You can actively encourage creative thinking and innovation:

1. Make it safe to have new ideas. New or unfamiliar ideas are often “wrong” initiallly. An immediate negative evaluation of the idea (however warranted) will kill it.

2. Cross-pollinate groups. Idea generation works best when there are differences in perspective, knowledge and background. A creativity team should consist of experts, as well as newbies. Newbies are great because they don’t know what doesn’t work!

3. Use an outside facilitator conduct creativity sessions. A good facilitator keeps the process moving, and protects the ideas and the people offering them, two of your greatest assets.

4. Support employees for engaging in the process. Recognize the efforts of generating ideas, even if no applicable concept or solution is produced. Properly encouraged, individuals will engage in the creative process again, perhaps coming up with the next big breakthrough!

5. Evaluate and develop new ideas. Unless you explore some ideas, with assignments and timetables, there is little point in encouraging creativity. Creative thinking is fun, but gets old quickly if ideas don’t go anywhere.

Try these ideas and experience the power of imagination!

(From “Innovation and Creativity Seminar” by Dr. Mimi Hull)