them, according to Wharton psychologist Adam Grant. The trait helps you take smarter risks, beat burnout at work and live a happier life.

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How SMART Goals Sabotage Success (and the Brain Science of What Works)

Most of us were taught to measure success by ticking off boxes on a to-do list or hitting predetermined milestones. It’s easy to fall into the trap of what is called the Performance Mindset. We’re inundated with the notion that setting SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-Bound) goals and striving for peak performance is the golden ticket to success. This is the familiar way each of us evaluates whether we’re “doing a good job” in every aspect of life, whether it’s work, health, or even parenting.

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5 Ways to Bridge the Age Gap at Work

With more baby boomers putting off retirement, the share of older adults in the workplace is greater than it’s ever been. Indeed, workers aged 75 and older are the fastest-growing age group in the workforce. But the biggest news is this: We’re experiencing the widest-ever age gap at the office, with workers ranging from 22 to 75 years old. Four different generations are in the office together at the same time—baby boomers, Gen Xers, millennials, and Gen Yers.

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What Makes A Great Change Leader?

In our fast-paced and volatile environment, every leader is now a change leader. The time when leaders could operate in isolation, focusing on the day-to-day without acknowledging the rapid pace of change, has long passed. Whether you're at the helm of a Fortune 500 company, a mid-level manager or an emerging entrepreneur, your role as a catalyst for change is more critical than ever before. But what makes a great change leader?

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Leaders Need to Prioritize These 3 Things if They Want Workers to Trust Them

In order to achieve a healthy and productive workforce you need trust. Doug Conant, the former CEO of Campbell’s Soup, called it, “the foundational element of high-performing organizations.” When he took the helm at Campbell’s, Conant made “Inspiring Trust” his first mission in turning around the company’s performance, which eventually led to shareholder returns in the top tier of the global food market and among the highest levels of employee engagement in the Fortune 500.

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