Effective leadership and motivated employees together can develop a dynamic and forward-thinking environment
By Viiveck Verma
Creativity is the foundation for the most exquisite of human achievements. Much of our advancement has taken place because somebody thought out of the box, dared to put the idea into practice and drove it to fruition. The world of business also needs and celebrates the phenomenon of creativity. However, work often translates to the performance of routine tasks and workplace cultures that practice creativity on an everyday basis remain rare.
Is creativity in business truly that important in today’s times? If so, how can we drive a revolutionary change by letting creativity reign supreme in our organisations? How can we transform everyday work into something that pushes the envelope and garners extraordinary results that take the standards of performance higher with time? Let us engage with these extremely pertinent questions in some detail.
Adapt to Change
By ingraining a culture of creativity in themselves, organisations can adapt to change and stay flexible in the face of changing market demands. Creative thinkers are more receptive to embracing change and experimenting with novel ideas. When employees are encouraged to question the status quo and look into creative ways to satisfy customer needs, the most desirable results can be garnered. After all, to stay ahead in a competitive market and effectively respond to changing trends, this adaptability is essential. A reputation for a creative work culture can draw top talent to a company, while customers also tend to appreciate brands that provide innovative products or services. A culture of creativity, thus, has many rewards and should certainly be implemented.
First and foremost, it is crucial to acknowledge that creativity does not unfold in a vacuum. The structure of an organisation can determine the levels of engagement of employees. If the work culture is dreary and alienating, individuals are more likely to not be intellectually and creatively invested in everyday projects and may just see work as ticking off items on a checklist. An organisation, therefore, has to be structurally attuned to practices that let creativity become the order of the day. This is where the element of leadership becomes interminably powerful.
Go the Extra Mile
Not only do leaders decide the direction an organisation may take, but they are also people who are meant to embody the values the organisation celebrates. For a culture of creativity to be in place, leaders also need to go the extra mile. After all, leaders set examples. Accordingly, creative leaders who show a willingness to experiment and take their chances can motivate their teams to follow suit by actively participating in creative processes and displaying and unleashing their creative thinking. Employees are more likely to value innovative and creative ideas and practices in their work when they observe their leaders doing so.
Furthermore, efficacious and enlightened leaders understand how important diversity is for fostering a culture of creativity. Such leaders actively seek out various viewpoints and make sure that a wide diversity of voices is respected, with a tendency to learn from each perspective. This process enriches the organisation’s pool of ideas by promoting a range of viewpoints, which results in more creative solutions. Leaders should also encourage employees’ creativity by making sure that they have access to the resources they need, be it time, tools or training. Employees can experiment, take risks and put their creative ideas into practice with the help and resources they need, producing results.
On a related note, we must understand that elements of space and time are immensely significant to building a culture of creativity. An admirable workplace culture in this regard, for instance, can do this in a variety of ways. For example, if employees are routinely given the freedom to pitch new ideas, pursue individual projects or investigate concepts unrelated to their current tasks for a portion of their workday, they can be oriented towards working creatively on an everyday basis. The efficiency of such a ‘side project time’ model has historical precedent in Google’s famous ‘20% time’ policy, a strategy whereby employees were motivated to spend up to 20% of their work hours which they were paid for, for developing personal projects. This initiative resulted in the creation of ground-breaking products like Gmail. Similarly, giving workers designated areas or rooms to relax and think creatively can also inspire them.
Failures as Opportunities
Finally, a culture of learning is conducive to the cherishing and encouraging of creativity. Leaders, therefore, should encourage skill development and regimes of ongoing learning. In this regard, for instance, problem-solving-focused training programmes, workshops or seminars can be useful. Importantly, it is helpful to establish a culture where failures are seen as opportunities to learn and grow rather than mistakes. Employees are encouraged to take calculated risks and explore uncharted territory as a result of this fundamental change in perspective that lets them try ideas out without the fear of banishment on account of their ideas not taking off.
On the other side of the spectrum, if we find ourselves in roles where we do not necessarily lead, curiosity and a spirit of collaboration go a long way. For all employees of an organisation, staying curious to interrogate and learn from new things forms the basis of creative explorations. Collaboration, which is fundamental for people to work together in any context, is also necessary for the same pursuit. Once egos are kept aside to collaborate, and the cross-pollination of diverse viewpoints and ideas is allowed, organisational growth can improve by leaps and bounds. Most importantly, a collaborative environment fosters trust in people to present unconventional or new ideas, for when employees trust each other, they work with mutual respect and not disdain towards the contributions of others.
In conclusion, creative workplace culture is crucial because it fosters innovation, increases employee engagement, promotes adaptability, encourages continuous learning and enhances organisational reputation. Once effective leadership and motivated employees come together for the cause of creativity, workplaces can develop a dynamic and forward-thinking environment that is bound to ensure the long-term glory of the organisation.