CoCreative Future

Guess what! You’re creative. I am beyond excited to say that the academic article “Everyday Creativity a personal and universal Rollercoaster” co-authored by Ruth Hughes MSc and myself has been published by the Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities Open and is based on my masters research dissertation. The qualitative research explored the lived experience of everyday creativity with people who are not professional creatives.  We believe it brings a new understanding to how we view creativity that has powerful implications for individuals, teams & organisations. If you’ve ever thought, “But I’m just not creative,” this research suggests otherwise, shedding light on the multiple benefits of engaging with 𝗮 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴.  Far from needing to be artistic, musical, a creative “professional” – or even “talented,” the research suggests that the creative process as a 'way of thinking' and engaging with the world can benefit everybody. Our research demonstrates that creativity can be considered a 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 that involves 𝟯 𝗲𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀.  We use the metaphor of a rollercoaster to describe the creative process that isn’t linear & moves between these 3 states like a wild ride, full of highs and lows - and these are completely normal parts of the journey.  The research also suggests that 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝘁𝗵 paradoxically deeply 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 yet simultaneously 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 and universal bringing together individual expression and the collective consciousness. So if you’re feeling 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲, adopting a creative lens can be transformative. 3 reasons why it's important: 1. If you’ve ever felt like “I’m not creative,” this research suggests otherwise. Creativity is about a way of being, a way of seeing the world that involves engagement, persistence, & self-expression rather than talent, profession or an ‘artistic’ output.     2. We know that creativity brings innovative thinking.  Encouraging creative thinking means normalising the emotional ups and downs. When we know that it’s part of the process, we can better support people through self-doubt knowing that they will reach breakthroughs that can unlock potential.     3. Everyday creativity is linked to mental well-being, resilience, connection to others and a deeper sense of purpose. Takeaways for creativity as a way of being: • Creativity is about engaging in the process and not about the final product. • Feelings of self-doubt don’t mean you should stop; they show you that you’re in the midst of something meaningful. • Your creativity matters. Whether you’re cooking a meal, writing a note, or brainstorming a new project, your creative expression is valid, impactful, and deeply human. Huge thanks to my incredible research participants! Link to the full article in comments. #everydaycreativity #creativity #innovation #resilience #creativemindset #wellbeing

My latest post about finding the true direction for your life.

Let's make these some of the most valued skills in our workplace! When we focus too much on traditional skills and experience we can easily overlook attitude, intention and approach. What if we hired based on values, passion and these undervalued skills - I call it core human-ness? (rather than box ticking, AI matched skills and experience?).

Creativity and is it an inconvenient necessity?  (Spoiler alert: 100% YES) In a world driven by efficiency, productivity and standardised procedures, creativity often appears as an inconvenient outlier. It disrupts routines, challenges established norms, and demands resources without immediate, tangible returns. Yet, despite its inconvenient nature, creativity is essential because it drives innovation, facilitates personal and societal growth, and equips us with the tools to navigate an ever-changing world. It’s so worth it. Here’s the link to the full article: https://lnkd.in/e7GYSfyv

What is CoCreative Leadership? The current state of leadership really concerns me - given just how fundamental it is and the increasing evidence of the negative impact of bad leadership. Traditional leadership sees the people at the top of the tree directing and controlling those beneath them to get stuff done. With scandals like the Post Office (where sub-postmaster were wrongly convicted), Countess of Chester Hospital (where it seemed management ignored warnings) it can feel like leadership is considered a game amongst those ‘in power’ - the ‘winners’ often lack accountability. We seem to be obsessed with output, growth and power and the people working in this system are more stressed, burnout and disillusioned than ever. On the other hand we also know how impactful a person’s experience of leadership is. People leave their bosses, not their jobs (60%-75% of employees report that their immediate boss was the most stressful part of their job). We know that high levels of employee wellbeing improves productivity, retention AND financial performance. And this Gallup 2022 statistic tells us that employees who are engaged perform 18% better than disengaged ones... AND absenteeism is a whopping 81% less! So what needs to change?  To read the full article go here: https://lnkd.in/edweYRwU

Welcome to CoCreative Future. I'm Ursula Capell and here's a bit about me. We are all leaders in one form or another whether we are the CEO of a business, a creative professional, a parent, a volunteer or boss of our own life! I am a leadership coach and a researcher on everyday creativity and who helps people establish their leadership identity and the impact they want to have in the world. When we know this it means we can make a choice about how we show up in our lives and our work and play our part in creating a better world. My clients often feel like they want to be a leader with positive impact but they are not seeing or experiencing that at work. They want to work for fresh thinking organisations who want to create great outcomes AND positively engaged people in the process I am known for creating a safe place for clients to explore themselves, their creativity and their leadership exploring what is important and what is holding them back so they can emerge on the next phase of their life with purpose, passion and perspectives understanding the choices they want to make as individuals and leaders.