We Know!
Picasso famously wrote: “Every child is an artist.”
What does this mean? Could it be that creativity is an innate characteristic of all human beings?
Well, since the spark of creativity comes to life along with every single baby, it is safe to assume that the potential to be a creative person or an artist of some sort lies right within us.
This sounds quite enthralling as a premise, but where does it all fail?
How come that only a fraction of us get to unleash their inner muse?
It all comes down to pushing the right buttons.
We have come up with a model to boost thinking outside the box in a business and workplace environment.
Give yourself and your staff a chance through the following tips:
1. The world is your playground
Deadlines are what makes a work ethical and what leads to a timely completion of a project. On the other hand, working under pressure makes stress hormones spread like a wildfire, resulting in a “writer’s block” version of creativity inhibition.
In order to pass over such obstacles, make the workplace a fun place to be.
See how it all goes back to being a child, when original thinking was just rushing within you?
Make room for an inspiring and relaxing break-out room in the office, with comfortable sofas, bright rugs, books and games. Encouraging staff to get away from their desks to go there every now and then gives people the headspace to feel revived and think creatively. Actively promoting flexible work opportunities and lunch hours also helps employees feel more in control of their time, which will in turn spark creative thinking.
2. “Calmness is the cradle of power”- Josiah Gilbert Holland
Stay calm. Mark your office as a “stress- free zone”.
Maybe your desk is too messy, or your colleagues are too loud. Perhaps your boss is always looking over your shoulder, the dated technology gives you anxiety or you can’t stand the florescent lights.
A stress-free work environment encourages employees to work at their full capacity. Management and team leaders can do a lot to create a healthy work environment for employees. It doesn’t have to be big things to have an impact, start by being a good communicator.
3. Walk it out
Fresh air and natural light can be truly inspiring, so mix things up every once in a while, and get your team outside the office. Have your team catch-up in the local park or in an open-air café. Or instead of trying to brainstorm in the office, go for a 30-minute stroll to discuss ideas instead – being on your feet helps you feel invigorated and ready to share your thoughts. If the weather isn’t in your favor, it’s still worth getting out of the office from time-to-time, so find a bright and quirky café or local arts center for occasional team meetings instead.
4. Get your team moving
Getting the team doing something totally different is a great way to infuse colleagues with energy and creative flair. Plan a team building away-day where the day kicks off with an energizing activity, which could be anything, from a treasure hunt to a marathon. Getting people work together as a team on a fun challenge is a brilliant way to start the day on a high note. If you need to get some work done too, this is a great time to have a brainstorming session or plan a new project. Treat the team again afterwards to make sure people go back to office feeling energized the next day too.
5. An Idea- the whole is bigger than the sum of its parts
Creating opportunities for team members to work with other teams and individuals across an organization can be a brilliant way to drive a creative culture. Create working groups for company-wide projects or develop thematic groups where participants are tasked with planning specific social events. Giving employees the chance to work with people they don’t come into contact with day-to-day can harness new energy in a workplace, bringing creativity with it.
6. All on board
To develop a genuinely creative culture in a workplace, it’s important to make every single member of staff feel involved. As such, it’s crucial to engineer opportunities for creativity that suit different personality types. Despite brainstorming sessions, have an idea board in the office where people can add post-it notes of their ideas for the business. There should be no rules here, so people could add ideas about an area of innovation a company should be involved in as well as what kind of coffee they would like to see stocked in the kitchen!
7. More is… more
Creative inspiration may come from outside an organization. A brilliant way of inspiring employees is to initiate contact with people who can share their experiences and vision. This could be done by inviting inspiring speakers into the workplace for lunchtime talks or post-work seminars, where you could also serve drinks and nibbles. In addition, encourage employees to visit people who work in related fields in other organizations. Seeing how other people work and what they’re working on can be an excellent creative driving force.
Companies who actively promote a creative culture enjoy a more engaged workforce and elevated business success too. Get involved in some of these creative practices and you’ll start to reap the rewards.
Sometimes, a bad idea is a great idea in disguise!
