The Paradox of Process

People love process.

Too much work? Process!

Too much chaos? Process!

Too many people to manage? Process!

But process alone won’t get you to great work.

It won’t create breakthroughs, inspire risk, or replace the gut instinct that leads to something extraordinary.

Creativity isn’t a checklist.

It’s instinct, experience, and the willingness to push into the unknown.

It thrives on friction, not efficiency.

And that’s the problem—process is designed to remove friction.

Process as a Safety Net, Not a Straightjacket

Yes, some process is necessary.

Without it, great ideas fall apart. But the moment process becomes the goal, the work suffers.

Process keeps things predictable.

But predictability is where creativity dies.

It’s why agencies build “innovation labs” separate from client work—because the real magic can’t happen inside rigid structures.

But why isn’t that mindset applied everywhere?

Why does process lead instead of creativity?

Navigators vs. Explorers

Explorers aren’t called navigators.

Navigators know how to get from Point A to Point B. They follow known routes, avoid risks, and stick to a charted course.

Explorers? They have no idea what’s waiting for them. They have the skills to navigate, but more importantly, they have the mindset to embrace uncertainty—to venture beyond what’s known and recognize new opportunities when they appear.

Why then, in business, do we treat creativity like navigation?

We want a process, a plan, a way to guarantee outcomes.

That’s not how great work happens.

The Best Work Comes from Disruption & Diverse Thinking

Too many teams spend months executing based on assumptions made in week one.

What if we flipped that?

• What if we built disruption into the process?

• What if we challenged teams to shift course midstream if it led to better outcomes?

• What if we stopped pretending that efficiency equals progress?

And here’s another issue—process limits perspectives.

When you define too strictly who is involved and when input happens, you shrink the conversation instead of expanding it.

The best work doesn’t come from teams of sameness.

It comes when you actively bring in different voices—across disciplines, backgrounds, and lived experiences—at every stage, not just at the start or the end.

If process locks you into a closed loop, where the same few people weigh in, you lose the unexpected insights that could change everything.

That’s how teams and businesses fall into creative bubbles without realizing it.

Research backs this up.

A study published in the Journal of Applied Psychology found that:

“Culturally diverse teams have the potential for enhanced creativity relative to culturally homogeneous teams.”

The Obstacle Is the Way

Some of the best projects, paintings, and experiences I’ve had started with a problem.

A roadblock.

A moment when things weren’t working.

Those moments force:

✔️ Better questions

✔️ Bigger ideas

✔️ Actual breakthroughs

The best teams don’t avoid obstacles—they go looking for them.

Because when you push past what’s obvious, comfortable, and expected, that’s where great work emerges.

Creativity Can’t Be Bought, Systemized, or Kept in a Bubble

Too many people chase creativity like it’s a product:

💡 The right morning routine

📊 The right productivity hack

🤖 The right AI tool

That’s not where creativity lives.

Creativity is:

🔥 Risky

🔥 Messy

🔥 Uncomfortable

It demands:

• Confidence to challenge assumptions

• Risk tolerance to follow new ideas

• Diverse perspectives to break through blind spots

And none of those things thrive inside overly structured processes.

As Forbes notes:

“Rigid hierarchies stifle creativity by silencing voices and limiting collaboration.”

Are You Running Smoothly—Or Going Nowhere?

Yes, structure is useful.

Yes, experience matters.

But if your process doesn’t make space for discovery, diverse thinking, and real exploration,

it’s just making sure things run smoothly.

And if everything is always smooth…

You’re not exploring anymore.

You’re just following a roadmap to nowhere.