Two characteristics of creative people are that they have relevant experience and are persistent in their quest. Does this mean that people with the most experience and the highest need for achievement are the most creative? Explain your answer.

The answer is probably “No”. The textbook states that there is a dilemma regarding experience. On the one hand, people need plenty of experience to be familiar with the issues. The literature on creativity suggests that it may take several years of experience before a person has reached creative potential.

The dilemma is that the longer a person is in one field of study, the more he/she develops a mental model that stifles creativity. Some companies prefer people with no experience in an industry so they are more creative.

These two points are not exactly contradictory – a person may be new to an industry but has many years of experience in a particular skill or trade. However, the issue does suggest that there is an optimal level of experience before mental models undermine creative potential. It is less certain whether creativity continues to increase with need for achievement.

The textbook explains that need for achievement makes creative people more persistent, which is necessary in the face of short-term failures and doubts from others. Would a very strong need for achievement undermine creative potential? This is a matter for debate. Most likely too much need for achievement will create blind drive which can prevent people from seeing alternative strategies and the obvious inappropriateness of existing routes.

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