When Smart People Stop Thinking Creatively

Last month I spent time with the operating team of a well-established association. We were working together to translate their new strategic plan into an actionable operational roadmap.

This should have been an energising exercise, a chance to shape delivery, allocate responsibilities, and imagine the future in practical terms. But the atmosphere was heavy. Ideas were slow to form. Creativity didn’t flow. It felt as though the team had been desensitised to ideation. Not because they lack intelligence. Far from it. These are capable, experienced professionals. But they seemed stuck, unable to think beyond the boundaries of business as usual.

Why does this happen?

It’s a question that’s lingered with me for weeks. And the answer, I suspect, is one that many in the membership sector will recognise.

Institutionalisation Runs Deep

Over time, many associations become deeply institutionalised. Not in a sinister or cynical way, but in a subtle, pervasive way that values stability over innovation, risk management over risk-taking, and precedent over possibility.

People aren’t discouraged from thinking creatively. They just stop being encouraged to do so. They learn, through repetition, that ideas outside the operational norm often hit barriers, such as budget limitations, governance protocols, committee caution, capacity constraints, or a lack of executive sponsorship.

So, over time, they stop. Not because they can’t think creatively, but because they’ve learned that it often doesn’t lead anywhere.

When Creativity Isn’t Seen as Their Job

Another dynamic at play is the perceived ownership of strategy and creativity. In many associations, business development lives with the CEO and the senior management team. The operating team is expected to “implement” rather than interpret. As a result, when invited to help shape the operational plan that brings strategy to life, teams can feel uncertain or even unqualified. “Is this really our place?” “Do we have permission?”

They default to what they know, i.e., processes, workflows, business-as-usual. Not because they lack ambition, but because they’re more familiar with execution than innovation.

And when you've been rewarded for years for being efficient, dependable, and pragmatic, creativity can feel indulgent or risky.

There’s No Time to Think

The operational teams I meet are stretched thin. The day job is full. Firefighting is the norm. And in the rush to meet deadlines, support members, and maintain compliance, there’s little time or mental bandwidth to pause, reflect, and imagine.

You can’t be creative when you’re permanently in response mode. Creative thinking requires space. It requires oxygen. And it requires trust that your ideas won’t just be listened to but will be acted on.

Without that, people conserve their energy. They focus on what’s possible within the current structure, not what’s needed to deliver on the future promise.

Creativity Needs a Scaffold

“Be creative” is a paralysing instruction if no one shows you how. Many of the operating professionals in our sector haven’t been trained in ideation methods, futures thinking, or service design. Their roles don’t normally call for scenario planning or blue-sky thinking.

So when invited into a creative planning session, even a well-meaning one, they sometimes flounder, not because they lack ideas, but because they lack the tools to express them.

Creativity isn’t just about personality. It’s about process. Without a scaffold, even the most capable teams can feel stuck.

What We Can Do About It

If you’re serious about innovation, you have to be serious about execution. And execution doesn’t just happen because there’s a plan on a page. It happens because the people responsible for delivery feel empowered, included, and capable of shaping the path forward. So how do we unlock that?

1. Create a new environment Shake things up. Use different spaces, new facilitation styles, or alternative prompts. Ban phrases like “we tried that before.” Create a sense of permission to think differently.

   
   

2. Connect the dots Break strategy into real-world challenges and opportunities. Ask: “What does this mean for our team?” “What do we need to stop, start, or scale to achieve this?” Bring the abstract into the practical.

   
   

3. Equip teams with tools Use frameworks like user journey mapping, horizon scanning, or “what if” scenarios. Help teams practice creativity in ways that feel safe and purposeful.

   
   

4. Model the behaviour Leaders need to show vulnerability and openness too. Share half-formed ideas. Ask for input. Encourage curiosity, not perfection.

   
   

5. Build creative muscle over time Don’t make creativity a one-off event. Make it part of the rhythm of the organisation. Encourage regular reflection, iteration, and learning. Innovation isn’t static, and neither is the team.

If your operating team seems uninspired by strategy, don’t assume it’s because they’re not strategic. Ask instead: What have we done, consciously or unconsciously, to disconnect them from strategic thinking? Because if we want strategy to live and breathe beyond the boardroom, we need to reawaken the strategic thinker in everyone.

And that starts with trust, time, and the tools to think differently.

Let’s Start a Conversation

Have you experienced this kind of creative paralysis in your own team or organisation? What helped shift the dial? I’d love to hear your experiences - the successes, the stuck moments, and everything in between.

If you’re grappling with how to turn strategy into operational reality or want to energise your team’s thinking, let’s talk. There’s real power in unlocking the creativity that’s already sitting inside your organisation. Sometimes it just needs an outside spark.

Drop a comment, send a message, or tag someone who’s been part of this challenge. Strategy is too important to be left on paper. Let’s make it live.