Find Creative Solutions

Finding creative solutions to problems in the workplace can help to spur innovation, foster innovation and create a better work culture. Creative team members can come up with unique solutions to problems that often fall outside the realms of those offered by traditional methods. Being able to find creative solutions to daily challenges can provide the edge employers are looking for when it comes to achieving and exceeding goals within the workplace, while creating a deeply satisfying and engaging environment.

While new solutions can often require innovative thinking, there are numerous steps and strategies to keep in mind when it comes to finding creative solutions in the workplace. Understanding how creativity works, how to foster it, and how to keep it going all contribute to the team’s to success.

What Is Creativity?

Creativity is the process of generating new ideas and perspectives on a given topic or set of challenges. It involves generating ideas and concepts that are more than what either the individual or the team has come up with. It is often the spark of innovation necessary to tackle a difficult problem.

Creative processes are often complex, multidimensional, and fuzzy, meaning that they require a high degree of flexibility and the ability to work through uncertainty. The ability to think outside of the box, generate ideas and solutions and connect seemingly disconnected concepts are all essential features of creative thinking.

How to Develop a Creative Company Culture

A creative company culture can be a tremendous asset, helping to foster creative problem-solving and provide an environment where employees have permission to take risks, experiment and explore. To develop a creative company culture, organizations should:

Embrace diversity – Creating an environment where different perspectives, team members and cultures are welcomed and encouraged can help to generate different ideas, approaches and solutions to challenges. This can involve organizations fostering a culture of inclusivity, respect and cross-collaboration, encouraging team members to see challenges or situations from other points of view.
Recognize excellence – Acknowledging creativity, innovation, and out of the box thinking should be recognized, both publicly and privately. Creating an environment where employees can share new ideas and operate with an understanding that failure is an opportunity to learn goes a long way towards the development of a creative workplace.
Support collaboration – Allowing team members to come together with different perspectives, skills and knowledge to collaborate on challenges provides the opportunity to foster creative solutions. Further, organizations should foster an environment of trust, meaningfulness, and recognition where team members are able to provide feedback, ideas and solutions.
Foster a culture of experimentation – Giving team members the freedom to explore new ideas and approaches, without fear of repercussion or denial, will contribute to a workplace culture of curiosity and collaboration.
Encourage risks – The culture of a creative organization should welcome and encourage risk-taking. Being open to creative solutions often leads to further ideas and a shift in perspective.

Brainstorming Techniques

Brainstorming is often one of the most useful methods of generating creative solutions. It involves bringing together a small group of individuals to discuss ideas and thoughts to come up with solutions to a given problem.

When it comes to brainstorming, it is important to create an environment where ideas can flow freely. Allowing team members to provide both positive and negative feedback helps to form a deeper understanding of the challenge, while discouraging any sort of judgement can help to create an atmosphere of trust.

It is also important to create a list of goals and rules prior to beginning the brainstorm session so that the team can remain focused and stay on track. Consider topics like time limits, levels of participation, brainstorming techniques, and a clear understanding of the problem that needs to be solved.

Innovation Games

Innovation games are an effective way to generate creative ideas. They involve the participation of the entire team, inspiring team members to think outside of the box to come up with creative solutions. Such games can involve problem-solving activities and tasks that require the input of multiple team members.

Innovation games can be a fun and effective way to engage the entire team while helping to foster creative problem-solving. They offer the opportunity to combine individual ideas and generate collective solutions.

Organizing Creative Solutions

Once the brainstorming session or innovation game is complete, the inevitable next step is to organize the results. A variety of methods exist when it comes to sorting information, ideas and solutions. Consider theses steps to get started:

Analyze – Sort through the information generated during the brainstorm or innovation game and pick out the most concise ideas and relevant points.
Research – Gather potential solutions to the problem and any background information necessary to better understand the challenge. Keep in mind additional points and potential holes to be aware of during the process.
Prioritize – Determine which creative solutions should take precedence and assign tasks accordingly. Having a clear idea of what needs to be accomplished first, second, and so on will help to stay on task and reach the final goal faster.
Organize – Create categories for potential solutions, such as those that are achievable, those that are more complicated, and those that are impossible.
Finalize – After researching and organizing through the various ideas and suggestions, finalize the ones to be taken up and implemented.

Finding creative solutions to problems in the workplace can help to foster innovation, cultivate an engaged workforce and provide a competitive advantage. While creative solutions require creative thinking, it is essential to have the correct strategies in place in order to foster this creativity.

By embracing diversity and inclusivity, recognizing excellence, fostering collaboration and cultivating a culture of experimentation, organizations can go a long way when it comes to spurring crucial innovation. Employing brainstorming techniques and challenge games, as well as organizing the gathered results help to put an action plan into place so that these unique solutions can be made a reality.