The opinions expressed by Entrepreneur authors are their very own.
Ask anyone to call a creative person and they may probably offer you a name known from the art world: musician, painter, filmmaker. And it’s true – all great artists are really creative people. However, creativity is not only about art; this is a very essential skill in many sorts of work.
In the business world, supporting creativity helps your business grow because it could possibly result in revolutionary solutions to challenges that arise at work.
The importance of creativity throughout the company
According to A McKinsey studythe most creative corporations achieve higher business results. This shows how essential it is to consciously build a work environment that encourages and supports creative pondering.
This variety of pondering applies to almost every a part of a company. For example, in software development, creative problem solving can result in revolutionary features that improve the user experience. In finance, a creative approach can optimize budgeting and streamline processes. In research and development, it could possibly increase code efficiency or discover time-saving solutions to complex problems. In HR, it could possibly result in the creation of recent, simpler organizational structures.
By incorporating creativity across all functions, you enable all employees to think outside the box and make a significant contribution to the company’s success.
Encouraging experimentation with ‘fail fast’ methodologies.
In many workplaces, there is a risk of abandoning creative ideas that challenge current pondering. To encourage a creative environment in your organization, I suggest adopting a “Fail Fast” methodology. This encourages your employees to experiment and come up with creative ideas that they will quickly test. In my experience, a two-week test is the ideal time-frame to quickly assess whether an idea has potential.
If the idea works or shows promise, you may further develop and scale it. On the other hand, if it fails, you have minimized any damage. This method is not just about reducing risk; builds a culture where mistakes are seen as an opportunity to learn and develop, and creative ideas are supported.
It also shows employees that you simply trust them to explore their ideas, giving them a strong sense of ownership and pride in their work, and motivating them to repeatedly make recent suggestions to enhance your business.
In fact, research from BCG shows that organizations that promote a culture of experimentation experience higher levels of innovation. Companies like Google have successfully implemented similar methodologies, resulting in groundbreaking projects like Gmail. If you give your employees the freedom to explore ideas without fear of failure, you may set your organization up for success, in accordance with data from DeloitteFast-growing brands are more more likely to have a creative culture.
The importance of cross-functional teams
In one other studyDeloitte analysts show the connection between cross-functional teams and an revolutionary approach. Bringing together people from different backgrounds increases perspectives in any discussion and can assist you to find creative solutions to business challenges.
I’ve seen firsthand how multidisciplinary teams solve problems higher and faster, and come up with more creative ideas. This is an essential element of building a creative culture in your organization. Therefore, for key projects, I prefer to work based on a composition model that brings together representatives from different functions: research and development, product, marketing, design and more. With so many different perspectives and areas of experience at the table, it’s easier to search out creative solutions to any challenges.
Creating conditions that support creativity
Other points of the work environment are also essential. Think about a child – they are naturally creative and like to explore their surroundings. They enjoy physical play, but they need tools to do so: pens, paper, clay and other craft materials.
But this does not only apply to children. Professional artists also need the right paints, brushes and canvases to comprehend their creative potential. And it’s exactly the same with your employees – they need appropriate tools to support their work. To truly ensure creative freedom, you might want to invest, whether in physical tools (specific hardware or audio equipment) or in digital tools (subscriptions to the most advanced software).
The extent to which you’ll do this relies on the stage of your organization’s life, but I know from personal experience how the right tools go a good distance toward unleashing your creativity.
Every company has the potential to be creative
Throughout human history, creative ideas have been a driving force for business impact. It doesn’t matter what industry you are in, you may enjoy creative freedom in your business and use that creativity to assist you to grow.
But you have to be intentional. Build a culture that celebrates experimentation and welcomes ideas from every team member. Deliver your projects with cross-functional teams and provide them with the right tools.
Do all this and you’ll enable your employees to take on challenges with fresh knowledge and revolutionary solutions. They will feel more appreciated, enjoy their work more and be much more motivated. It’s a positive cycle.
With higher, faster problem solving and happier employees, you will soon see the impact on your business.