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How to Encourage Creative Thinking in Your Organization

The business world is changing at lightning speed. To keep up, your organization needs to stay on its toes. It’s not enough to generate a few good ideas; instead, you need to push for more.

There’s a science behind commissioning your workforce to generate new, creative concepts. You shouldn’t simply ask for ideas and expect that they will be there at your next meeting. Instead, employ these guidelines as you generate ideas for your next big project.

• Set an idea quota. Let your staff know in advance what you will discuss at your next meeting. Encourage them to come up with 3 to 5 ideas for a project, to solve a problem, meet a goal — whatever is the topic for your meeting. When ideas are generated prior to the meeting, you give your team members time to prepare and make a case for their ideas. This saves time on brainstorming during the meeting, and you’ll be able to take action more quickly.
• Let your employees share first. Come to the meeting with your own list of ideas, but don’t share them right away. Too many staff members may be apt to agree with you, rather than use their own forward-thinking abilities.
• Use idea management systems like Imaginatik or Brightideato capture off-the-cuff ideas. Even if you’re simply using a shared spreadsheet…