Here is another valuable Management Tip of the Day from Harvard Business Review. To sign up for a free subscription to any/all HBR newsletters, please click here.

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Every team falls into a rut once in a while. Instead of scheduling another tired brainstorming session, take a step back and diagnose the problem. Think about when, where, and how your team has been most creative in the past. Can you recreate that group dynamic?

o Focus your team’s attention toward solving a narrow problem – sometimes constraints enable fresh thinking. Get different points of view by inviting employees from other parts of your business to present ideas to your team.

o Make sure people aren’t stuck because they fear their ideas aren’t any good. You need to create a safe environment where people are comfortable voicing their opinions.

o And once you have ideas, commit to moving them forward by setting aside a small budget to create rough prototypes or relieving workers of some duties to free up their time for new projects.

o Finally, avoid overuse of the word “innovation” – it’s been talked to death.

Adapted from “What to Do If Your Team Is in a Rut” by Rebecca Knight.

To check out that resource and join the discussion, please click here.

Also, you may wish to check out an anthology, Management Tips from Harvard Business Review, by clicking here.