Multidimensional Approach to Detecting Creative Potential in Managers

Creativity is increasingly recognized as a key component to success in the workplace. This article explores the detection of creative potential inmanagers. In a first part, creative potential is defined and a multivariate approach concerning the psychological resources for creativity is presented. Then, in a second part, an application of this approach to the detection of creative potential of managers is proposed, with two empirical illustrations. The profile of cognitive and conative characteristics associated with creative managers is examined and contrasted with the profile for a different line of work, creative design. In a further study, managers completed several creative thinking divergent production tasks, the results of which showed some task specificity. Thus, the profile for managerial creativity varies, to some extent, with the kind of managerial task, rather than being a general ability.