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In today’s rapidly changing world, creativity is no longer a luxury, it’s a necessity. Organizations that thrive are often those that can foster innovative thinking and generate fresh new or newish ideas. Organizations that can adapt to new challenges and survive endless curveballs.
That is all well and good, but how do we cultivate a culture that encourages creativity? How do we incubate new ideas and thinking within our teams?
The answer strangely can be found in agriculture, a process that we have been familiar with since countless millennia, but seldom see as something related to the creative process. However, the similarities are plentiful.
Just like in farming, the solution is to create the right circumstances, the right soil for creativity to take root, to grow and bloom. We can accelerate the process by bringing in fertilizers, we can let it take its time and grow wild and free and we can keep it contained and organized, just like in farming. And just like the farmer can’t force the plant to grow or threaten it to bear fruit, we cannot demand or force creativity.
Our answer lies in fostering a specific environment. One that nurtures ideas, embraces experimentation and empowers individuals to think outside the box. No small feat if done right and something that needs time to be sustainable.
The first step in cultivating creativity is dismantling the myth of the lone genius. Creativity is not a solo act! Instead, it’s a process that requires and flourishes through collaboration and diverse perspectives. Fixed and static groups, like long running teams, often grow to become a unit being of one mind. We need to open up these walled gardens to be able to grow beyond the bounds of their constraints. Some weeds may enter, but in general the cross pollination will be well worth it. And besides, that is what we have gardeners for.
By reorganizing ourselves into talent clusters, where people can take different roles over time and more fluidly move between teams and work duties, we can come a long way astonishingly fast.
Organizations should therefore prioritize more open-ended brainstorming sessions and groupings where individuals feel comfortable sharing ideas, building on each other’s thoughts and challenging predefined assumptions. Everyone has something to contribute and over time that contribution will change in nature. In one project you might be the driving force, in another the specialist with precise knowledge of the subject at hand and in a third a generalist that listens in to find hidden nuances. This collaborative environment allows for cross-pollination of ideas, leading to more innovative solutions.
A feeling of safety is also paramount for fostering creativity. All team members, not just the top brass, needs to feel comfortable taking risks. We should all be able to be fearless in proposing unconventional solutions and be allowed to make mistakes without the fear of ridicule or punishment. This coupled with the fact that we, the social animal that we are, often tend to think about all the things that can go wrong. All the danger that is out there now that we lack lions to fear. If we feel insecure, if we feel that our ideas or opposition might cost us our job or that we will face ridicule, we tend to be less creative or at least be less vocal about it.
Leaders who create a safe space for exploration, where failure is seen as a learning opportunity, will nurture a culture where creativity can blossom and where an employee might be able to reach their full potential.
Beyond fostering a safe and open environment for ideas, organizations should actively encourage experimentation. This means allocating resources for prototyping new ideas, exploring uncharted territories and even embracing calculated risks. Just like you can’t make an omelet without cracking some eggs you can’t create something new if you never get to try and fail. If we harness a culture of experimentation, we allow our teams to test their assumptions, learn from failures, and ultimately develop more innovative solutions. Another crucial element is to partly dismantle any rigid structures and bureaucracies that could get in our way. Nothing is more of a creativity killer than red tape and paperwork.
When we empower people with autonomy and ownership over their work, we allow them to tap into their intrinsic motivation and problem-solving skills. While having them jumping through bureaucratic hoops often stifle their creativity. We all have the power to think outside the box, but the fear of paperwork keeps many of us locked inside instead.
This, of course, doesn’t mean a complete absence of structure, but is rather a shift towards a flexible framework that allow for creative exploration within defined boundaries.
Furthermore, all organizations should prioritize play and exploration. It might seem contra productive but carving out dedicated time for brainstorming sessions, encouraging participation in creative workshops or simply allowing for unstructured “think time” can spark unexpected breakthroughs. Play, or rather playfulness, allows the mind to wander and helps us in fostering new connections and unconventional solutions. Leaders who encourage intellectual curiosity, take part in it themselves and embrace a playful approach to problem-solving will quickly reap the rewards of a more creative and motivated workforce.
Organizations should also invest, and do so heavily, in training programs that equip employees with creative problem-solving techniques. There is an endless ocean of tool out there to get you and your organization up and running and most of them cost just pennies on the dollar. Tools like design thinking methodologies and brainstorming frameworks that helps you break out of the box and think freely. And, in an organized manner to boot for the best and reproducible results. Couple that with access to relevant research, industry publications and diverse learning materials we will fuel the creative fire, keeping teams informed and inspired, as well as warm.
Leaders, as per usual, also play a critical role in fostering creativity by setting the tone. Leaders who openly communicate the importance of creativity and actively participate in the process sends a powerful message to their teams. Innovation is core value that runs through every aspect of life, and we should all take part. By championing creativity from the top down, we’ll set the stage for a culture of innovation to take root.
The benefits of cultivating a culture of creativity are plentiful. Creative teams and individuals are better equipped to solve complex problems, develop new and innovative products and services and adapt to the ever-changing landscape of the modern world. When we unlock the hidden potential in us all there are no bounds for our creativity and obstacles we can overcome.
Beyond that, a culture of creativity also fosters a sense of ownership and belonging within the group. This results in a measurable boost in job satisfaction and employee engagement. When we feel empowered, when we are able to contribute our own unique ideas and talents, we are more likely to be invested in the longtime success of the organization as a whole.
My highly anecdotal reflection is that it taps into our tribal instincts, we all long to belong and contribute to the wellbeing of our flock or tribe, and in a world without them we must find another way to get that fix.
However, cultivating creativity is an ongoing process, not a one-time fix. We need to adapt and continue to do so repeatedly. Just like the farmer looks after his land to create the best possible environment for his plants to grow. So must we when it comes to creativity. Creativity is not some magical gift bestowed upon just a select few. It’s a skill, like all the others, that can be nurtured and cultivated and that is inherent in all of us. By fostering a collaborative environment and embracing experimentation we can create the perfect conditions for new things to sprout. In our modern world that demands constant adaptation and radical change going forward, cultivating creativity is not just an option, it’s the key to building a thriving and sustainable future. For all of us!
