Can creativity be developed and nurtured? It can be a perpetual dilemma in your mind and organization if you either lead a team or become the head of a company.
Although creativity is often considered a characteristic, with the right steps and measures, you can build it in your employees as well. Here are 6 steps to do this.
Create the Right Workplace Atmosphere
The first step toward even the remotest expectation of employees to perform is to create the right atmosphere at the workplace. A culture of the right blend of fun and work is what works best when teams are concerned. If employees feel they are getting adequate doses of learning, opportunity, and flexibility to showcase their skills, the creativity is likely to get induced naturally.
Dare to be Different
Employers and managers who display a slightly daring nature to their co-workers or employees also instill in the latter the drive to be daring themselves. Whilst daring may not be the quality employers seek in their teams, the drive may certainly result in more creative shades to spring up. Employees who see their seniors do things differently are usually motivated to exercise their potential and explore other dormant areas of their skill-sets as well.
Train, Teach and Learn
A culture of training has always proved to be very useful and successful in any organization, especially in reaching out to employees and bringing out their creative best. When individuals see possibilities of learning and growth within a company, they also gain the motivation to explore avenues and give back what they are learning. This also enhances the levels of creativity, or in certain cases, plants the seed of creative output.
Outdoor Activities
Engaging your team members in adventurous, outdoor activities will help build team spirit. What it will also do is create an atmosphere of rendering creativity through the means of fun activities. Better energized and rejuvenated, your employees are more likely to produce more creative work.
Flexible Work Hours
Sometimes, the best work is produced at the oddest possible hours of the day (or night). Try allowing flexi-hours at work. Let employees work from home, arrive later than usual at the office, or work from a different location for a day. Innovate in the way you work, and expect work to be done. You are possibly going to get some innovative results too!
Timely Praise and Criticism
With all of the above strategies implemented, it is also important to give feedback to employees. Appraisals are a good time to do so. However, quick discussions, when deemed necessary, also help give due praise or criticism in a timely manner. A motivated employee is likely to be more creative and work with a fresh mind.
Nurturing creativity and helping enhance it within employees is very essential in any organization. The above steps should help you bring about the culture in your firm as well.
