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Ask anyone to name a creative person and they’ll probably give you a name well known in the art world: musician, painter, filmmaker. It’s true – great artists are very creative people. However, creativity Not just in the arts; it’s a very important skill for many types of jobs.
In the business world, supporting creativity helps your company grow because it can provide innovative solutions to challenges at work.
Related: 10 Ways to Build a Creative Company Culture
The importance of creativity throughout the company
according to a McKinsey researchthe most creative companies deliver better business results. This shows how important it is to consciously create a work environment that encourages and supports creative thinking.
This way of thinking is relevant to almost every department in the company. For example, in software development, creative problem solving can lead to innovative features that improve the user experience. In finance, creative approaches can optimize budgets and streamline processes. In R&D, it can improve code efficiency or discover time-saving solutions to complex problems. In the field of human resources, it can lead to new, more effective organizational structures.
go through embrace creativity Across all functions, you empower all employees to think outside the box and contribute meaningfully to the company’s success.
Encourage experimentation using a “fail fast” approach
In many workplaces, creative ideas that challenge current ways of thinking run the risk of being rejected. To encourage companies to create a creative environment, I recommend adopting a “fail fast” approach. This encourages your employees to experiment and come up with ideas that can be quickly tested. In my experience, two weeks of testing is the ideal time frame to quickly understand whether an idea has potential.
If an idea works or shows promise, you can take it further and scale it up. On the other hand, if it fails, you can minimize your losses. This approach not only reduces risk; It creates a culture that sees mistakes as mistakes learning opportunities and develop, ideas are supported.
It also shows your employees that you trust them to explore their own ideas, gives them a strong sense of ownership and pride in their work, and inspires them to continually come up with new ideas to improve your business.
In fact, research from BCG vaccine Organizations shown to promote a culture of experimentation see higher levels of innovation. Companies like Google have successfully implemented similar approaches, leading to breakthrough projects like Gmail. If you give your employees the freedom to explore ideas without fear of failure, you’ll set your company up for success — according to data Deloittehigh-growth brands are more likely to have a creative culture.
Related: 4 ways to drive growth—unleashing innovation within your organization
The importance of multifunctional teams
in a different studiesDeloitte analysts demonstrate the connection between multifunctional teams and innovative approaches. Bringing people from different backgrounds together adds perspective to discussions and can help you find creative solutions to business challenges.
I saw firsthand how multidisciplinary teams can solve problems better and faster and come up with more creative ideas. This is an important part of building a creative culture in your company. That’s why, for critical projects, I like to use a team model, bringing together representatives from different functions: R&D, product, marketing, design, etc. There are so many different perspectives and areas of expertise around the desktop, making it easier to find creative solutions to any challenge.
Create conditions that support creativity
Other aspects of the work environment are also important. Think about children—they are naturally creative and love to explore their surroundings. They enjoy physical play but need tools to do so: pens, paper, clay, and other arts and crafts materials.
But this doesn’t just apply to children. Professional artists also need the right paints, brushes, and canvases to realize their creative potential. The same goes for your employees – they need the right tools to support their work. real encouragement creative freedomyou need to invest, whether in physical tools (specific hardware or audio equipment) or digital tools (subscriptions to state-of-the-art software).
The extent to which you can do this depends on the stage of your company’s life, but from personal experience, I’ve seen how the right tools can make a huge contribution to unlocking creativity.
Related: Why leaders must encourage employees to explore creativity—and how to do it
Every company has the potential for creativity
Throughout human history, creativity has been the driver of business impact. No matter what industry you work in, you can embrace creative freedom in your company and use that creativity to help you grow.
But you need to be conscious. build a culture Celebrate experimentation And welcome ideas from every team member. Work with multifunctional teams to advance your projects and provide them with the right tools.
Do all this and you’ll help your employees tackle challenges with new insights and innovative solutions. They will feel more valued, enjoy their jobs more, and even be more motivated. This is a virtuous cycle.
Solve problems better and faster happier employeesyou’ll see the business impact quickly.