Creativity is the key to creating solutions for age-old problems and offering new ways to lead the businesses. Despite the fact that innovation is indispensable, many businesses fail to realize their part in fostering creativity at workplace. Rather they lend hand in killing the creativity which is not merely bad for the creative minds but also the organization as a whole. So what can be done? The primary thing here is to recognize what big innovation-crushing mistakes are being made so that they could be corrected timely. Here is a list of some common mistakes, a must-read for anyone in a management or supervisory position.
1. Rationing time and resources
Creativity can’t flourish on command or in time constraint. Creativity dawns when both time and adequate resources are availed. A company that fails to accommodate the employees with the desired means ends up having the employees’ out of ideas and hating their job. Allowing employees both enough time and enough resources to do their jobs effectively is essential for fostering a creative environment.
2. Micro-managing
Managing is one thing and concisely controlling each project to the minutest of details is another. The latter is surely not going to help creativity even a bit. In fact, it’s sure to drive off the best creative talent leaving you with those who are less capable and who probably need a whole lot more supervision. This trait only breeds frustration, wastes time, and ultimately kills morale as employees feel that you don’t trust them to get their jobs done right and on time. Provide the desired guidance and give space if you really want to foster a creative environment in the workplace.
3. Job mismatch
Right fit at the right job is the perfect fusion. Carefully designating people for tasks is the right way that works from start to end. Role mismatch is one key way companies can put a damper on creativity, giving assignments, projects, or even entire jobs to people who aren’t matched in their abilities with the tasks they’re being asked to complete. Challenges are always good until they fall within the dimensions of one’s capabilities as then only they could be completed on time while assuring high quality. If those terms aren’t met, creativity suffers and so does the company.
4. Lack of feedback
Lack of prompt feedback makes it hard to identify if the results you are presenting match up to the expectations of the company or not. This in fact is likely to generate more hesitation. Companies and managers need to let their creative employees know when something is a success or when something could be better, as feedback is an essential part of the creative process. Without it, employees will start to feel unappreciated, and perhaps even a little confused about the goals of the company and what their role is in achieving those goals.
5. Demanding immediate returns
Even the most creative of individuals cannot come up with a brilliant idea at the snap of a finger. The process is gradual and budding of a good creative idea takes time. Thus, patience is the key. Further it won’t promise an immediate payout to the company, even if the idea is a good one. Not every idea has to be a goldmine to be good or useful to an organization, this fact is important for every manager to remember.
6. Instant rejection
Give every new idea a thought rather than simply rejecting it in one go. Being equipped with good ideas or solutions is good but it is equally essential to consider the novel thoughts of the subordinates. Don’t drive creative people away from your company, even if their idea requires changes to the current modus operandi of your business. If you don’t listen, you’ll never get the kind of feedback you need to keep the company on top and people will just learn to go along with whatever you want because it’s too much trouble to do otherwise.
7. No incentives
Incentives are a great form of appreciation and don’t necessarily have to be monetary in nature. Sometimes, employees are keen to know if they’ve done a good job and played a pivotal role in a team. Of course, monetary reward is always good, and nothing can compete it in boosting morale and giving employees a sense that they have a true investment in the future of the company. Employees who feel a vested interest in a company and see their own interests as being intertwined with the interests of the company are much more likely to turn out high quality work.