“Imagination is more important than knowledge.” — Albert Einstein

IBM’s “2010 Global CEO Study” finds 60% of the 1,500+ CEOs interviewed believe creativity will be the most important leadership quality for the next five years (integrity mentioned second by 52%).  IBM observes, “Facing a world becoming dramatically more complex, it is interesting that CEOs selected creativity as the most important leadership attribute.  Creative leaders invite disruptive innovation, encourage others to drop outdated approaches and take balanced risks.

The Bottom Line: Leaders highly value creativity — they consistently pursue innovative ideas and approaches to navigate today’s increasing complexities.