Improve  CREATIVE WORKING CONDITIONS

The freedom to make mistakes without blame , encourages creativity.

Rules, negativity and blame are the enemy of creativity.

        Creativity requires the freedom to doubt common practices.

        Leaders  and CEO s cannot order staff to be creative, but they can provide working conditions where creativity can flourish.

        By building a creative work climate you will ensure tomorrow is better than today.

A handful of tips to help stimulate creativity

* Encourage workers to think about the future

         Set up teams made up of people with different skills and experiences and challenge them to solve problems using brainstorming, mind-mapping and other innovative techniques.  

        Foster co-operation between teams and aim for a friendly, enjoyable, progressive stress-free workplace.

        Workshops away from home, free from cell phones,  can be great places to think, plan and build creative teams.

* Encourage workers to question traditional practices

        Good communication systems and honest feedback allow people to feel free to express opinions and suggest alternatives.

        Often the more people involved, the less creative are decisions.

* Aim to make tomorrow’s effort better than today’s

        Question every task and evaluate it. “Why do we do things this way?” “Is there a better way?” “How can we do better next time?”

* Let people make mistakes, without blame

        Accept the fact that there will be mistakes.         Treat mistakes as lessons learned.

        The freedom to make mistakes without blame can encourages new ways and improve creativity.

        Workers should not be afraid to fail. People know when they have made mistakes. Do not criticise unless mistakes are made too frequently.

* Challenge people to solve specific problems and reward them for innovative ideas

        Let them know you appreciate their curiosity, imagination and creativity.

        Be generous with your rewards in proportion to the benefits gained.

–Geoffrey Moss(mossassociates.co.nz)

“Building a creative climate will ensure tomorrow is better than today.”

SOURCE: “Secrets for New Managers” Moss Associates Ltd and Cengage Learning Asia. Also available as an e-book from Amazon.com and VitalSource.

For those in need call up our FREE BOOK “NO JOB! WHAT NOW? Available from mossassociatess.co.nz