In business, we often tend to focus on one set model for encouraging creative thinking. In the modern climate, most companies focus on shared thought and communal working. Many business owners also rely on motivational speeches and seminars to kick-start creativity. And, there’s no denying that these methods have their benefits. They wouldn’t be so widely used it they didn’t.
But, it’s possible that these aren’t the only ways to encourage creative thinking in staff. If you follow in the footsteps of companies like Microsoft, you’ll find some very different methods. What’s more, they often seem to work better than the techniques mentioned above. So, if you’re struggling to bolster creative forces with tried and tested methods, breakaway, and try these less conventional tactics.
Encourage solo thinking
This may go against every business model you’ve ever known. But, it’s possible that solo thinking is more important to creative ideas than you realize. A study by the University of Indiana found that group teams came up with far fewer ideas when working together. So, it would suggest that we’ve got the whole thing wrong. And, that makes sense when you think about it. Steve Jobs was alone in his parent’s garage when he had his original ideas for Apple. Charles Dickens used to get his best ideas on solitary walks through the country. You certainly don’t hear of many BIG thinkers who got where they are through brainstorming with others. Of course, collective creative work has its place. It’s fantastic to share ideas and get things flowing. But, for those significant breakthroughs, you may want to encourage staff to work alone a little more. In fact, evidence for creative solo thinking is so substantial that it may be worth doing away with the open plan office design altogether.
Keep it clean
The area in which we work can have a significant impact on our thinking. That’s general knowledge. But, what you may not realize is how detrimental a dirty office can be to your staff’s creative processes. In a messy space, it can be increasingly hard to focus our thoughts and get down to work. Which is why should you contact an office cleaning company who can tackle this on a daily basis. It’s also worth encouraging clean habits throughout the day. Providing bins next to each desk, for example, can stop the build-up of unnecessary clutter.
Loosen the reins
It may also be worth loosening the reins on your employees a little. Admittedly, this doesn’t work for every colleague. Some people need the structure of a steady workday and an office environment. But, if staff are passionate and you can trust them to work, it may be worth offering them the chance to get out of your office now and again. Remote working like is becoming popular for many reasons. Creativity is one of them. When you trust employees to get work done in an environment of their choosing, they might find it much easier to access their creative flow.
