Several weeks after a young man had been hired, he was called into the human resources director’s office. 

She asked: “What is the meaning of this?” When you applied for this job, you told us you had five years’ experience. Now we discovered this is the first job you’ve ever held.”

“Well,” the young man replied, “in your advertisement you said you wanted somebody with imagination.” 

All kidding aside, imagination plays a crucial role in both creativity and problem-solving within the workplace.

“Imagination is more important than knowledge,” said Albert Einstein, the physicist who is best known for developing the theory of relativity. That must be why Nov. 21 is National Imagination Day.

Imagination fuels innovation by allowing individuals to envision new products, services or processes that don’t yet exist. It helps break free from conventional thinking and explore uncharted territories. Imagination is the engine of innovation and the key to solving complex problems.

A vivid imagination can lead to a wealth of ideas. In brainstorming sessions, imaginative thinkers can contribute unique perspectives that spark further creativity among team members.

For roles that involve design, marketing or content creation, imagination fuels artistic expression. It is essential for crafting compelling narratives and visuals that capture the audience’s attention.

Imagination also encourages out-of-box thinking, allowing individuals to approach problems from different angles, leading to innovative solutions that might not be immediately obvious. By imagining various scenarios and outcomes, employees can better anticipate potential challenges and prepare effective strategies to address them.

Imaginative thinkers are often more adaptable, as they can quickly pivot and devise alternative plans when faced with unexpected obstacles.

In addition, imagination helps in understanding different perspectives, which is crucial when solving problems that involve diverse teams or customer bases.

“Logic will get you from A to Z; imagination will get you everywhere,” Einstein said.

What are some of the ways you can encourage imagination at your company?

Create a supportive environment. Encourage open communication and provide spaces where employees feel comfortable sharing ideas without judgment.

Foster collaboration. Diverse teams bring together different viewpoints, which can enhance imaginative thinking and lead to more robust solutions.

Provide resources. Offer tools, workshops and training that stimulate creativity and imaginative thinking.

Recognize and reward. Acknowledge imaginative contributions and celebrate successes that result from creative problem-solving.

L. Frank Baum, author of “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,” surely had an active imagination. His Oz characters and story line are evidence of that. But did you know that in his more than 55 novels, 82 short stories and 200 poems, he also envisioned such later inventions as the laptop computer, color television and wireless phones? By the way, Baum died in 1919, long before any of these gadgets could have been practically produced.

“Imagination has brought mankind through the dark ages to its present state of civilization,” Baum said. “Imagination has given us the steam engine, the telephone, the talking-machine and the automobile, for these things had to be dreamed of before they became realities. So I believe that dreams – daydreams, you know, with your eyes wide open and your brain machinery whizzing – are likely to lead to the betterment of the world. The imaginative child will become the imaginative man or woman most apt to invent, and therefore to foster civilization.”

If we want to cultivate creativity and imagination, a good place to start is with children. Children don’t recognize limits on possibilities. They look through that different lens, that is, until we train them to focus on the practical. Children are open to trying all kinds of solutions. We would do well to learn from them that there is rarely just one way to get a job done.

Two parents were working on their Christmas cards with their six-year-old son. The son’s job was to lick the stamps (back before self-adhesive stamps). But the little boy balked because he didn’t like the taste of the glue on the stamps. His parents prevailed, and reluctantly, he went to his room to finish his assignment.

Before long, he emerged from his room with a big smile on his face and handed his father the pile. Every envelope was stamped. His stunned father said, “But I thought you didn’t like the way the stamps tasted when you licked them!” 

“Yeah, that was yucky,” the son replied. “So I just licked the envelopes and then stuck the stamps on.”

Of course, I love a good story about envelopes!

Mackay’s Moral: Imagination, not necessity, is the true mother of invention.