Companies often do not realize that their approach to employees and the rules of work each day systematically destroys the creativity of their people. This is of course reflected negatively not only on the employees, but on the organizations themselves. To make sure that this is not your case, start by excluding the following typical obstacles in the development of creativity.
You reject all possible risks
You follow best practices and perceive any new ideas as too risky.
You limit the time and other resources needed to accomplish employees' tasks too much
You determine unrealistic deadlines and provide no or only limited support.
You follow every step of your people
You want to control everything down to the smallest detail, so you give employees no room for independent actions.
You do not support the diversity of your teams
You think that team members should be as similar as possible to work together well.
You assign employee's roles poorly
The most convenient solution is mostly not the best one. Employees should feel constantly challenged in their roles.
You neglect feedback
You rely on the assumption that your people will find out what results you expect from them, what they are doing well and what not themselves.
You want immediate results
You accept creative solutions only if employees proves their immediate contribution to the company.
You want everyboidy to work the same way
You dictate your employees how to do their job regardless of their needs and personal opinions.
You do not offer support
You criticize employees for their creativity and alert only on their errors.
You do not offer rewards
Rewards for creative approaches to work may not be financial. You might be surprised to find out that your people only need to hear that they are doing a good job and they are an important part of your team. The more specific you praise the better.
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