Listen to this week’s column:
Dear Idea Guy,
My team keeps saying they’re “not creative.” When we ask for new ideas, the room goes quiet or people default to safe, incremental thinking.
Is creativity something you either have or don’t have — or can it actually be developed?
— Sensible in Santee
Dear Sensible,
This is one of the most common misconceptions I hear from leadership teams: that creativity is something you either have or you don’t.
In business, that’s simply not true.
Creativity isn’t a personality trait or an artistic talent. It’s a skill — and more specifically, it’s the skill of solving problems under constraints. Every leader uses creativity daily when making trade-offs, prioritizing resources, or navigating uncertainty. The issue isn’t ability. It’s how creativity is being framed and invited.
When leaders ask for “new ideas,” many teams freeze. Not because they lack creativity, but because the request is vague. A blank page creates pressure, not inspiration. Without direction, people default to safe thinking or silence.
The most creative teams don’t start with ideas. They start with clarity.
Creativity thrives when constraints are clear. Instead of asking, “Does anyone have ideas?” try asking, “How might we reduce customer onboarding time by 20% without adding headcount?” That’s not limiting creativity — it’s focusing it.
There’s also a misconception that creativity is chaotic. In reality, it follows a sequence. High-performing teams clarify the problem, explore different perspectives, generate options, and test what works. This structure doesn’t stifle creativity. It enables it.
When teams say they’re “not creative,” what they’re often reacting to is ambiguity. They’re unsure what kind of thinking is needed, what risks are acceptable, or how ideas will be evaluated. Remove that uncertainty, and creativity shows up.
If you want more creative output from your team, don’t start by asking them to be creative. Start by helping them see the problem more clearly.
Because innovation doesn’t begin with ideas. It begins with understanding.
And that’s something every capable team can do.
— Kevin Popovic, The Idea Guy®
WHAT’S YOUR PROBLEM? is a weekly column by Kevin Popovic, The Idea Guy®—a trusted advisor to CEOs and leaders across industries. Each edition answers real-world business challenges with clear, creative insights you can use to think differently and lead confidently.
Kevin Popović is the trusted advisor behind What’s Your Problem?, the San Diego Business Journal’s weekly innovation advice column for business leaders. Known as The Idea Guy®, Popović helps CEOs and leadership teams solve complex challenges with clarity, creativity, and confidence.
A former Zahn Chair of Creativity & Innovation at San Diego State University and a TEDx speaker, Kevin has led award-winning agencies, launched innovation labs, and guided Fortune 500 companies, startups, and public institutions through high-impact change. As the founder of The Idea Guy®, he brings over 25 years of experience helping executives build cultures of innovation, improve strategic thinking, and generate results.
His work spans design thinking, creative strategy, and generative AI—equipping leaders to reframe problems and lead what’s next.
