It’s obvious that an innovative / creative company requires innovative / creative employees. But how you develop, maintain and encourage a creative work force? Here are some quick tips:
- Hire Smart - Try innovative new job interview techniques that highlight how applicants deal with criticism. To innovate, you have to be very open to critique.
- Go Multicultural. Cultural melting pots are known to be creative hot spots. Everything counts, from knowledge of global markets to varying diets and needs.
- Give your employees lots of time and space to think and be creative. How about giving your employees X-number of free days per month where they are encouraged to visit a spot (mountain top, beach, river, wherever) that’s conducive to reflection and let their minds run wild with ideas and concepts.
- Encourage risk taking. The unorthodox, the unusual, the unthinkable … usually, creative and innovative will stem from a bit of risk taking.
- Bring in external forces. Tap the perspectives of outside experts – professors, physicists, poets, actors, archaeologists, theologians, astronauts, whoever. Get them to speak to your employees, motivate them, encourage them, give them different perspectives etc.
- Be flexible. This ties very closely with #4 above. Give your employees room, space and flexibility to be creative.
- Have them explore their co-workers world. Let your employees do their own work, but also allow them to experience their colleagues’ specialties. A new and different perspective on an old job/desk can be amazing!
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