Summary

The article discusses the nature of creativity, distinguishing between intellectual creativity as a learned skill and creativity that arises from the synergy of both brain hemispheres.

Abstract

The article titled "Intellectual Creativity Is Merely Learned" on the undefined website delves into the concept of creativity, challenging the notion that it is inherently linked to the synergy between the left and right brains. It posits that the first form of creativity is intellectual, dependent on the left brain, and is a by-product of learning and memory. This type of creativity is common among thought-leaders who synthesize existing knowledge into new forms, though it is not to be confused with plagiarism. The article also touches on the dark side of this intellectual creativity, noting that it can be prevalent among narcissists and psychopaths who often rise to leadership positions, contributing to toxic organizational cultures. In contrast, true original creativity is described as the result of a harmonious partnership between the analytical left brain and the intuitive, emotional right brain, leading to a whole-brain approach that is both logical and emotional. This synergy is seen as a key outcome of re-writing one's subconscious program and is exemplified by principle-centered creators who can educate, inspire, and move people. The article concludes by questioning the overvaluation of creativity in the workplace and the risks of prioritizing learned creativity over original creativity that benefits both the individual and the world.

Opinions

The author respects Albert Einstein and believes in the duty to act on one's knowledge.
Intellectual creativity is valued but should not be mistaken for originality; it is often an adaptation of existing ideas.
There is a concern that intellectually creative individuals, particularly those with character disturbances like narcissism, can negatively impact organizational cultures.
The article suggests that a balance between left-brain logic and right-brain emotion leads to true creativity.
The author emphasizes the importance of developing both sides of the brain for a more integrated and fulfilling creative process.
There is a critique of the modern workplace's emphasis on a narrow view of creativity, which may inadvertently empower manipulators.
The author advocates for a shift towards valuing creativity that is both intellectually sound and emotionally resonant, fostering servant leadership and innovation that gives back to the world.

LEADERSHIP

Intellectual Creativity Is Merely Learned

It has nothing to do with the synergy between your left and right brains.

Those who have the privilege to know have the duty to act. ~ Albert Einstein

If you are a new reader, welcome on board, and thank you for deciding to stop by. If you are a returning one, I want you to know how grateful I am for your trust and loyalty!

I have great respect for Albert Einstein. Thus, I needed to listen to his recommendation and share my thoughts about creativity with you. It seems to me many people tend to believe all creative work is “original”.

Creativity as a learning by-product

The first kind of creativity is purely intellectual. In other words, it entirely depends on the left brain. This type is merely the by-product of all that we have learned so far. In other words, the outcome of our curiosity and highly effective memory.

So many impressive thought-leaders are intellectually creative. Their left brain is so developed that they effortlessly ingurgitate their previous fellow thinkers’ works, restructure them to adapt them to their way of sharing their knowledge with the world.

Bear in mind that I am not talking about plagiarism here. There is a tremendous effort in creating our style of thought built from the combination of several sources with which we resonate.

It is anything but a trivial task. It takes a strong will to develop one’s intellectual intelligence as well as investing time and energy in learning. Not that many people keep this thirst for knowledge after finishing the academic curriculum, which is a sad reality we need to admit.

More to the point, unless you are one of those intellectual geniuses who “invented the wheel” and who are rare in our modern world, the chances are high that, if you are considered as a thought-leader, your creativity is only a brilliant adaptation of what already exists.

Interestingly, there is a critical problem linked to this kind of creativity. Many character-disturbed individuals, among whom narcissists and especially the malignant ones — or what some psychologists like to call the “Sadistic Psychopaths” — tend to be very intellectually creative.

It is the reason why those troubled souls are, more often than we could wish, on the top of organizations, which explains why most organizational cultures are anything but empowering, and why most collaborators are treated like “things” and report a low level of satisfaction in the workplace for their majority.

When the culture of an organization mandates that it is more important to protect the reputation of a system and those in power than it is to protect the basic human dignity of individuals or communities, you can be certain that shame is systemic, money drives ethics, and accountability is dead. ~ Brené Brown

You need to understand that those manipulators have some of the most performing memories. They learned to stock as much information as possible as a survival strategy and a means to compensate for their disconnection from their inner-world. Simply put, they needed a way to nurture their delusional grandiosity.

Unfortunately, in the absence of global awareness about this reality and, most importantly, how dangerous those people are, it comes without surprise that mental health problems are exponentially rising in the professional context.

Creativity as the fruit of the synergy between the Right and Left Brains

One of the very practical results of being principle-centered is that it makes us whole — truly integrated. People who are scripted deeply in logical, verbal, left-brain thinking will discover how inadequate that thinking is in solving problems that require a great deal of creativity. They become aware and begin to open up a script inside their right brain. It’s not that the right brain wasn’t there; it just lay dormant. The muscles have not been developed, or perhaps they had atrophied after early childhood because of the heavy left-brain emphasis of formal education or social scripting. When a person has access to both the intuitive, creative, and visual right brain, and the analytical, logical, verbal left brain, then the whole brain is working. In other words, there is psychic synergy taking place in our head, and this tool is best suited to the reality of what life is because life is not just logical — it is also emotional. ~ Dr. Stephen R. Covey

Whenever your two brains start acting like healthy partners, the synergy gives birth to your original creativity, which would flow smoothly, even when you have never been described as an artist. And guess what? This new skill is only one of the numerous outcomes of re-writing your subconscious program.

When it comes to artists, I get the feeling that their creativity is original even when they are diving into life with an invasive program and tons of emotional scars and mental unfriendly patterns for a simple reason: their right and emotional brain somehow won the battle from their early age.

The main advantage of the principle-centered creators over the artists is the fact they can combine knowledge and beauty. They can educate and inspire and/or move you at the same time.

They are not only thought-leaders. They are not only artists. They are servant leaders. They bring magic to the table!

Final thoughts

Creativity and innovation have become such overrated skills during the last two decades, and to a great extent in the workplace context.

Two questions could be interesting to reflect on:

How much are we paying attention to the kind of this creativity?
For how long are we willing to promote the learned creativity over the original one rooted to the two brains’ synergy, with the risk of enabling a manipulator?

Let’s agree on something, both learned and original creativity fueled by the synergy could generate brilliant results. Nonetheless, there is a fundamental difference when it comes to the drive:

While the former one is exclusively self-satisfaction, the latter one is giving back to the world!

If you enjoyed your read and that you can get excited about the idea, we can become email friends here!

Gratitude

As usual, I want to thank all of you, dear readers, who decided to stop by and give this piece some of your precious time!

Also, my gratitude goes to the “Illumination-Curated” publication for giving my words a platform, its generous conductor Dr Mehmet Yildiz, as well as to all the dedicated editors — and most specifically my friend Stuart Englander!