Reigniting the creativity spark in management jobs is not an esoteric or academic topic. Think of a scenario where instead of doing your usual job to the best of your ability you are asked to test the way things are done, innovate on new ideas or new method of doing processes, challenging the status-quo as it is at present. Does this seem like an ideal scenario to you – of working at a challenging but interesting job that makes you feel as an creatively and professionally fulfilled.
These days the byword on every organization’s lips is Innovation. For Innovation, the critical component is creative thinking. How many people feel that creativity is limited to artists and the like? How can a operations manager be creative?
Creativity and innovation is a choice you make of contribution or creating something that was not there before or a change that would change processes.
Looking at your workplace through the lens of creativity is a choice you make to bring forth your creative side. No matter what your job or profession is, creativity involves giving your ideas the chance to come alive. How does one do that?
By simply allowing yourself to look at problems from different angles or looking at current processes to figure out what can make it easier for you or your team. If something is working for a different team or process, can you adapt it and make it your own.
The only way to turn creativity into innovation is to first get over yourself or the concern that the ideas could be rejected. Understand that all new ideas may not be accepted or accepted fully.
Second, separate your idea from yourself: it’s not about you. The concept is that when you choose creativity, you’re choosing to see things in a new way and to share your perspective. Your coworkers haven’t asked for this change, and they may not be ready for a new way of thinking.
You will see that when you take the risk of pushing the status quo with fresh thinking and new ideas, you will be more engaged with your work and more energized and enthusiastic about investigating every aspect of your job or things related to it. Once you open the option of risk-taking and creativity, it in turn influences others to do the same by taking risks, sharing ideas, and create an environment for collaboration.
Ideas, innovation, and creativity spring from different sources. No matter where you draw your creative inspiration from, it is best to follow 2 basic principles to help structure and guide the creative processes.
The quintessential question of ‘WHAT IF’
The creative process often begins with a simple question of “What if?” “What if we tried this a different way?” “What if I did …?”. Look around your office environment, your culture, your work processes, your interpersonal relationships, the role your company plays in its cultural and social milieu and apply this question.
Employ a multidisciplinary approach
Draw from your different experiences and interests in life to create more potential for your ideas. Why not make use of the experiences you’ve had throughout your life? Bring the lessons you’ve learned to your workplace.
Apply them to your work and see what new solutions you generate. All of us have interests that can benefit our companies. If you are interested in writing, start an intranet or internal blogs which connects people to other workers and starts conversations on ideas for innovation. If you have experience in organizing social events, can it be used to help your company improve their standing in the community through events.
Keep practicing Creativity
Be open to letting ideas flow quickly and creatively and encourage your team to do so. Be prepared with this mind-set
How to apply the creative process immediately?
- Create a list of all the problems you are currently experiencing in the following four categories: your project, role, department, and organization. Prioritize the problems within each of the four categories. Start with the number one priority as this likely affects you most immediately.
- Share your ideas with your team and see if you can’t come up with a solution you hadn’t considered before. Brainstorm in a different manner – put a problem and allow everyone 10 minutes to pen down possible solutions. Then sit and dissect every idea and make a note of workable aspects. Not all ideas will hit the target, but be open to integrating them to see if something can work. Never discard the idea pile, because what might not apply to one problem might work for another.
- As with any new idea or solution, make sure you look at it from the perspective of all the key stakeholders and how they might be affected by this new solution. Have a mock-up of your supposed audience and address concerns of each of your stakeholder audience and detail the benefits of your approach. Invite your team to put questions and suggestions. Make a note of the possible new solutions you are generating and present it to your manager on behalf of your team.
Many organizations talk about encouraging their employees to think “outside the box,” but most of us have no clue what that really means. This is an effort to start you thinking.
