Every Manager CAN Increase the Creativity of Their People
We as managers can increase the amount of creativity in our departments by helping our people be more creative. First we can compliment each employee when they share a new idea, whether it works or not. If we hear an idea that seems far out yet the employee seems excited and committed to it suggest they keep working on the idea and ask them to update you when they have it more worked out.
So often ideas seem dumb, out of place, out of whack and whatever never term we want to apply to them yet they may be the next "Post It" notes. Art Frei and his team worked on the concept and eventual product called Post It Notes for over 13 years. too often managers saw no future in it at 3M. This is the 30th anniversary of the release of them.
Too often we are immediately negative. Instead of being negative be supportive and encouraging.
Charles Kettering, inventor of the electric starter, freon and many other breakthroughs along with his staff, often said that inventors may fail 999 times but it is the 1,000 that can become the great solution.
Allowing your people to spend 10 to maybe 15% of their time or their own time on new ideas will increase their motivation and improve their commitment and the quality of their work. McNight, CEO of 3M, started the 15% policy at 3M in the 1940s in which employees are encouraged to spend up to 15% of their working time on new ideas, while completing their normal work in the other 85%.
alan
alan@cre8ng.com
http://www.cre8ng.com
We as managers can increase the amount of creativity in our departments by helping our people be more creative. First we can compliment each employee when they share a new idea, whether it works or not. If we hear an idea that seems far out yet the employee seems excited and committed to it suggest they keep working on the idea and ask them to update you when they have it more worked out.
So often ideas seem dumb, out of place, out of whack and whatever never term we want to apply to them yet they may be the next "Post It" notes. Art Frei and his team worked on the concept and eventual product called Post It Notes for over 13 years. too often managers saw no future in it at 3M. This is the 30th anniversary of the release of them.
Too often we are immediately negative. Instead of being negative be supportive and encouraging.
Charles Kettering, inventor of the electric starter, freon and many other breakthroughs along with his staff, often said that inventors may fail 999 times but it is the 1,000 that can become the great solution.
Allowing your people to spend 10 to maybe 15% of their time or their own time on new ideas will increase their motivation and improve their commitment and the quality of their work. McNight, CEO of 3M, started the 15% policy at 3M in the 1940s in which employees are encouraged to spend up to 15% of their working time on new ideas, while completing their normal work in the other 85%.
alan
alan@cre8ng.com
http://www.cre8ng.com
