LEADING CREATIVITY & INNOVATION SKILLS
FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION
FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION
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Benefits of Creativity and Innovation at Work
Many workplaces tout being creative and innovative, and they are in one way, shape, or form. But if these companies truly were embracing these ideas, they would be reaping the benefits.Attracting and Retaining Employees
Developing a culture and atmosphere where employees are allowed the freedom to be creative can attract more talent. Not only that – current employees are also more likely to stay because of the freedom to share ideas.
Problem Solving
The ability to think creatively and innovatively allows for outside the box solutions to workplace problems. Employees can think more quickly and provide better solutions when given the change to share ideas that otherwise might be suppressed.
Teamwork and Bonding
Creativity can inspire employees to work together and collaborate since the creative process naturally inspires collaboration. With employees working together more closely, they are likely to form tighter bonds and relationships. An increased level of comfort could help generate more creative ideas and can be positive in the long term.
Encouraging Creativity and Innovation
Innovation is often thought of as a think tank or group of people inventing new products and services, thus becoming rich and famous. Having an innovative team can lead to that, but on a more immediate level, it drives success by enabling everyone to adapt quickly to new challenges and changes. Employees that have the opportunity to innovate are often more engaged workers and are more committed to their work.There are things that can be done to boost creativity and innovation in the workplace.
Build Trust
Having a creative and innovative culture isn’t possible without the employees sharing ideas. Employees won’t share ideas unless they trust that their input is heard, recognized, and acted upon. It’s important to train the leaders at your organization to do the following:
- Ask for and act on feedback
- Listed more than talk
- Show appreciation for employees
- Be consistent across the team
- Establish inclusivity early on
- Be honest and transparent
Collaborate Together
Generating ideas is often not a solo activity. What sparks a great idea is the conversation and brainstorming of a group of people. Bringing together people with different skills and knowledge allow for better collaboration, more contributions, and creative solutions to problems.
Some people are better at identifying problems, while others may know of useful solutions and tools, and a third person could be an excellent communicator. One person can’t do everything well, so bringing together a team is the best way to share information and create value.
Ensure Psychological Safety
Psychological safety for employees means that they know they can be their authentic selves without facing negative reactions. It’s about employees feeling comfortable in collaborative discussions, so that they can do their best work.
Being able to think freely, express ideas, and make mistakes helps employees feel safe sharing ideas, no matter how out of the box they are. Making mistakes is how we as a species learn, so it’s important to embrace mistakes and learning opportunities.
Recognize Employees
Employee recognition is a great way to boost innovative thinking. By recognizing the work employees do, leaders can foster a sense of respect and trust. It’s important to note that not all employees enjoy recognition in the same way, so be sure to check in and see how each member of the team like to be recognized. Giving employees the right feedback helps everyone understand the impact of their work.
Have Fun
Fun can be a scary word at work, but a relaxed atmosphere goes a long way in defining culture and promoting creativity. Many jobs require some level of creativity, but when under a lot of stress, creative thinking and innovation tank. Fostering a fun work environment can help with employee mental health and aid in productivity and engagement.
How to Inspire Creativity in Leaders
If leadership is rigid and formal, employees will be that way, too. But if you want employees to be resourceful and imaginative, it starts with leaders being creative themselves.
Have a brainstorming session. The first step is to define goals as a question. Then, in one sitting, write down at least 20 answers to the question. When you have your list, select one, and act right away. It’s a great method to help generate ideas quickly, find solutions, and spur forward momentum.
Test assumptions. We all operate with certain beliefs about how the world works. But this is limiting and stifles creativity and innovation. Just doing something because it’s always been done that way doesn’t offer the chance for growth or better solutions. It can also lead to errors, mistakes, and missed opportunities. So, push back on assumptions, look at products and processes with a fresh perspective, and be willing to change previously-held assumptions.
Take risks. There are inherent risks when creativity and innovation are involved. While they can sometimes be a home run that makes the lives of employees easier, they can also lead to loss of time and money. As a leader, acknowledge the risk and show that the team can take chances. Teach your leaders to offer support and encouragement to employees, rather than talk about the possible failure points.
Benefits of Being a Creative Leader
The role of creativity in leadership is vital to the survival of organizations in a world full of change. There are many advantages to creative leadership, including problem solving, achieving growth, mentorship, and new perspectives.
When leadership embraces creativity and innovation and exhibits those traits, they open the company up to new ways to solve problems. New perspectives can lead to new solutions.
When leaders look at growth strategies from a new angle, they gain the ability to reach goals more easily by focusing on unique paths, instead of the standard way of doing things.
Through growth and change, lower-level employees can often feel forgotten. However, creative leaders can present opportunities and ideas to include people of all levels into the company’s success. This could include brainstorming sessions to see how they view the company and take ideas from the bottom up.
To thrive organizations must adapt and create their path to success, so having creative leadership is a benefit. By looking into and sharing different viewpoints, they offer up new ways of thinking that can help the company overall.
Why Online Training Works for Learning Skills in Creativity and Innovation
Being a leader that encourages creativity and innovation is crucial to keeping employees productive and engaged.
BizLibrary curates a large and diverse video training library with numerous courses focused on developing the skills needed to lead creativity and innovation across organizations.
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Online training is quickly becoming the best way to teach employees some of the skills they need to do their jobs. Numerous studies have shown that online training is often more effective, and learners retain more information than with classroom training alone.
Our micro video format breaks content up into smaller, more manageable chunks, making it easier for employees to learn and apply these skills on the job. These online courses can be viewed on an individual basis – where an employee learns by themselves at work or at home – or as part of a group training environment or discussion.
Help your leaders and managers be creative and innovative leaders while also instilling those values in their employees. Talk with an expert to learn how our online learning solutions can transform training in your organization.
