What does art have to do with the business and work world?

In a nutshell, everything. Well, actually there are different ways to look at art. Some people think of it as just that, art. They think paintings hanging on the wall, or actually painted on the walls. Or maybe statues, or other displayed types of art. What they don’t realize is art is everywhere. Think, Donald Trump, and “The Art of the deal”. However, that is another aspect to be covered in another article, just using the “art” word in another context. Being “artsy” enables you to think outside the box. You get creative with ideas. The ever-changing business world requires creativity.

The most successful businesses in the world involved creativity!

So many successful people had an idea. They were jeered by others or thought to be crazy to try such a thing. They persevered until they thought they had a great new product. Thank goodness many did, or we would not have the wheel, electricity, phones, cars, airplanes, or our beloved computers. Think back to the old days when Henry Ford invented the automobile. Every time one broke down, people would go by in their horse and buggies, and shout, “Get a horse”. There are many other examples of creativity and success stories.

How to treat creatives different at work.

The aim is not to treat them differently, but to embrace their creativity. There are creative people in all places of employment. You can usually tell which ones they are. When the boss gets you all together, to brainstorm, and there’s always that one person, or two, who come up with off the wall ideas. Where did that come from? Well, they know where, but it can be hard to convey to others. It does not mean it won’t work, it just means others don’t understand how. Never shoot down their ideas, until you understand them.

So, how is this accomplished?

It’s a fairly simple concept. Visual collaboration. It’s the art of being able to visually show people what is in your head, for them to understand. It is also great to use for language barriers. People understand pictures and arrows all over the world, so it helps to eliminate confusion. Even if you can’t draw that well, there are software programs now to enable better visual presentations. There are whiteboard type systems that enable people to enhance an idea, or make changes, thus making everyone happy. In the end, you have a great working idea.

Creatives, and brainiacs!

You are always going to have clashes between your creative people, and your workers that only look at facts and figures. That’s okay, you need both, for a successful business. Can’t have one without the other. Most successful businesses have owners who say, “This is what I want, make it work”. The owners are usually your creative geniuses, who need others to crunch numbers, and engineers, who make it happen.

So, how do you keep all workers happy?

Recognize that all workers have areas they excel in. It is up to the managers, and owners to relay this to each and every employee. Every employee is an important part of the business. Without one, the other can’t excel. A business is like a motor. You have to keep a well-oiled machine for it to keep running!