Sticking with the tried-and-tested method has many perks, but it can sometimes limit those who seek to apply their creative intelligence to develop novel solutions and bring about great innovations worldwide.
Consider how we get around. Horses and donkeys used to do a good enough job to get people from one place to another. However, we can all agree that cars are much more effective. You might wonder whether this applies to you if you’re not an inventor.
Creative intelligence doesn’t have to be elaborate or artistic. Not everyone can or will invent machines as sophisticated as cars, ships, or airplanes, but we all need creative intelligence to deal with unfamiliar problems in our daily lives.
So, what is the definition of creative intelligence? Is it the same as creativity? Do we all have it? Can we improve it?
Keep reading to find out!
What Is Creative Intelligence?
Creative intelligence is the ability to generate or discover novel ideas, concepts, and solutions to deal with unfamiliar problems or situations. It can be as simple as understanding that there is more than one way to solve a problem. You can apply creative intelligence to both new and old problems by exploring alternative ideas for better solutions.
American psychologist Robert Sternberg categorized human intelligence into three components in his Triarchic Theory of Intelligence: creative intelligence, analytical intelligence, and practical intelligence. Creative intelligence, in particular, involves thinking outside the box, using imagination, and innovating to address challenges in unique ways. This type of intelligence is essential for problem-solving as it allows individuals to approach issues from different perspectives and devise original solutions.
Sternberg’s theory stands out from many other theories that define intelligence because it takes a cognitive approach rather than a behavioral one, focusing on how people process information and apply their thinking skills.
While other major theories of intelligence, such as Spearman’s Two-Factor Theory of General Intelligence and Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences Theory, provide valuable insights, they often emphasize distinct aspects of human capabilities. Spearman's theory, for example, distinguishes between a general intelligence factor (g) and specific abilities (s), highlighting the importance of overall cognitive capacity. Gardner’s theory classifies intelligence into categories like logical-mathematical, bodily-kinesthetic, and naturalist, all of which can utilize creative intelligence to approach problems in innovative and unique ways.
Gardner's types of intelligence most directly connected to Sternberg's concept of creative intelligence are linguistic, spatial, musical, and interpersonal. Individuals with musical intelligence display traits of creative intelligence by recognizing and creating musical patterns in novel and impactful ways. Those with strong linguistic intelligence can use their adeptness with words to craft compelling stories, persuasive arguments, and innovative ideas.
Individuals with spatial intelligence can visualize and manipulate objects in their minds, which aids in tasks such as designing, drawing, and solving complex spatial problems. Those with strong interpersonal intelligence—the ability to understand and interact effectively with others—can leverage this skill to collaborate on creative projects and generate diverse ideas. This highlights how different types of intelligence can support and enhance creative endeavors.
Similarly, Raymond Cattell’s Theory of Fluid and Crystallized Intelligence, which differentiates between the ability to reason and solve new problems (fluid intelligence) and the use of acquired knowledge (crystallized intelligence), also complements the understanding of creative intelligence by highlighting how flexibility and experience contribute to creative problem-solving.
By integrating these perspectives, we see that creative intelligence is not isolated but interconnected with other cognitive abilities. It plays a crucial role in enabling individuals to think creatively and address problems with fresh, effective solutions, making it a vital component of overall intelligence.
Is Creative Intelligence the Same as Creativity?
Creativity and creative intelligence are distinct concepts that are sometimes used interchangeably.
For example, if you’re asked to create a unique piece of artwork, creativity would involve generating different ideas by thinking outside the box and exploring different possibilities. In this instance, creative intelligence would involve choosing the most suitable idea after considering your skills, available materials, your audience, and the message you’re trying to convey to them. It helps you make smart decisions as you turn your idea into a successful artwork.
Therefore, while creativity may spark the initial idea-generation process aimed at a specific goal, creative intelligence helps decide on the best idea that will be applied practically and meaningfully.
In essence, creative intelligence refers to an aspect of creativity that focuses on generating novel and useful ideas in practical situations, such as solving problems, creating a new product, or making a decision. Certain personality types, such as those identified by the MBTI and Enneagram, are often associated with high creative intelligence. For instance, MBTI types like INFP and ENTP are known for their innovative thinking and problem-solving abilities. Similarly, Enneagram Type 4 and Type 7 are often characterized by their creativity and ability to find unique solutions.
By understanding these personality types, we can better appreciate how different individuals harness their creative intelligence in various ways, contributing to their ability to generate practical and innovative solutions.
The Importance of Creative Intelligence: Why Does It Matter?
Creative intelligence isn’t just for innovative problem-solving. When practiced, it brings about personal, professional, and societal development.
Personally, it helps individuals adapt to new challenges, communicate ideas and emotions uniquely, and foster flexibility and open-mindedness. It promotes life-long learning, aiding people in learning new things quickly and improving existing knowledge, which builds self-confidence and enhances personal fulfillment.
Professionally, creative intelligence gives individuals and organizations a competitive advantage over their rivals by driving innovation and developing beneficial ideas, products, and inventions. It facilitates teamwork and collaboration by encouraging diverse perspectives, ultimately enriching professional environments and outcomes.
Societally, creative intelligence enriches culture through significant contributions to art, fashion, and literature. It drives societal development by providing innovative solutions to problems and promoting beneficial changes across various fields. This broad impact highlights the crucial role creative intelligence plays in advancing society.
Examples of Creative Intelligence: How Creative Intelligence Is Used Every Day
Creative intelligence isn’t limited to mind-blowing inventions or artistic expression—we use it more often than we realize.
It is crucial for driving innovation and solving societal problems. It can be as simple as creating a handmade card for a friend because the available store-bought ones are impersonal, finding ways to become more organized and efficient, suggesting an unconventional solution to a problem at work when no one else can figure it out, or using emotional intelligence to understand and address the needs of others in creative ways..
Whether simple or grand, creative thinking can be applied in various areas. Here are some of common creative intelligence examples:
- Cooking: Substituting ingredients for dietary restrictions, creatively combining ingredients to make a delicious meal, and finding innovative ways to shop and budget for groceries all highlight culinary creativity.
- Parenting: Developing creative solutions for daily challenges, such as making chores fun, supporting learning in unique ways, or showing affection in personalized ways that resonate with each child's needs and preferences.
- Relationships: Using creative approaches to communicate, resolve conflicts, and strengthen emotional bonds with friends, family, and partners.
- Home Organization: Redecorating a space, organizing clutter, or repurposing household items shows practical creativity in optimizing living environments.
- Workplace: Brainstorming innovative solutions for projects, improving team collaboration, or finding efficient ways to complete tasks creatively demonstrates creative intelligence at work.
- Education: Crafting engaging lesson plans, tutoring methods, or study techniques requires creativity to enhance learning experiences for students of all ages.
- Healthcare: Innovating solutions for patient care, such as developing new treatment plans or creating wellness programs, showcases creative problem-solving in medicine.
- Advertising and Marketing: Creating compelling designs, slogans, and campaigns requires creativity to attract and retain audience attention in a crowded market.
- Community Activities: Organizing events, finding ways to engage community members, or solving local issues with innovative approaches highlights the use of creative intelligence in social contexts.
These examples illustrate how creative intelligence is an integral part of our daily lives, enabling us to innovate, solve problems, and express ourselves in countless ways.
Creative Intelligence, Practical Intelligence, and Analytical Intelligence: Are They Mutually Exclusive?
Practical intelligence is sometimes called “common sense” or “street smarts.” It means applying knowledge, skills, and experience in real-life situations. Analytical intelligence is the ability to solve problems, reason logically, and think critically. Traditional IQ tests measure analytical intelligence.
While a person may be stronger in one type of intelligence than the other two, they are not mutually exclusive. They often complement one another when dealing with various tasks and challenges.
Let’s assume you’re planning a vacation. You need analytical intelligence to research favorable destinations based on cost, attractions, weather, and travel logistics. Creative intelligence helps you prepare a fun and innovative itinerary to make your vacation memorable. Your practical experience helps you tackle challenges or adapt your plans during the trip.
When baking a cake, you use analytical intelligence to read and analyze the recipe and study the ingredients and required steps. Your creative intelligence helps you experiment with the flavors, and your practical intelligence helps you deal with problems like the “cake not rising properly.”
When starting a business, you use analytical intelligence to conduct market research and create a business plan. Your creative intelligence helps you brainstorm ideas for a unique product or an attractive marketing strategy. Your practical intelligence helps you run the company, manage resources, troubleshoot issues, and make budget-conscious decisions.
7 Signs You Have High Creative Intelligence
If you ask most people to explain what having high creative intelligence means, they will most likely describe people like Walt Disney, Picasso, and Elon Musk. These are accurate examples, but having high creative intelligence is not limited to famous icons who have changed the world with their innovative ideas and intellectual abilities.
Just because you haven’t set the world alight doesn’t mean your creative intelligence isn’t high. Do you tend to solve problems in ways others don’t or find solutions where others see dead ends? You may have high creative intelligence. Here are seven telltale signs.
1. You Are Open-Minded
You do not believe all great ideas can only come from you. You’re open to all possibilities and willing to explore them for a creative solution. When others share their ideas or perspectives with you, you try to see things from their point of view, even if you do not agree with them initially. You take the time to listen to and understand others and explore different ways of solving problems.
2. You Have a Flexible Mindset
Even if there is a tried-and-tested method of dealing with a situation, you’re not so rigid that you’re unwilling to accept other methods. Your flexibility ensures you don’t always think your way is better than others. You admit when you’re wrong or make mistakes and are flexible enough to accept better ideas.
3. You Appreciate Novelty and Originality
You often devise new and unique ways to address problems. When dealing with old problems, you try to think of new solutions that are better and more effective than the common solution. This approach helps you handle unfamiliar situations. In psychology, this trait is closely related to Openness to Experience, one of the Big Five personality traits. Individuals high in openness are imaginative and insightful and enjoy exploring new ideas, which enhances their ability to think creatively.
4. You’re Curious and Inquisitive
When you encounter something strange, your curiosity kicks in, and you try to learn and understand it. Your passion for learning new things makes it easy to pick up new skills easily and quickly. You don’t usually take things at face value. Your willingness to ask the right questions opens the room for discussion and experimentation of ideas.
5. You Love Experimenting and Taking Risks
You’re willing to try out new approaches or ideas even if you might fail. You take failure as a learning opportunity and believe that the reward that comes with trying out different ideas far outweighs the risk, even if you don’t get it right the first few times (or 10,000 times if you’re Thomas Edison.)
6. You Adapt Easily to Change
Your open-mindedness and flexibility ensure that change does not faze you. Whether personal or professional, you’re willing to listen to innovative ideas, try new things, and learn new skills. You embrace the opportunity to change your environment because it stimulates your creativity and allows you to meet different people with different ideas and perspectives.
7. You Have Great Imagination
You’re always ready to think outside the box and let your mind roam freely without constraints. Your imagination helps you break barriers to the impossible, experiment with unconventional concepts, and derive innovative solutions.
Can Creative Intelligence Be Improved? 4 Tips to Improve Creative Intelligence
You may be impressed by how your colleague at work always comes up with unique ideas during brainstorming sessions when you can’t see beyond the obvious. It’s never been your strength to imagine novel ideas as you’re more of a hard worker who finds it easier to stick to the process. It doesn’t have to continue that way.
Fortunately, creative intelligence is a skill you can nurture and develop regardless of your age, profession, or background. Here are four tips to help you improve your creative intelligence.
Practice Creative Exercises and Expand Your Existing Knowledge
Just like exercising a muscle, creative exercises help strengthen your creative abilities and enhance your creative intelligence. Engage in regular brainstorming sessions with diverse individuals to widen your horizons. Participate in exercises such as mind mapping to explore different associations, draw doodles to stimulate visual thinking, and take on small creative challenges like writing a short story or designing a logo within a limited time frame. These activities stretch your creative muscles, enhancing your imagination and problem-solving skills.
Additionally, expanding your knowledge by exposing yourself to other people’s creative works can ignite the flame of creativity within you. Read good books, visit art galleries, and engage in diverse activities to broaden your perspective and imagination. Study the works of creative individuals and analyze what makes their ideas innovative and impactful. This continuous learning and exposure to new ideas enrich your knowledge base, providing a wealth of inspiration and insights that can fuel your own creative endeavors.
By combining creative exercises with the expansion of knowledge, you create a robust foundation for developing your creative intelligence. This allows you to think more creatively and approach problems with a fresh perspective.
Cultivate Curiosity and Mindfulness
Cultivating curiosity and mindfulness can significantly enhance your creative intelligence. Start by feeding your curiosity: don’t be afraid to ask questions about the things you don’t know. Embrace your innate desire to learn by exploring new topics and acquiring new skills. This continuous pursuit of knowledge will expand your horizons and provide you with a wealth of ideas and perspectives to draw from.
Equally important is practicing mindfulness, which helps you focus on the present moment and eliminates mental clutter that can hinder innovative thinking. Mindfulness enables you to be fully aware of your thoughts, emotions, and surroundings, fostering a clear and open mind. Its benefits include enhanced focus, stress reduction, greater mental clarity, heightened awareness, and increased openness—all of which contribute to improving your creative intelligence.
By integrating both curiosity and mindfulness into your daily routine, you create a balanced approach that nurtures both your desire for knowledge and your ability to think creatively.
Explore and Nurture Your Creative Outlets
Finding and nurturing a creative outlet is vital for developing your creative intelligence. If you’re good with words, write as much as you can. Start a blog, journal, or even write poetry or stories. If art is your passion, gather the necessary tools and dedicate time to drawing, painting, or sculpting.
Creative outlets are not limited to traditional arts—cooking, gardening, music, and even coding can be creative pursuits. The key is to engage in activities that encourage experimentation and self-expression, helping you hone your skills and explore new ideas. Additionally, seeking out new creative hobbies or learning new things can have a profound impact on your creative intelligence. When you step out of your comfort zone and try unfamiliar activities, you challenge your mind to think differently and adapt, leading to greater innovation and fresh perspectives.
By regularly dedicating time to both familiar and new creative outlets, you’ll find your creativity flourishing and your creative intelligence growing. Embracing a variety of creative pursuits ensures a well-rounded development of your creative skills and keeps your mind agile and open to new possibilities.
Engage in Activities that Stimulate Your Creativity
Engage in activities that expose you to different creative works and ideas. This can include reading good books, visiting art galleries, and participating in diverse activities to broaden your perspective and imagination. Analyze the works of creative individuals to understand what makes their ideas innovative and impactful, and apply these insights to your creative process.
Infuse Creativity into Your Everyday Life
Infusing more creativity into your daily routine isn’t rocket science—you just have to be willing to embrace new ideas and perspectives. While embracing these subtle changes, don’t be pressured to make big, sudden changes.
You don’t have to channel your creative intelligence into designing a new product, starting a business, becoming an entrepreneur, or writing a song. Small changes like taking a new route home from work, doodling, or trying new recipes can make a big difference.
High creative intelligence may not guarantee personal and professional success—other factors like resilience, hard work, high emotional intelligence, well-developed social skills and social intelligence, intelligence quotient, grit, and personality also matter—but it significantly increases your chances.
