In this episode, Heather takes us back to her 8th-grade art class at the American School of Paris, where Mr. Kingsley made every student feel like Claude Monet in training. But not everyone had a Mr. Kingsley, many of us had our creative identity stolen at a young age. Heather explores the five systemic ways creativity gets killed in our lives and organizations. If you've ever packed away your creative self and learned to color inside the lines, this episode is for you.

Key Takeaways:

School taught us there's one right answer, so fear of being wrong causes us to skip divergent thinking and jump straight to finding the "correct" solution

Creativity has been optimized out of the schedule and you cannot innovate on a ruthlessly optimized calendar.

We say we want innovation but punish every mistake.

Well-meaning gatekeepers starve creativity through micromanagement, chronic stress, and criticism that destroys the psychological safety creativity needs to flourish

We defined creativity too narrowly. If you only look for artists and inventors, you'll miss the creative genius all around you, including your own

Next Episode: Special guest Cecilia de la Hoz joins us from Madrid, Spain. She never saw herself as creative until she took The Hodges 12. Fun fact: She and Heather have been friends since 8th grade!

Take the Assessment: Discover your creative genius type at www.thehodges12.com

Connect with Heather:

Website: www.HeatherHodges.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-l-hodges-phd-07400a142/

In this episode, Heather reveals why creativity is more than artistic ability, it's a universal human capacity that shows up in twelve distinct ways. She introduces The Hodges 12 Types of Creative Genius™ framework and walks through each type across three domains: Relational, Analytical, and Functional. Discover why 96% of leaders now say creativity is essential for success, yet 75% of people feel their creative potential is untapped at work. It's time to stop asking "Am I creative?" and start asking "How am I creative?"

Key Takeaways:

Everyone is creative, and we need everyone’s creativity.

Creativity is more than just being good at art, it's the intentional process of generating novel and useful ideas to solve complex problems

Your creativity is a gift; whether you see it through a spiritual or psychological lens, you were born to create

The Creativity Crisis: While 96% of leaders say creativity is essential, 75% of employees feel their creative potential is not being fully used at work

The Hodges 12 Types are organized into three domains: Relational (how you work with PEOPLE), Analytical (how you THINK), and Functional (how you BUILD)

Your top three types form your "Creative Genius trifecta" with over 1,300 unique profile combinations possible

Take the Assessment: Discover your creative genius type at www.thehodges12.com

Connect with Heather:

Website: www.HeatherHodges.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-l-hodges-phd-07400a142/

Welcome to Season 2 of the I'm IN! Podcast, and welcome to the Creative Genius Revolution.

This season, I'm on a mission to democratize creativity and help everyone recognize their creative gifts.

Here's what I've learned after years of research and thousands of conversations: most people don't think they're creative. They've been told by a teacher, a boss, or a culture that defines creativity too narrowly that it's just not their thing.

That’s simply not true. And this season, I'm going to prove it.

In this kickoff episode, I share why creativity is so much bigger than art, why human creativity matters more than ever in the age of AI, and what's ahead as we explore the 12 Types of Creative Genius™ together.

If you've ever thought "I'm not creative," this episode is your invitation to think again. It's time to become a creative force of nature.

In this episode:

Why I'm starting a Creative Genius Revolution

The difference between human creativity and AI "pseudo-creativity"

What's coming in Season 2: discovering YOUR creative genius type

Why the world can't afford for your creativity to stay hidden

Take the 12 Types of Creative Genius™ Assessment: www.thehodges12.com

Connect with Heather:

Website: www.HeatherHodges.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-l-hodges-phd-07400a142/