Creativity Doesn’t Happen by Accident: Lessons from Amy Climer

In this engaging episode of the Epistemic Alchemy Podcast, Dr. Mohammed Raei speaks with Dr. Amy Climer, creativity expert, speaker, and author of the bestselling book Deliberate Creative Teams: How to Lead for Innovative Results. Drawing from her academic research and professional experience with organizations like the Mayo Clinic and Stanford University, Dr. Climer unpacks the myths and realities of creativity, especially within team settings.

She introduces her "Deliberate Creative Team Scale," a tool born from her mixed-methods dissertation that identifies three essential elements for team creativity: clear team purpose, effective team dynamics, and an intentional creative process. Climer emphasizes that creativity is not accidental—it is a deliberate, structured endeavor. She shares her journey transforming academic research into a practical, story-rich book, discusses her writing habits, and highlights tools like Scrivener and Climer Cards that aid the creative process.

The conversation also explores applications in academia, strategies to foster individual and team creativity, and Dr. Climer’s vision of what a deliberately creative university might look like. Packed with actionable insights and reflective moments, this episode offers valuable guidance for scholars, leaders, and practitioners looking to enhance creativity in their work and teams.

 

Resources:

Climer Consulting website: https://climerconsulting.com

Climer Cards website: https://climercards.com/

Deliberate Creative Teams: How to Lead for Innovative Results book: https://climerconsulting.com/book

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/climerconsulting
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amyclimer/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amyclimer/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/amyclimer

The Deliberate Creative Podcast: https://climerconsulting.com/podcast/ 

Creativity by Csikszentmihalyi   https://www.amazon.com/Creativity-Csikszentmihalyi-Mihaly-1st-HarperPerennial/dp/B00C6P1KWE

Scrivener https://www.literatureandlatte.com/scrivener/overview

Ulysses writing software https://ulysses.app/en/