What is the #1 Valued Trait?

Recently there was an interesting article in TIME referencing characteristics of value in other people. The results were fascinating, and perhaps hold the key to our future – as individual leaders and in our places of works.

In a recent survey, 94% stated that CREATIVITY was the single most important and valuable trait found in other individuals. This trait out ranked intelligence, compassion, humor, ambition, and beauty. Not only was it a highly important trait in our personal and professional lives; the results also stated that is was central to the competitiveness in America’s role in the global economy. They also found that when folks think creatively, it comes in the form of pictures versus just words. This seems fairly obvious and the trends support it. The growth of video content on the web, the forms of TED talks using primarily images, and the explosive growth of Pinterest in sharing ideas and concepts all support the preferred way of taking in content…in the form of pictures.

So, how are you harnessing creativity at work? We know that creativity can be an evergreen resource, which shows up not only in music, art, and innovative technologies. It also can help solve our ongoing problems in education, healthcare, and government – not to mention in our own organizations.

What are you doing to encourage out-of-box thinking and approaches? Are you allowing possible mistakes in the workplace for the sake of exploring new creative solutions? Are you making your organizational environment a safe one for taking risks? Are you rewarding coloring outside the lines for the sake of that match strike of creativity? If not, what is holding you back and how can you remedy those barricades?