How to make your staff more creative
According to research by Edward Deci and Richard Ryan of the University of Rochester, New York, unreasonable time constraints, micromanagement, focused thinking and overreliance on financial incentives all reduce workplace creativity. So what can you do to foster an inventive environment?
Give them some space
Deadlines are important, but hourly check-ups are not. According to creativity researcher Arne Dietrich, working memory and a buffer against distractions are essential. Creativity involves linking concepts, which means holding several things in your working memory -- a balance that can be disrupted easily.
Don't micromanage
Allow free time for employees to work on anything they want; intrinsic motivation (working on something just because it's interesting) leads to creativity. Companies such as Google build free time into the work week -- and back in 1974 such a scheme at 3M heralded the emergence of the Post-It Note.
Open your mind
Getting stuck in a hyper-focused, linear thinking pattern can stall finding a creative solution. How can you keep your mind open? Jonathan Schooler, psychologist at the University of California, Santa Barbara, says that letting your mind wander periodically can increase the chance of creative insight.
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