Unlocking Your Team’s Creative Potential: Recommendations for Entrepreneurs
As an entrepreneurial team, it is important to constantly look out for new and innovative ideas to drive the success of your business. Creativity can often be the driving force behind any successful team, and there are several ways to foster a culture of creativity within your team . Throughout my academic and professional life, I have worked with multiple teams on various projects, addressing a wide range of challenges. Through these experiences, I have observed that a few of the key factors that contributed to the success of the most successful teams was their level of creativity.
As per what I’ve experienced creativity is not a trait that is exclusive just for the creative industry. Instead, it is a skill that is necessary for all industries, teams, and individuals to effectively address their day-to-day challenges. The more creative an individual or team is in their approach, the more efficient and effective they might be at finding a solution.
Here are a few recommendations to help enhance the creativity of your team:
“Think Like a Kid”: The Magic of Childlike Mentality
Research has shown that the ability to think creatively decreases as we grow older due to societal pressures and constraints (1). To combat this, it is important to tap into the innate curiosity and lack of fear of failure that is commonly found in children. This can be achieved by embracing a childlike mindset in the workplace.
In addition, it is important to not limit yourself to restrictive rules and conventions. Research suggests that a sense of freedom is positively related to creativity (2), thus allowing for experimentation, exploration and taking the “long road” can lead to more creative solutions.
“Make it a Salad!”: The Power of Diversity.
Assemble a diverse team: A diverse team with different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives can bring a wealth of new and innovative ideas to the table. Encourage diversity within your team and seek out team members with a wide range of experiences and viewpoints.
The more you mix it up the better it’s gonna taste!
“Take a Chance”: The Benefits of Risk Taking
Encourage risk-taking: Creativity often requires stepping outside of our comfort zones and trying something new. Encourage your team to take risks and try out new ideas, even if they may not work out. This can lead to valuable learning experiences and potentially lead to new and innovative solutions.
“Yes, And”: The Secret to Constructive Brainstorming
Just think about how a typical brainstorming session goes. Especially if you are with a senior bunch, you tend to keep your thoughts to yourself out of fear of being criticised. But rather than completely destroying someone’s idea you could try adding more to it and completing the puzzle.
This is where “Yes, And” comes in handy,Just imagine next time someone in your team comes up with an idea and you don’t like it, instead of criticising it try saying “Yes, I like that idea, and we could also add this additional component to it.” This creates a positive and constructive environment where ideas are welcomed and built upon.
I don’t think creativity can be measured or even a have standard for it, it differs from person to person and team to team, you just need to find the right amount to fuel your project or team's success on your own terms.
References
Kronfeldner, M. The freedom we mean: A causal independence account of creativity and academic freedom. Euro Jnl Phil Sci 11, 58 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13194-021-00373-6
