As creativity gravitates to the heart of business strategy, CMOs may be ideally positioned to guide the marketing organization—and the entire enterprise—to the next breakthrough.

According to David Redhill, global CMO of Deloitte Consulting, business and creativity are not mutually exclusive – in fact, they are increasingly independent.

“We’re seeing the technology, business, and creative worlds all blending,” he says. “Business models have been upended in the past 10 to 15 years by the digital revolution, putting the customer at the center of the equation. Creating individual emotional connections with those customers is critical and requires unprecedented levels of creativity, empathy, imagination, and storytelling.”

Redhill goes on to express his belief that the more aware and engaged the global creativity community is of its diversity, power, influence and ability to enhance business value, the more effective it will be. It is crucial that employees uncover techniques and unlock their mindset in order to work and think in a more creative manor.

A common misconception of creativity is that only few are blessed with the skill. However, departing from any set pattern or habit is, in essence, creativity.

Continue reading the full Q&A in the article here, in which Redhill discusses misconceptions about creativity, the CMO’s role in fostering an environment that welcomes bold ideas, and the ways business leaders can be more creative.