# Fostering Imagination By:: [[Ross Jackson]] 2023-04-04 How well do organizations and management foster a sense of imagination in the workforce? Some would likely argue that it isn’t their place to do so. Imagination is valued in creative fields like art and marketing but is not often discussed in more traditional disciplines. Of course, there are sometimes discussions around “creative accounting,” but that is a different concern altogether. Imagination is important in organizations because it is the way humans invent new ideas and ways of being. In short, imagination is transformative. Organizations benefit from this because they are sites in which people gather to work. The point isn’t simply to transform the material, but to transform the material existence of humanity. If we can envision it, we can make it happen. Technology shows this clearly. Science fiction becomes science fact frequently within one or two generations. Is it easier to invent new technologies than it is for us to become more humane? The evidence seems to suggest it is, but it doesn’t have to be. Our imaginations are our best hope for a better life. If management and organizations are not actively encouraging imagination, they are tacitly sustaining the status quo. Few people are satisfied with the way things are. The alternatives frequently presented are polarizing. New ideas are needed. They will be created through imagination. Let’s put focus and resources on fostering imagination at work. It might just make things better for better versions of us all. #### Related Items [[Imagination]] [[Work]] [[Creative]] [[Art]] [[Business]] [[The Human Condition]]