Chaosandcreativity5b 100223111709 Phpapp02

Creativity at Work Quiz  
Self-Audit Ques.onnaire
How crea)ve are you?

This audit will help you Iden1fy the factors influencing crea1vity at work at the individual, organiza1onal,
leadership and team level. You can assess yourself, your team and your organiza1on using this audit.
Benefits
• Diagnose your current status regarding crea1vity and innova1on
• Discover the gaps that need bridging based on the audit’s results
• Learn where to op1mize your efforts to facilitate organiza1onal development and resource alloca1on.
Instruc+ons
Rate yourself and your organiza1on on a scale of 1 to 5, using the following scale: 1 = Not at all; 2 = To a small
extent; 3 = To a moderate extent; 4 = To a great extent; 5 = To a very great extent.
A How I perceive my personality traits (crea1ve or not). 5 points 4 points 3 points 2 points 1 point
To a very To a To a To a Not at all
great great moderat small
extent extent e extent extent
A1 I am always looking for solu1ons no maSer how daun1ng the

challenge
A2 I approach my job with an opportunity mindset, showing

ini1a1ve and solving problems
A3 I am tenacious— I show ini1a1ve and commitment
A4 I feel confident that I can develop crea1ve ideas to solve

problems, and implement solu1ons. I
A5 My colleagues think I have good ideas
A6 I see problems, complaints, and boSlenecks as opportuni1es
A7 Being crea1ve at work is important to me
A8 I regularly ques1on conven1onal wisdom
A9 I welcome feedback and use it to grow
A10 I am open and recep1ve to ideas that challenge my way of

thinking
Linda Naiman, Founder of Creativity at Work | Tel: +1 (604) 327-1565 | ln@creativityatwork.com | www.creativityatwork.com page 1
B Factors influencing individual crea1vity 5 points 4 points 3 points 2 points 1 point

To a very To a To a To a small Not at
great great modera extent all
extent extent te
extent
B1 I believe that my personality traits (self-esteem, respect for

others’ opinion, extrovert/introvert, etc.) make me more crea1ve
in the workplace
B2 I am interested in my work and I find it rewarding/fulfilling (I have

a personal interest and goals in terms of what I do for my work)
B3 My previous experience makes me more crea1ve in the workplace
B4 I can easily build on others’ crea1ve ideas, and I collaborate with

others in crea1ve thinking sessions
B5 My personal contacts enhance my level of crea1vity in the

workplace
B6 I can ‘reframe’ problems to look at them from a different

perspec1ve
B7 I am sa1sfied with my salary/remunera1on package at work
B8 I can step back from a problem and see the bigger picture.
B8 I look for ways to align myself with the strategic goals of my

organiza1on’s senior leadership
B9 I have received training in crea1vity and innova1on
B10 I can be very persuasive in influencing others to adopt my ideas
B11 I know what kinds of innova1on ideas my company is looking for
B12 I take 1me to think through situa1ons, look at the big picture,
bounce ideas off of peers, and experiment
B13 I can see what the root cause of a problem is to challenge the
current situa1on
B14 I can see what is required to turn a crea1ve idea into ac1on.
B15 I prefer to approach problems in a logical and ra1onal manner

before I brainstorm crea1ve ideas
C Factors affec1ng organiza1onal crea1vity 5 points 4 points 3 points 2 points 1 point

To a very To a To a To a small Not at all
great great moderat extent
extent extent e extent
Strategy & Crea+vity
C1 My organiza1on shares visions and goals clearly with all

employees
C2 We provide training and support so people at all levels have

the knowledge and tools to generate solu1ons.
C3 In my organiza1on, we set goals for innovation (new ideas

for products, services, processes)
C4 We look ahead to the next 5-10 years, and actively seek

solutions on how to stay ahead of the curve
C5 My organiza1on rewards crea1vity in meaningful ways that

mo1vate employees
C6 My organiza1on values innova1on and is willing to take

calculated risks
C7 We minimize rules, policies, bureaucracy and rigidity to

simplify our workplace
C8 We hire people with diverse backgrounds and disciplines to

ensure more robust perspectives
C9 We have a burning desire to explore opportunities and to

create new things.
C10 We reward people for participating in potentially risky

opportunities, irrespective of the outcome
C11 We have a structured approach to navigating creativity and

innovation as a process
Freedom & Crea+vity
C12 We are able to freely voice our opinions, even about

unconventional or controversial ideas
C Factors affec1ng organiza1onal crea1vity 5 points 4 points 3 points 2 points 1 point

C13 We appreciate, respect and leverage the differences that

exist within our community.
C14 In my organization, people at all levels are encouraged to

proactively take initiative to innovate.
C15 My organization provides the necessary resources for

employees to implement innovation. (Time, finances,
technology, human resources)
C16 My organization encourages proactive behaviour and ideas
Communica+on & Creativity
C17 My organiza1on supports open (frequent exchange of

ideas, etc.) communica1on amongst employees
C18 My organiza1on supports knowledge sharing (via formal/

informal mee1ngs, etc)
C19 We are good at leveraging our relationships with suppliers

and vendors to pursue innovation.
C20 My organiza1on implements creativity techniques. (such

as brainstorming, storytelling, design thinking etc.)
C21 To solve a problem in one department we oeen call for

ideas and help from other departments
C22 In my organiza1on we spend 1me thinking about the

future, not just about today’s problems
C23 My work seSing (well illuminated, quiet, clean, etc.)

supports my creativity at work
C24 My organization organizes events such as team building

and trainings to enhance leadership, team performance,
and creativity
D Organiza1onal leadership 5 points 4 points 3 points 2 points 1 point

My organiza1on’s leadership/ management serves as a

D1 crea1ve model (tries out new ideas and approaches to
problems)
Our leaders inspire us with a vision for the future and

D2
articulation of opportunities for the organization.
My organiza+on’s leadership/ management role:
• gets me to look at problems at work from many

D3
different angles
• treats me as an individual rather than just a member

D4
of a group
• inspires enthusiasm about what needs to be

D5
accomplished
• supports employees’ training in crea1vity and

D6
innova1on
• is approachable to employees in order to discuss

D7
problems/ ideas
• is aware of employees’ work schedule and problems at

D8
work
• doesn’t have unrealis1cally high expecta1ons towards

D9
employees
D10 • recognizes contribu1ons and accomplishments
E Team Crea1vity 5 points 4 points 3 points 2 points 1 point

To a very To a To a To a Not at all
great great moderat small
extent extent e extent extent
My working team is diverse (different educa1onal or cultural

E1
background, approaches, thinking styles, etc.).
E2 When necessary, my working team uses an external expert.
I have frequent and open (trusting, candid) communication

E3
with my supervisors/ leadership/ management.
I have frequent and open (trusting, candid) communication

E4
with my co-workers.
When my team is looking to solve a problem, we generate a

E5
lot of ideas before choosing one or two.
E6 There are few conflicts among team members at work.
We appreciate, respect and leverage the differences that

E7
exist within our community.
Having an opponent increases my level of motivation and

E8
determination
I prefer to work with others in a team effort rather than

E9
alone
INTERPRETING RESULTS
Below are guidelines for interpre1ng each sec1on of the ques1onnaire.
• CREATIVE PERSONALITY
• CREATIVITY TRAITS & BELIEFS
• ORGANIZATIONAL CREATIVITY
• ORGANIZATION’S LEADERSHIP
• TEAM CREATIVITY
Ra1ngs provided are for a single respondent. This scale should be recalculated in accordance with the number of
respondents you have. For example, if you have 10 respondents the ra1ngs for 1 respondent will be mul1plied by
10 and so on.
Double-check that you gave yourself the appropriate points for each answer: Strongly Agree = 5 points, Agree
= 4 points, Neutral = 3 points, Disagree = 2 points and Strongly Disagree = 1 point
Scale for 1 respondent Scale for 10 respondents

15–23 Low 150 – 230 Low
24–38 Below average 240 – 380 Below average
39–53 Average 390 – 530 Average
54–66 Above average 540 – 660 Above average
67–75 High 670 – 750 High 
Please keep in mind that this ques+onnaire is only indica+ve and explores the percep+ons of respondents.
The main aim of this ques1onnaire is to iden1fy the weak points in the organiza1on as perceived by yourself,
your team and employees, depending on the scope of your survey. When scoring yourself or groups, pay
aSen1on to the par1cular statements with lower points by the majority of respondents, then explore ways
you can increase your scores.
☐ CREATIVE PERSONALITY SCORE

Start by analyzing the importance you assign to crea1vity at work; whether you consider yourself to be at
work; your feelings about what colleagues think of your work, and how you feel when facing challenges. Pay
aSen1on to the par1cular statements that you assessed with lower points and develop ways to raise that
score. The key to improving personal crea1vity and start coming up with new ideas is to iden1fy the factors
which suppress it.
Tips:
• Seven Habits of Highly Crea1ve People
• How to Quit Stalling and Get Started on Your Crea1ve Project
☐ CREATIVITY TRAITS & BELIEFS SCORE

In a workplace context, the crea1ve output of employees is oeen a synergy between the characteris1cs of
the individual and the environment they work in. Support from leaders and peers plus having the 1me and
opportunity to try things out in prac1ce oeen enables a crea1ve person to make a notable contribu1on. The
ability of individuals to generate more original ideas can be developed through training and facilita1on in
crea1ve thinking techniques.
Tips:
• 5 Discovery Skills That Form the Secret Sauce of Innova1on
• Maximizing Your Crea1ve Thinker Talent
• Crea1vity Workshops for Business
• Whole-Brain Thinking for Crea1vity and Innova1on
☐ ORGANIZATIONAL CREATIVITY SCORE

Ques1ons are focused on important factors that research has shown to affect organiza1onal crea1vity,
including implemen1ng crea1vity techniques and strategies which help to enhance crea1vity.
The driving force of every organiza1on is the human capital. Hence if a leader wants to improve the crea1vity
in their organiza1on they have to start from the people – they are the most valuable company asset of all.
Tips:
• The Progress Principle and the Power of Small Wins
• Design Your Workplace Culture (And Gain a Compe11ve Advantage)
☐ ORGANIZATION’S LEADERSHIP SCORE

Leadership is commonly seen as an important variable affec1ng organiza1onal performance. Crea1ve leaders
need to seek opportuni1es for crea1ng shared value even in the hardest of 1mes and the most difficult of
circumstances. They need to align crea1vity and innova1on ini1a1ves with organiza1onal objec1ves, and
encourage employees to share their ideas and opinions about ways to add value to customers and
stakeholders.
Tips:
• Crea1ve Leadership: Who is Bringing You Hot Ideas and How Are You Responding?
• CEOs Discover the Power of Art and What It Can Teach About Leadership
☐ TEAM CREATIVITY SCORE

Ques1ons in this sec1on are focused on important factors that research has shown to affect team crea1vity.
When problems arise, having a team of people that can solve issues quickly and effec1vely with a liSle
crea1ve thinking is beneficial to everyone. Organiza1ons that encourage and carve out 1me for crea1vity
have found increased employee engagement, mo1va1on and produc1vity.
Tips:
• 11 Ways to Get the Best Brainstorming Results
• 12 Ways to Enhance Crea1vity and Collabora1on in Teams
• The Alchemy Of Leadership: Transforming Leaden Thinking into the Gold of Wisdom
Write down your top three ac+on steps to improve crea+vity at work, and start dates
This self-audit was adapted from Self-Audit Crea6vity Tool & Methodology by I-CREATE and E.U Lifelong
Learning Program, 2012.
Would you like unlock more of the power of Crea)vity at Work in your organiza)on?
Crea1vity at Work is an innova1on consultancy specializing in arts-based

learning as a catalyst for crea1vity, and design thinking as a strategy for
innova1on
We provide consul1ng, training, and coaching in crea1vity and innova1on
for leaders and their teams in business, non-profits and public sector
organiza1ons.
Feel free to reach out if you have any ques1ons or feedback, or if you’d like
to explore how we might work together.
Please contact:
Linda Naiman, Founder, Crea1vity at Work LN@Crea1vityatwork.com, or
call +1 604-327-1565
Selected clients:

REFERENCES
1. Amabile, T.M. 1996. Crea1vity in Context. Boulder, CO: Westview Press.
2. Capozzi, Marla M. et al. 2011. Sparking crea1vity in teams: An execu1ve’s guide. McKinsey
Quarterly
3. Duxbury, Tom. 2012. Technology Management Innova1on Review, Crea1vity: Linking Theory and
Prac1ce for Entrepreneurs
4. Elsbach, K. D., & Hargadon, A. B. (2006). Enhancing crea1vity through “mindless” work: A
framework of workday design. Organiza1on Science, 17, 470-483.
5. Elton Mayo, Social Problems of an Industrial Civiliza1on. Boston: Division of Research, Graduate
School of Business Administra1on, Harvard University, 1945, p. 64
6. Grant, A. M. 2008. The significance of task significance: Job performance effects, rela1onal
mechanisms, and boundary condi1ons. Journal of Applied Psychology, 93, 108-124.
7. Lombardo B., Roddy J. D., 2010, Cul1va1ng Organiza1onal Crea1vity in an Age of Complexity: A
companion study to the IBM 2010 Global Chief Human Resource Officer Study
8. Mauzy, Jeffrey H. 2006, Managing Personal Crea1vity, Ar1cle reprint, Design Management Review
9. Naiman, Linda. Interna1onal Associa1on of Business Communicators (2010) hSps://
www.iabc.com/mind-the-crea1vity-gap-unlocking-crea1ve-poten1al-is-key-to-economic-growth/
10. Naiman, Linda, 2010. Fostering Crea1vity in the Workplace
11. Norman, Warren T., The Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, Vol 66(6), Jun 1963, 574-583.
12. PaSerson, Ch., Individual and Organiza1onal Crea1vity, Halifax, Nova Sco1a, Canada
13. Rao, Jay and Weintraub, Jay. "How Innova1ve Is Your Company’s Culture?” MIT Sloan
Management Revue, March 19, 2013
14. Shalley, C. E., Zhou, J., & Oldham, G. R. 2004. The effects of personal and contextual characteris1cs
on crea1vity: Where should we go from here? Journal of Management, 30, 933-958.

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Creativity at Work Quiz

How crea)ve are you?

A1 I am always looking for solu1ons no maSer how daun1ng the

A2 I approach my job with an opportunity mindset, showing

A3 I am tenacious— I show ini1a1ve and commitment

A4 I feel conﬁdent that I can develop crea1ve ideas to solve

A5 My colleagues think I have good ideas

A6 I see problems, complaints, and boSlenecks as opportuni1es

A7 Being crea1ve at work is important to me

A8 I regularly ques1on conven1onal wisdom

A9 I welcome feedback and use it to grow

A10 I am open and recep1ve to ideas that challenge my way of

B Factors inﬂuencing individual crea1vity 5 points 4 points 3 points 2 points 1 point

B1 I believe that my personality traits (self-esteem, respect for

B2 I am interested in my work and I ﬁnd it rewarding/fulﬁlling (I have

B3 My previous experience makes me more crea1ve in the workplace

B4 I can easily build on others’ crea1ve ideas, and I collaborate with

B5 My personal contacts enhance my level of crea1vity in the

B6 I can ‘reframe’ problems to look at them from a diﬀerent

B7 I am sa1sﬁed with my salary/remunera1on package at work

B8 I look for ways to align myself with the strategic goals of my

B9 I have received training in crea1vity and innova1on

B10 I can be very persuasive in inﬂuencing others to adopt my ideas

B11 I know what kinds of innova1on ideas my company is looking for

B15 I prefer to approach problems in a logical and ra1onal manner

C Factors aﬀec1ng organiza1onal crea1vity 5 points 4 points 3 points 2 points 1 point

Strategy & Crea+vity

C1 My organiza1on shares visions and goals clearly with all

C2 We provide training and support so people at all levels have

C3 In my organiza1on, we set goals for innovation (new ideas

C4 We look ahead to the next 5-10 years, and actively seek

C5 My organiza1on rewards crea1vity in meaningful ways that

C6 My organiza1on values innova1on and is willing to take

C7 We minimize rules, policies, bureaucracy and rigidity to

C8 We hire people with diverse backgrounds and disciplines to

C9 We have a burning desire to explore opportunities and to

C10 We reward people for participating in potentially risky

C11 We have a structured approach to navigating creativity and

Freedom & Crea+vity

C12 We are able to freely voice our opinions, even about

C Factors aﬀec1ng organiza1onal crea1vity 5 points 4 points 3 points 2 points 1 point

C13 We appreciate, respect and leverage the diﬀerences that

C14 In my organization, people at all levels are encouraged to

C15 My organization provides the necessary resources for

C16 My organization encourages proactive behaviour and ideas

Communica+on & Creativity

C17 My organiza1on supports open (frequent exchange of

C18 My organiza1on supports knowledge sharing (via formal/

C19 We are good at leveraging our relationships with suppliers

C20 My organiza1on implements creativity techniques. (such

C21 To solve a problem in one department we oeen call for

C22 In my organiza1on we spend 1me thinking about the

C23 My work seSing (well illuminated, quiet, clean, etc.)

C24 My organization organizes events such as team building

D Organiza1onal leadership 5 points 4 points 3 points 2 points 1 point

My organiza1on’s leadership/ management serves as a

Our leaders inspire us with a vision for the future and

My organiza+on’s leadership/ management role:

• gets me to look at problems at work from many

• treats me as an individual rather than just a member

• inspires enthusiasm about what needs to be

• supports employees’ training in crea1vity and

• is approachable to employees in order to discuss

Creativity at Work Quiz  