The Creative Mind

On Creative People
Highly creative people have an independence of judgment.
They are questioning of authority.
They make fewer quick decisions, fewer black and white decisions.
They’re prepared to entertain irrational impulses.
They place great value on humor.
They cannot be rigidly controlled.

On Their Loyalties
Their first loyalty is never to the company, but to themselves and their profession.
They’re true to their own talent, their environment and its challenges

On Their Orientation to Problems
Their prime motivation is never money.
They simply spend all they can get and want more.
They are motivated by the task.
They work harder, longer without external pressures if the task attracts them and the environment excites them.
With the creative person, in the exploratory stages, there is great interest in the problem at hand, perhaps commitment to its eventual solution, but certainly not to any particular approach.

On Their Approach to Work
Creative people spend more time sifting alternatives not appearing to “get on with it.”
They make irregular progress.
Not step-by-step, but in unpredictable leaps.
This is lateral thought.
There is an open mindedness, a willingness to pursue leads in any direction, a relaxed and perhaps child-like, playful attitude that allows a disorganized, undisciplined approach to the point of putting the problem aside entirely.

On Their Judgment
Creative people are frightened of early commitment to an idea. (They are still sifting)
They need undisciplined exploration including artificial disorganizers such as drugs, alcohol, brain storming, games and anything but direct pressure.

On Managing Them
Management has to learn how to distinguish incubation from laziness suspend judgment from indecision boundary expansion from drunkenness.

On Their Big Ideas
Creativity is characterized by a willingness to seek and accept relevant information from any and all sources; to suspend judgment and defer commitment until The Big Idea.
Once finally arrived at, it is held to with bull-headed conviction and defended vehemently.
There is great conviction, dogged perseverance, strong ego involvement,
longing for praise and dogmatic support of the new way.

(Editor's note: I have no idea where that came from)