Building the Path to Innovative Employees

Reference:

Glăveanu, V. P. (2020). A sociocultural theory of creativity: Bridging the social, the material, and the psychological. Review of General Psychology, 24(4), 335–354.

Annotation:

Glăveanu advances a comprehensive sociocultural theory of creativity that moves beyond individualistic models and instead situates creativity within the dynamic interplay of social context, material environments, embodied action, and cultural tools. The article challenges traditional cognitive-only explanations and proposes the Perspective–Affordance Theory (PAT), emphasizing that creativity emerges when people shift perspectives, engage with others, explore alternative ways of acting, and perceive new affordances in their environment. Creativity is framed not as an innate trait but as a relational, developmental, and context-dependent process shaped by interactions, dialogue, and the physical tools and spaces individuals work within.

Glăveanu’s framework is particularly valuable for the professional development sector because it recognizes that learning and creative problem-solving are highly dependent on context, tools, and modes of interaction, all of which can be barriers or catalysts for neurodivergent employees. The article subtly highlights how creativity is fostered through multiple perspectives, flexibility in interactions, and diverse ways of engaging with material environments, which aligns strongly with the learning needs of neurodivergent adults who may process information differently or thrive with alternative formats of communication and collaboration.

In asynchronous and hybrid work environments, where many neurodivergent employees may struggle with reduced social cues, inconsistent feedback loops, or rigid digital tools, Glăveanu’s emphasis on dialogue, affordances, and repositioning directly supports the need for more adaptive learning structures. His theory reinforces that employees learn best when they engage with materials hands-on, have opportunities to shift roles, and when learning platforms allow for exploration rather than one standardized pathway. These insights provide an evidence-based rationale for designing multi-modal, flexible professional development experiences that accommodate varied cognitive styles.

Allegiant Professional Resources focuses on helping companies elevate employee skills through inclusive, targeted professional development. Glăveanu’s work provides a strong theoretical grounding for Allegiant’s approach by illustrating that meaningful learning, particularly for neurodivergent adults, requires environments that support varied perspectives, adaptive tools, and opportunities for creative interaction rather than one-size-fits-all instruction.

His theory supports Allegiant’s efforts to:

• build learning programs that incorporate multiple modes of engagement,

• design asynchronous content with clear affordances that help learners explore and self-direct,

• create social learning opportunities that allow for perspective-sharing without overwhelming participants,

• and guide employers in crafting hybrid work/learning environments that reduce barriers for neurodivergent thinkers.

Overall, Glăveanu’s sociocultural perspective offers a research-backed justification for Allegiant’s mission to create flexible, inclusive, creativity-enhancing professional development pathways that improve skill-building outcomes for all employees, regardless of neurotype.