At blur, we’re obsessed with the nature of creativity. Recently we’ve been asking ourselves: Can you teach it? We’re talking about creative problem solving here, rather than uncontrollable artistic urges. Too many people think creativity is a kind of magic that you’re blessed with from birth. Actually, it’s not the whisper of a muse (see photo), but a mental process like any other. And while it may not be teachable, it’s certainly stimulate-able. Here’s how it works:

Creativity is associated with the right side of the brain, which deals with the visual rather than the verbal. The left side of the brain is better with logic and concrete concepts. When you have a problem, and you need a creative solution, both sides come into play. You use your left side to process all the information available to you. You become frustrated. You may or may not bang your head against the wall. The solution, though, will bubble up from the right side.

In other words, a moment of inspiration doesn’t come from nowhere. According to Tony Schwartz, there are four stages in the creative process. First, you study the problem you’re trying to solve. Secondly, you do nothing. Your brain needs time to marinade. Then, with any luck, you’ll have some kind of a eureka moment. These tend to happen when you least expect them – when you’re in bed, or on a walk, or in the shower. That’s because the left side of your brain isn’t engaged at that time, it’s not eclipsing your right side. Once you’ve had the idea, there’s just the small fourth step of bringing it into the real world.

Now for the good news: you can quite easily stimulate this process by giving yourself a break, Kit Kat optional. Paradoxically, you must take your mind off the issue to come up with the solution. We give you permission to go for a run, watch a movie, catch up on your reading or your weeding. It really is an essential part of your creative process. You’ll probably find that idea chunks start cropping up in your mind. Be sure to write them down so you can assemble them properly later on.

That’s the best advice we can give you on developing your own creativity. Try it, it works for us. But how can you encourage your underlings to think creatively? More good news comes in the form of research into Creativity-Stimulating Leadership. Apparently, “certain forms of extrinsic motivation may support intrinsic motivation and creativity.” The researchers found that the mood in an office was the single most important factor in stimulating creative thought – and that’s one thing you can control. It’s important to maintain an open environment, where employees feel comfortable sharing off-the-wall ideas. It’s also a myth that tight restrictions on time and resources will force employees to come up with more creative ideas. The study showed that arbitrary deadlines, lack of resources and intense peer competition cause a decline in creative output – since, as you’ve seen above, the creative process necessitates time and flexibility.

If it’s all a bit daunting, we’ve got 13,000 creatives in our crowd to help you out! Just tell us what you want – brief the Exchange.