Years ago, we had a manager named Ania running one of our publishing operations. She was well-liked, diligent, and responsible. Still, we felt the business needed a more creative spark, so we brought in a rising executive to take her place. Ania transitioned out gracefully and left the company on good terms.

Things turned out well. Our business thrived and Ania became a highly sought-after interior decorator, renowned for her creativity. The problem wasn’t that she lacked any creative ability. The problem was that we weren’t giving her the type of challenges that excited her. While she languished in our business, she thrived in a different environment.

The truth is that there is no such thing as a “creative personality.” You set the conditions for the people in your organization to be cr

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