I’m always amazed at how many people I meet who say they aren’t terribly creative. For starters, it’s not true. Perhaps they’re not as creative now as they were when they were children, but the reality is – every human has the capacity to be creative. It’s part of our DNA. Cave dwellers painted on walls, while animals of all kinds participate in play. You could say the world is one gigantic playground.

And yet, many adults have forgotten how to play. It’s understandable. Life is about work, getting things done, and taking care of others. Life is about responsibilities and decisions and the never-ending ploy to squeeze more effort into more hours in the day. Play, naturally, takes a back seat.

But one could also argue that the most successful people are also the most creative. The entrepreneur who hits it big. The clever engineer who solves a tricky problem. The resourceful non-profit executive who works with limited resources. Those who apply their creative minds to solving problems and offering alternative options often get rewarded in ways that far surpass the average worker or individual. In other words, if you want greater success, first be more creative.

How do you go about rediscovering your inner child? You must re-learn it. Here are seven useful ways to get in the “mood.”

Accept and Even Embrace Failure. That’s right. Learn from your mistakes. How does that help creativity? Because it frees you from having to do things the “right” way. When I paint, I fail a lot. Sometimes I mix terrible combinations of color which become mud. Other times I screw up the look of a shadow. The reality is – I often have to fail to see what works or to learn something new. Go ahead. Fail. Failure is learning and from learning comes new approaches.

Mix Odd Combinations. Artists and engineers do this all the time. So do chefs. Someone combines a running shoe with an iPod. The result? A smart shoe that keeps track of running times. Get in the habit of joining things that normally aren’t put together. Who cares if the combination doesn’t at first make sense. That’s not the goal. The goal is to get into the habit of seeing the world differently and playing around.

Go for Volume. To be more creative, you must expand on the number of ideas you have. Too many times we look for one or two solutions to a problem when there may be hundreds. Get in the habit of always looking for 10 different options to any one problem, opportunity or situation. In other words, if someone asks you to come up with a new way of distributing your product, give them 10 alternatives instead of two. More importantly, don’t evaluate the quality of those options initially. Don’t limit yourself. It’s more important you seek out as many alternatives as you can think of.

Thicken Your Skin. Creativity and innovative thinking often makes other people uncomfortable. For example, have you ever introduced a new idea at a staff meeting, only to suddenly feel a cold chill in the room? Chances are you won’t introduce a new idea to that group again. But that’s wrong. You should be able to introduce new ideas effortlessly and without shame. It takes some fortitude, though. Start small and build up your confidence. Get used to the idea of offering ideas. Get people to trust you that regardless of the quality of the idea, the act of generating something new is worthwhile and valuable.

Feed the Beast. Not sure you can display your newfound creativity in your current workplace? Find another outlet instead. Leap into a more creative pursuit in the arts. Do it because it’s fun, not because you need to make a living or impress your friends. What you may discover is that your newfound artistic bent will start to spill over into your professional pursuits, resulting in more creative decision making.

Use the Tools. You can’t build a house without some basic tools, so why should you expect to be more creative without taking advantage of some of the tools that are available. For example, Brainwriting (the technique where you write down each thought) is an excellent tool for creative thought. Similarly, visualization (where you simply imagine an action taking place) is one of the most creative tools at your disposal. Do a Google search for innovation or creativity tools and try some of them.

You Are What You Think. If you think that you are creative, then you will act in accordance with that self-belief. As one motivational speaker once said, “You are what you think about most of the time.” Remind yourself that you have creative abilities and then confirm that belief in simple, effective ways. Be creative quietly and without fanfare. Prove to yourself that this is something that is actually pretty easy for you to do.

It’s okay to be a child again, or rather – to think like a child. Children have fun with make-believe. They let their imaginations run wild. Why? Because it’s fun and rewarding. You can do the same. You can be creative. You can have fun, regardless of your profession or lot in life. In the process, what you may discover is that your newfound creative bent elevates you in your profession in ways you never imagined.

Gene Pinder is the director of marketing for Centennial Campus, an award-winning research park at NC State. He also teaches innovative thinking to graduate students.

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Are you a real leader? Not if you’ve ever tried to put one of these over on someone.

1. It’s not my fault.

Oh yes it is. The leader steps up to accountability for whatever happens on his or her watch. Did the President personally screw up the response efforts to Hurricane Katrina? No, but it was his fault. That was his team that dropped the ball.

2. Hey, I didn’t hire so and so.

You thought you had me on this one, didn’t you? After all, when you inherit a job with people in place, you can’t be responsible for everything they do, right? You’re supposed to be responsible for your own team.

Correct, and unless and until you make some changes, the team you inherit is your own team. Don’t waste time making changes if they are needed. And don’t hesitate for a second when it’s time to support the people on your team, whether you hired them or not.

3. We had a miscommunication around expectations.

This is one of the most over used excuses in the book. Good leaders know the importance of clear communications, and they know how to test understanding early on in any program or project to make sure people are communicating effectively. What this really means is that we didn’t start managing this effort until it was already too late.

4. I don’t have enough resources to get the job done.

Staffing levels, budgets, required technology are all things that get negotiated going into a job or a project. Once the starting bell has rung, you are on the line. Do surprises occur? Yes, and when they do the leader does not make excuses. He or she clearly and effectively outlines how the game has changed, and engages all parties needed to figure out how to respond.

5. I wanted to (hire/fire/approve/disapprove/start/stop) that one, but my boss made the final decision.

Then you’re not the leader, are you? Leaders have bosses too. Even CEO’s have to answer to a Board. But when you turn around to those who view YOU as the leader, you have to own every decision.

Leaders and excuses? They really don’t go together.

The organization that isn’t changing is probably dying. For more information about managing change and developing leaders, please visit www.thomasjodea.com.

Tom O’Dea has more than 20 years of senior leadership experience in companies ranging from startups to multi billion dollar corporations.

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