A critical part of the human side of innovation is our desire to be creative. Have you ever felt that you could only apply a fraction of your creativity at work? Is this experience limited to the workplace, or does it extend into our personal lives as well?

When we are young, we are told to color creatively . . . as long as we remain within the lines. Eventually, we are expected to color the grass green – not red. In high school, we are told that differences make the world go ‘round – provided that the differences aren’t too extreme. Exceeding the margins of what is considered acceptable can lead to prohibition, punishment, or even ridicule. And, yet, expressing ourselves creatively satisfies the important human desire to proclaim our individuality.

What about within the context of work, where innovation is so vital to a corporation’s business strategy and operations? Do business environments increase or restrict employee creativity? Let’s consider the existence and purpose of new hire training, where employees are told how exactly how to do things. Even the hiring process and procedure typically focus on an applicant’s knowledge, skills, and abilities; it rarely explores a potential employee’s ability to contribute innovatively.

Owens-Corning was a pioneer in rethinking the benefits of having their researchers work in traditional endless mazes of windowless laboratories. How could one aspire to be creative in a sterile space? In response to this matter, the company built a research complex that offers many types of environments to inspire creative thought and an exchange of these ideas among colleagues.

When we apply our creative powers to a project, our excitement and investment in that project increases considerably. Making a conscious effort to solicit innovative ideas from employees – without any limitations or filtering – increases employee motivation, morale, satisfaction, and engagement in the workplace.

What to do?

• Seek out opportunities to express your creativity
• Acknowledge your colleagues and team members when they express their creativity
• Encourage your team and colleagues to express more of their creativity.

 

There is a human side to innovation, and it’s this soft stuff that is really the hard stuff. Find out how to work the soft stuff to make innovation happen.