In 2010 IBM surveyed more than 1,500 CEOs across 33 industries and 60 countries. Why? To discover what they believed to be the biggest drivers of future business success. By consensus, the number one factor named by the senior business leaders was creativity.

So, why did creativity beat out seemingly important factors like integrity and management discipline? Well, the one certainty in any industry is that markets and systems change. Failing to adapt is bad for business, and thinking creatively is the antidote.

Think Different

For 11 years straight, Apple has made the Boston Consulting Group’s ‘Most Innovative Companies’ list. Creativity has been the driving factor. Meanwhile, Apple’s competitors continue to copy the brand’s clean product and retail store design.

Of course, creativity isn’t just about innovating or being ‘creative’ in the traditional sense of the word. It’s about thinking different, and recognising unique opportunities when they present themselves.

It’s no coincidence that one of Apple’s most infamous marketing campaigns centred on the phrase, ‘Think Different’. That’s exactly what the highly successful tech company does, and it’s what all businesses should aspire to do too.

Collaboration is key to business success

A 2014 survey commissioned by Adobe found that companies that embrace creativity outperform peers and competitors on key business performance indicators, including revenue growth, market share and talent acquisition.

So, how do we make creativity a normal part of business?

Collaboration, particularly across disciplines, is key to securing an advantage in the business world. Take the medical industry. A 1999 Report found that up to 98,000 patients in the US die every year from medical errors that could have been prevented.

In response, a number of hospitals hired pilots to teach critical care staff about standard cockpit procedures, like communication, checklists and protocols. As a result, hospitals involved had fewer malpractice suits and post-surgical infections. All thanks to cross-collaboration.

How to make creativity an everyday part of business

Integrating creativity into day-to-day business seems like a strange concept. After all, creativity is intangible. Except. It’s not. What we can learn from the  companies that get results, is that collaboration is key to creativity, as is staying open to new ways of viewing old systems.

Emergence offers businesses the opportunity to step into this new way of thinking, with workshops, satellite events and keynote speakers at the top of their game, in worlds where creativity and business success collide.

You’ll form connections with other amazing individuals from all walks of life, opening doors to business collaborations and big ideas, that lead to transformations in your business life. Coming to Emergence is like stepping through a doorway, which allows you to see your business in new and innovative ways – from how it’s run day to day, to big picture goals.

Emergence Creative Festival happens over three amazing days in Margaret River – from 25 to 27 March 2020. Head the Tickets page to book.