Companies say they value creativity, and if your company is like most, you’re probably among them. The question is, are you really doing everything you can to unlock the creativity within your organization? Are you doing everything possible to ensure that the creativity that your company needs is being accessed and used to its fullest?

Are Your Greatest Assets Being Utilized?

Many companies overlook the fact that their greatest assets are actually their employees and when it comes to creativity, employees often have quite a bit to contribute. No matter what job description an employee may hold, whether it be the part-time receptionist or the full-time corporate exec, let your employees know that their creative ideas really do matter and that you value their input. Perhaps schedule brainstorming sessions or feedback focus groups that are geared towards strengthening your organization’s operations and corporate culture.

Team Up for Success

Teams that are created solely for the purpose of unlocking your company’s creativity can be a vital asset to your organization. Create teams with members from different departments in your organization, from different backgrounds and with different levels of experience. These teams can meet on a regular basis to ensure that your company is getting the most from its creative resources.

Reward “Out of the Box” Thinking

If everyone in your organization is the same, sharing the same backgrounds, the same thought processes and the same goals and/or ideas, creativity is going to come to a standstill. Don’t ever overlook rewarding creative thinking and make sure your company values diversity. While “employee of the month” programs may not work for your particular business structure, random rewards such as gift certificates or lunches out can be a great way to motivate creative input.

Ride the Tides

Many companies make the mistake of becoming dinosaurs – and we all know what happens to them. If your company cannot adapt to change, it will surely become extinct. Be ready for change. Use the creative feedback that you obtain from your company’s employees to allow your company to change with the times, ensuring future growth and success.

The Bottom Line

The bottom line is this… No matter how much your company says it values and utilizes creativity, it means nothing if you do not walk the walk while you talk the talk. I’ll be going into more depth regarding how you can benefit from unlocking your employees’ creativity and making sure your business is tapping into all of its creative resources in the following days.

For now, keep in mind that creativity is not just something for art school students. It truly is a tool that is vital to the success of any organization, no matter how large or small.