DEFINITION:
The term “creativity” refers to the personality trait consisting of the ability to find new and better ways of solving problems or completing tasks.
ETYMOLOGY:
The English noun “creativity” is attested from the nineteenth century. The related adjective “creative” is attested from the seventeenth century, while the related verb “to create” is attested from the fourteenth century.
The verb “to create” derives, via the Middle English verb createn, from the Classical Latin past participle creatus of the verb, creo, creare, meaning “to make,” “to create,” or “to produce.”
DISCUSSION:
The idea of “creativity” encompasses three closely related elements:
- action
- novelty
- positive value (success)
Thus, an individual who scores high in “creativity” is notable for his or her ability (1) to take actions, which (2) are new and (3) are well-designed to successfully address a given problem situation.
It is easy to see why “creative” individuals are valuable to an organization:
- They are pro-active
- They come up with new ideas
- They tend to succeed at what they set out to do