I again found myself in a museum, staring at a painting and letting my mind wander primarily about creativity. Museums became my places of refuge. Paintings, walls, stories. I feel like a traveler through time and spaces collecting all the possible senses and knowledge about the people, circumstances, and interpretations of the so-called art pieces carefully being taken care of, behind sealed frames and glasses, in the big brother’s rooms full of camera and security measurements, and the precise temperature and humidity, too precious to be touched, often worth millions of dollars.

I was at the Museum of Modern Art in NYC, staring at “The Starry Night” by Van Gogh. It was pretty surreal to see this painting in front of my eyes. And here is the irony of it. Van Gogh wasn’t considered to be any creative. Quite the opposite. He was an outcast in society, deeply misunderstood, and considered crazy. And yet, his paintings are among the most expensive ones ever sold.

But Iwona, why Van Gogh this week? Because: creativity.

I have talked to many smart people in the last weeks—professionals of all walks of life, talents, and geographies. And yet, for most of them, creativity has never been a topic – in their professional and private lives. Even as team leaders very high up in organizations.

And it stunned me. Not just because, personally and professionally, I’m in love with creativity and its powers, but also because it looks like…

…people and organizations are missing out on millions of dollars of opportunities if they don’t allow creativity to flow in their teams and organizations.

So my question to you today is: Do you allow yourself and your people to be genuinely creative, and if so, how do you celebrate creativity? If not and you punish them for being “too much of dreamers and creatives”, why and why not let them be who they truly are?