All Creativity is Problem Solving

and why that matters.

Imagine, if you will, two hypothetical people. Let’s call them Charlie and Pat. Both are in their mid-20s, fresh out of college, and both work for an organization that values clear communication, personal responsibility, and hard work. Charlie self-identifies as a “creative,” while Pat self-identifies as a “problem solver.” Assume that those descriptors are 100% accurate. Based only on that information…

• Whom do you think will leaders trust with a large, important project?
• Which of the two is more likely to show up late or miss a deadline?
• Who will be promoted first?

Now, let’s make this more personal.

Imagine that you have applied for two different positions, and after completing a pair of assessment tests, you receive rejection letters for each. One says “This job requires better problem-solving skills than you were able to demonstrate,” and the other says “This job requires more creativity than you were able to demonstrate.” Both encourage you to work hard…