The Ipsos Public Affairs survey of US workers commissioned by the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority (FCEDA) found:
• 88% consider themselves to be creative.
• 75% thought their employer valued creativity.
• 63% said their positions were creative.
• 61% thought their companies were creative.

Fairfax County sees these results pointing to a creativity gap in the workplace; and it may be that employee creativity is being stifled at work. The book The Rise of the Creative Class: And How It's Transforming Work, Leisure, Community and Everyday Life by Richard Florida ties economic success to creative people in creative settings.

And Larry Huston’s interview recorded in Innovation Networks: Looking for Ideas Outside the Company posits that future competitive advantage will depend on "innovation networks" -- individuals and organizations outside a company that can help it solve problems and find new ideas for creating growth.

We think talent drives business performance because top people are passionate about innovation and creativity. The numbers in the Ipsos study show a steady decline from how people feel about their own creativity down to the organization as an entity.

What if everyone knew how their personal goals tied directly to the organization’s goals? What if performance was part of the culture instead of an annual compliance event? What if everyone could see a clear career path based on personal growth?

What if nearly everyone in your organization considered themselves to be creative? What if everyone felt they were in a creative position in a creative company…