It’s easy for people to stay in their comfort zone, but it’s important for managers to encourage their staff to be creative and come up with new ways to problem solve.
Q: I’m looking for ways to encourage my staff to be more creative. I feel like sometimes we’re all stuck in a rut and often return to the tried-and-true solutions. Can you help?
A: You are certainly not alone. Many leaders struggle with getting people to be open to new ways of doing the things they’ve been doing for a long while. It is human nature: Unless there is a compelling reason to change, most of us stay in our comfort zone.
If you’re serious about asking your staff to do things differently, start by letting them know you really want this to happen. You also need to create a safe environment where they’re comfortable trying something new or sharing an idea that isn’t part of your regular process.
Coming up with new ideas or thoughts can’t happen when you don’t take time to open minds. What I’m hearing from so many people is they are so busy attending meetings or getting their day-to-day responsibilities done that they don’t have a moment to think or to quiet their mind to allow a new idea to float in.
Knowing that, I’d suggest you give silent brainstorming a try. I know that sounds like a contradiction, but trust me, it can be effective in getting employees to be creative and come up with new ways to problem solve.
You need to create a safe environment where they’re comfortable trying something new or sharing an idea.
You know how brainstorming traditionally works. An idea or problem is shared, and then some team members immediately speak up and dominate the conversation. Others, who are more introverted, sit and think about what was shared but may not speak loudly enough to be heard—even if they are comfortable putting an idea on the table.
Silent brainstorming prevents this situation from happening. After a topic or issue is proposed, everyone stays silent while they think it through for a set amount of time. Here are some of the benefits:
You’ll need a way to collect the ideas to move the process forward, but it can be effective in moving your staff members in a more creative direction.
Another effective way to encourage creativity is to allow staff to block thinking or creative time on their calendars. Telling your staff to be more creative is one thing but encouraging them to block time on their calendars for deep thinking shows that you’re committed.
