For CEOs, creativity is now the most important leadership quality for success in business, outweighing even integrity and global thinking, according to a new study by IBM. The study is the largest known sample of one-on-one CEO interviews, with over 1,500 corporate heads and public sector leaders across 60 nations and 33 industries polled on what drives them in managing their companies in today's world.

About 60% of CEOs polled cited creativity as the most important leadership quality, compared with 52% for integrity and 35% for global thinking. Creative leaders are also more prepared to break with the status quo of industry, enterprise and revenue models, and they are 81% more likely to rate innovation as a "crucial capability."

For most, this probably comes as a pretty alarming statistic, but really it isn’t all that surprising.  True leaders place a great deal of emphasis on culture and shared values. They realize that business involves human beings and that profitable growth results from fruitful relationships.  These relationships are no longer built through one-on-one business transactions, rather they’re carefully crafted through relevant, creative online interactions.

Creativity is much more than the ideation behind a BIG idea. Creativity, big and small, is needed in every aspect of an organization. It is defined so many different ways. Essentially, it's the ability to produce new and useful insights. In terms of leadership, to put it concisely, is the ability to think, act and enable others to think creatively and solve complex challenges.

The next step?  Finding individuals who not only carry the “creative fire” but individuals who can extend the reach of their insights along to the customer, adapt easily to changes in the industry, and utilize intelligence to cater to a new type of consumer. 

Information provided via @fastcompany