The number one most desired trait in employees, according to executives, is creativity. But actions speak louder than words.

Despite outward declarations that praise and encourage creativity, creative ideas or out-of-the-box options aren’t typically chosen when it comes to making a decision. In fact, more than 50 percent of the same executives that claim to look for creative employees reported feeling unprepared to embrace creative solutions.

In school, creativity is typically associated with the arts despite its importance in math, science, politics, etc. Outwardly creative students are often labelled as disruptive in a traditional classroom, which in turn can discourage creativity.

Studies show that millennials are less motivated to pitch and explain creative ideas and more anxious about taking responsibility for them. Millennials are also less likely to start new businesses, leading to the lowest number of US startups since the 1970s.

This cognitive hypocrisy is believed to be caused by our fast lives and constant stimulation. Busy schedules and new technologies make us want simplicity, which is sometimes achieved by rejecting creativity. But in reality, more creativity could make life easier and simpler if we just listen to it.

To read the full article in Quartz, click here.