To Cultivate Creativity on Your Team, Set the Conditions for It

 

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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There is no such thing as a “creative personality”; anybody can be creative, given the right opportunities and context. So if you need more creativity on your team, don’t just hire more people — develop the ones who already work for you.

o Research has found that expertise in a certain field is a key ingredient for producing creative work, so offer your team coaching to help them master the skills your organization needs.

o Practicing is another path to expertise. Find ways for employees to use new skills again and again, and give them feedback so that they keep improving.

o It’s also important to encourage exploration. Set aside time for employees to play around with new ideas and follow inspiration wherever it leads, even when there isn’t an obvious connection to their jobs.

o Finally, reward persistence. Ideas often need time to develop — lots of it — and someone’s passion project could turn out to be your company’s next big innovation.

Adapted from “Set the Conditions for Anyone on Your Team to Be Creative,” by Greg Satell

Here’s a direct link to dozens of other Management Tips.

 

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