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Tag: ideas

A group of three coworkers leaning in toward a laptop computer on a table, examining something there together A group of three coworkers leaning in toward a laptop computer on a table, examining something there together

Five Ways to Spark Creativity in Your Team

Written by Mark Miller on . Posted in Creative Thinking, Development, Teams. No Comments on Five Ways to Spark Creativity in Your Team

Tapping into creativity is a constant challenge.

In a business climate that can turn on a tweet, creativity is not just an asset, it’s essential. But I’m not just advocating creativity for creativity’s sake – companies need creativity to solve real business problems. As a seasoned leader shared with me recently, “The half-life of ideas is decreasing rapidly.” So what’s our response?

We need more and better ideas. The good news: Creating new, value-added ideas is what teams do best. However, creativity in a team environment is not automatic. There are some things that leaders can do to increase the creative output of their team. Here are a few ideas to get you started…

  1. Expect (and Respect) a Creative Team – When you establish the role of your team, be sure to highlight the expectation that the team will create fresh, new solutions to the problems you face, and respect their process.
  2. Teach Them How to Be Creative – The skills of creativity can be learned. To learn them, they must be taught. Schedule time to conduct training for your team. This can take many forms. It can be as brief as a micro-session on effective brainstorming (before your next brainstorming session) or multi-day training sessions. The point is simple – train your team on the skills of creativity.
  3. Give Them Opportunities to Practice – Creative thinking and problem solving are skills – just like golf, tennis, or a foreign language. Like any skill, you get better with practice. Look for opportunities for your team to practice the skills you’ve learned. Practice builds competence and competence builds confidence.
  4. Celebrate Creativity When You See It – The actions that you reward will be repeated. That’s human nature. That’s one reason you need to recognize not just the successes but the effort as well. Not every creative endeavor will be successful. That’s normal. If you’ve been operating in a culture in which creativity has not been valued, recognizing creative effort will be even more critical. People are paying attention. They want to know if it’s really safe to voice new ideas.
  5. You, the Leader, Must Set the Pace – People always watch the leader – whether we want them to or not. Do your people see you embracing creative ideas? Do they see you engaged in the process of creating new ideas? You can accelerate the adoption of creative thinking as a skill if you personally get in the game. If you don’t, you’ll need to temper your expectations of groundbreaking new ideas from your team.

Teams are probably at their best when they’re engaged in the creative process.

They are leveraging their collective wisdom and experience to create what previously did not exist. One of the most satisfying and productive things leaders can do is create the conditions to harness this creative potential. In our rapidly changing global marketplace, fostering and embracing creativity is essential for survival.

 

A group of men and women sitting outside on a patio, facing each other and engaged in conversation

Learn from Others

Written by Mark Miller on . Posted in Development, Engagement, Personal Effectiveness. No Comments on Learn from Others

For many years, I have met with a group of men twice a month. We’ve been working diligently to improve our leadership. We’ve learned from thought leaders in the field and from each other. We’ve also been doing life together.

We’ve attended conferences together, shared resources with each other, and challenged and prayed for each other. We’ve attended weddings and graduations. Three members have battled cancer – one didn’t survive. We’ve also buried one child together. We’ve certainly grown as leaders and as friends. We’re stronger because of each other. There’s power in the group!

Small groups are not a new idea. Men and women have been meeting together in small group settings for centuries. Why has this practice stood the test of time? My best answer:

Small groups provide a unique environment in which some of our deepest,
most innate needs can be met.

Here are five reasons I plan to be part of a group like this until the day I die:

  1. Community – Small groups are the perfect setting to foster genuine community. Community is a place where we know, serve, celebrate, mourn, and love deeply. In our daily lives, these types of relationships rarely occur accidentally. True community requires a time commitment that runs counter to the pace of our lives. The discipline of meeting together on a regular basis and investing time together is the bedrock of community.
  2. Learning – A small group is an excellent forum for learning. The dynamics of a small group stimulate rich, meaningful dialogue, questions, debate, and learning. In a group, we learn from the experiences of others and enjoy the insight derived from diverse perspectives. All these factors combine to do more than merely facilitate learning – they accelerate it.
  3. Challenge – Where do you go to be challenged? Not the challenge you may get at work to do more with less. Or the challenge you get from your boss to improve your performance. Where do you go to be challenged as a human being? Where are you challenged to learn, grow, and be a better person? A well-functioning small group can be that place.
  4. Accountability – I need all the help I can get in life. Much of my accountability comes from my small group. Certainly this is true as it relates to learning, but on a larger scale as well. In our group, we decided to begin the practice of sharing our life plans and annual plans with each other. This process provides not only input but also greater accountability on the execution side.
  5. Encouragement – Life can be hard. I need a place to be encouraged. Some of this can happen at work and at home. However, a group where trust and mutual respect have been cultivated over time is the perfect venue to encourage one another.

Do you have a place like this? Why not find 6 – 8 of your friends or colleagues and start a small group today? It’s one of life’s decisions you’ll never regret. For more group resources, click here.