While there is no single formula for creativity, there are a lot of ways to get a team’s creativity flowing. Fostering an open place for ideas to be heard is the best way to make it happen, but how can leaders help?
Here are some ways you can boost your team’s creativity so they’re ready to take on any challenge or bring new ideas to the table.
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- Autonomy: It’s no surprise that trusted employees are more likely to be engaged and have better performance. One way to show some trust is by providing flexibility and autonomy so employees can work at their natural energy levels.
- Retreats: This is all within budgetary constraints, but your team might be in dire need of a change of scenery or a change of pace. Give them a break! A retreat can come in all shapes, sizes, and durations. Even just a few hours away from the daily grind could do wonders. The trick is not to dangle a step away from work just to overwork your team after it’s over.
- Diversity: Variety is the spice of life. Diversity is vital for bringing different perspectives. A more diverse team offers more voices, experiences, and solutions. A variety of backgrounds and skills working together is going to end up with much more creative problem solving overall.
- Rethinking: There’s a lot of power to be found in processes. Unfortunately, tight processes can crush creativity. On occasion, you need to review, break, and rebuild systems to see where you could find more innovative thinking. Since everything is constantly changing, being actively open to defying the same old same old is your way to unlocking creative solutions.
Are you already doing this as a leader? Pat yourself on the back. If not, maybe it’s time to look at ways you can support the creativity and innovation of your team. Check out the full Forbes article for examples of how to do that.
