 It is essential to growth in every organization to promote and reward innovation. If the efforts of research and development personnel become totally entrenched in data generation and analysis for existing product support or improvement, it can be expected that new product introductions will decrease. Similarly, if the majority of efforts in other departments are directed mainly toward improving efficiency, the results may be improvements in operation accompanied by little change in operational methods. Companies should focus on the importance of making improvements, but if creativity is relegated to a lower status, innovation will suffer. A creative atmosphere is essential in order to come up with new ideas. And innovation becomes the extension of creativity into reality, leading to a higher return on investment and increased growth.
Every type of organization should encourage employees to be innovative. To accomplish this, the business must be willing to take risks. Innovation is an on-going process; thus the risks associated with it are also continuous in nature. Would your company be willing to embrace any of the following approaches in order to increase the number of new ideas coming from employees?
• Eliminate many constraints such as deadlines and hours worked, replacing them with a measurement of performance. This requires a structure which can measure and evaluate tangible employee results.
• Encourage employee curiosity and protect the confidentiality of individual ideas.
• Reward good ideas and then implement them. Remove the "red tape" that impedes progress with good ideas. Otherwise, employees will conclude it is a waste of time to discuss or submit them. This also means budgeting to fund innovative projects.
• Make sure input is received from a diverse group of employees. Recognize that good problem solvers are often creative, since finding solutions to difficult problems frequently requires thinking "outside the box". Take advantage of those employees who demonstrate a natural curiosity instinct. And remember that what appears to be a "bad idea" initially, could eventually evolve into a good one.
• Workplace location and design should not be overlooked in regard to their influence on a creative atmosphere in the workplace.
Many employees may hesitate to offer new ideas, particularly if they are part of a team structure. Often, brain-storming teams are either too rigid for creativity to flourish, or are controlled by a few dominant individuals. It these conditions exist, an open exchange of ideas is not likely. In some ways, creativity can be thought of as a personality trait, but inner parts of one's personality often remain hidden depending on the situation and environment. For example, too serious a mindset can hinder creativity. It is important to have a positive and relaxed mood in the workplace.
What can the individual do to develop a more creative mindset? Here are a few ideas which may be helpful.
• Strive to become an "expert" in your field. Since this is an on-going process, you will be more likely to sort out and accept or reject ideas brought into consideration.
• Overcome fear of failure or ridicule. Recognize any source of negativity, and combat it by offering solutions with more positive characteristics.
• Consider unlikely alternatives for new product ideas or to resolve problems, but be aware that sometimes a combination of old and new ideas can be very successful.
• Realize the importance of abstract ideas, which are the initial indicators of creative thinking.
• Associate with diverse people, and consider including them in problem analysis and problem solving teams. Remember one cannot effectively think "outside the box" unless you have been "out of the box". Consider ideas from those in completely different fields.
• Don't allow yourself to become too close to a problem or assignment. Being too attached to a situation, psychologically, will stifle creative thinking.
• Never underestimate the importance of a "fresh" mindset on creativity. It is very difficult to develop new ideas during periods of high stress or when overly tired. Things that help relieve these conditions include reading, exercise, or relaxation.
• If possible, take a break from your current assignment before joining a team expected to creatively resolve an important issue. During this period, re-conceptualize the new assignment, and record your new thoughts and ideas.
What are some of the responsibilities of management in regard to promoting innovation in the organization? Listed below are a few basic guidelines to consider.
• Stress the importance of innovation. If employees do not feel the need to contribute new ideas, or if management does not seem to care about changes which could potentially benefit the organization, then creativity will diminish. It is important that management not only accept the need for changes, but also actually provide the environment for them to happen.
• Train the staff on innovative techniques, such as lateral thinking, mind mapping, and mental mapping. Lateral thinking encourages solving problems by using sometimes illogical and unorthodox methods, essentially rejecting many traditional approaches. Mind mapping may be useful since it provides a method of visually organizing information related to the task at hand. Mental mapping brings to reality an individual's point of view perspective.
• Intentionally do things differently in the workplace, challenging the way employees do their work. In addition to traditional meetings, set aside some time for brainstorming.
• Give employees a reason to contribute and care about innovation. This requires that management be totally supportive and demonstrate that it is willing to tolerate mistakes.
Management must realize that we live in a thought-based economy, and the future success of the organization is heavily influenced by successful innovations. It is critical that an open exchange of ideas occurs, to ensure both growth and survival in today's highly competitive markets.
Robert Moore is a retired chemical engineer, and is an experienced technical and fictional writer. His past work experience spanned the chemical, paper and equipment manufacturing industries, including holding management positions at Voith Paper, Scapa plc, and The Mead Paper Corporation. He is also the author of humorous short stories about life in southwest Virginia, circa 1940-1960.
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