Remember in school when you were told that you couldn’t color outside of the lines? I remember it vividly and got in trouble for even questioning why we couldn’t. I understand the reasons for rules, especially as a kid when you seem most powerless against the all powerful adults who just don’t understand. You need to show up for class on time, pay attention, do your homework, and don’t disrupt the class. But when it comes to your imagination, there really aren’t any rules.
I always had an entrepreneurial spirit, even in grade school, but was discouraged by my teachers to pursue it. It seems my experience wasn’t unusual. Even though America is the land of opportunity and entrepreneurs, our current school system doesn’t give students the tools or the encouragement to take creative risks. Guidance counselors never gave me the option of being an entrepreneur. They kept trying to steer me in the direction of college. It was neither a financial option for me nor of any interest when I just wanted to jump into the world of entrepreneurship and find my own path.
Conformity kills creativity
In a world that moves fast and demands constant innovation, creativity is the currency of survival. Yet one of the biggest silent killers of creativity, especially in organizations, schools, and even entire industries, is conformity.
Conformity is the pressure to fit in, follow the rules, and avoid rocking the boat. It rewards sameness, punishes deviation, and silences bold ideas before they ever get a chance to breathe. While it may bring temporary harmony or order, conformity comes at a steep cost. It crushes originality, discourages experimentation, and prevents breakthroughs.
As an inventor and innovation keynote speaker, I’ve seen firsthand how companies that encourage independent thought thrive and how those trapped in groupthink slowly stagnate. Understanding how conformity kills creativity is your first step toward breaking free.
The Psychology Behind Conformity
Psychologists have long studied the power of social pressure. In the famous 1950s Asch conformity experiments, participants were asked to match line lengths in a group setting. Even when the group gave blatantly incorrect answers, a significant number of people conformed, choosing the wrong answer just to fit in.
This kind of peer pressure exists in offices, classrooms, boardrooms, and even brainstorming sessions. When people sense that a different opinion might threaten their social standing, their job, or their sense of belonging, they hold back. Over time, entire cultures form around what’s “acceptable,” and anything outside that boundary is dismissed as risky or foolish.
Creativity Requires Courage
Creativity lives in the land of uncertainty. It thrives on questioning assumptions, breaking patterns, and challenging norms. To be creative is to say, “What if we did it differently?” That often means standing alone before others see the value in your vision.
The problem is, most people have been conditioned to avoid this kind of risk. From a young age, we’re trained to color inside the lines, give the “right” answer, and follow instructions. In many schools and workplaces, compliance is rewarded more than originality. That conditioning doesn’t just suppress creative thinking. It rewires our brains to fear it.
The Cost of Playing It Safe
Playing it safe may feel secure, but it’s a dangerous illusion. Kodak once ruled the photography world and even invented the first digital camera. But they failed to pursue it, fearing it would cannibalize their film business. That decision, driven by conformity to old business models, led to their downfall.
Blockbuster had the chance to buy Netflix in its infancy. They didn’t, because deviating from their existing retail model seemed too risky. Nokia was once the king of mobile phones but lost its crown by sticking to what it knew instead of daring to innovate.
These aren’t just cautionary tales. They’re evidence that conformity can kill not only creativity but entire companies.
Conformity in Brainstorming
You might think brainstorming sessions are the ultimate creativity boosters. But if not structured properly, they can quickly devolve into echo chambers. People tend to defer to the highest-ranking person in the room. Ideas that challenge the status quo are often dismissed or ignored.
As an inventor, I’ve found that the best ideas rarely emerge from consensus. They come from individuals who challenge the group. That’s why I developed the concept of Brainstreaming™, which encourages thinking like an inventor by flipping assumptions upside down, breaking patterns, and imagining impossible solutions before editing them down.
If your brainstorming sessions sound like everyone nodding in agreement, it’s a red flag. Real creativity thrives in disagreement, debate, and divergence. Conformity kills creativity.
How to Break Free from the Conformity Trap
So how do you combat conformity and ignite creativity? Whether you’re a leader, entrepreneur, educator, or team member, here are some strategies:
Celebrate Dissent
Create an environment where disagreement isn’t just tolerated. It’s celebrated. Ask for the “wildest idea” in the room. Reward those who challenge assumptions. Make it safe for people to speak up without fear of judgment or punishment.
Design for Psychological Safety
People can’t be creative when they’re afraid of looking stupid. Build a culture where it’s okay to fail, take risks, and question authority. Psychological safety is the soil where creative seeds grow.
Diversify Your Team
Conformity loves homogeneity. When everyone looks the same, thinks the same, and comes from similar backgrounds, creative ideas suffer. Bring in people with different experiences, perspectives, and ways of thinking. True diversity isn’t just about demographics. It’s about mindset.
Remove the Fear of Failure
Fear of failure is one of the biggest creativity killers. Make it clear that experimentation is part of the process. At companies like Google and 3M, employees are given time to pursue their own projects, even if they fail. That’s how Post-it Notes and Gmail were born.
Lead by Example
Leaders set the tone. If you want your team to be creative, show your own willingness to take risks and embrace new ideas. Admit when you’re wrong. Be curious. Be bold.
The Inventor’s Mindset
Inventors are natural rebels. We ask, “Why not?” when others say, “You can’t.” We’re willing to be misunderstood, mocked, and rejected, because we see what could be.
Think about Thomas Edison, who tried thousands of ways to create the light bulb. Or Hedy Lamarr, whose “crazy” ideas in World War II helped invent the technology behind Wi-Fi. These weren’t people who fit in. They were people who stood out.
Being creative means being different. And being different means being brave.
From Compliance to Competitive Advantage
In today’s hyper-competitive world, creativity isn’t just a nice-to-have. It’s your ultimate competitive advantage. The companies, cities, and individuals that thrive are those willing to break the mold.
Invention doesn’t come from conformity. It comes from questioning the rules, thinking like an outsider, and embracing the uncomfortable space between “crazy” and “brilliant.”
So the next time you’re tempted to play it safe, ask yourself: What great idea might I be killing by trying to fit in?
The future doesn’t belong to the rule followers. It belongs to the rule breakers, the rebels, the creators, the inventors. So go ahead—think differently. The world needs your unique voice now more than ever.
As a kid who insisted on coloring outside the lines, I’m now an entrepreneur and small business owner who is in a position to hire those future employees. I don’t pay as much attention to what’s on a resume, but value someone who is curious, willing to learn, and a problem solver.
The job market of the future is changing, and will require more critical and creative thinking. According to the World Economic Forum’s “Future of Jobs Report”, creativity and problem solving are listed in the top three skills that employees will need by the year 2020. Critical problem solving is one of the most important attributes that employers look for in a new hire in the future. I hope I can do my part to spread the message that more creativity is needed to help kids prepare for a successful future. You have to be willing to think differently!