How To Get Your Staff To Be Creative

By Robert Rawlinson, CEO, The Edward de Bono Foundation (UK)

“You have to dye your hair and wear wacky clothes to be creative.”
“Creative people just sit around playing on their ipods all day.”
“You are creative if you work in the creative industry.”
“Creative people are difficult to control.”

Firstly, before you can think about ‘getting staff to be creative’, it is important to understand what true creativity is. The above statements are, of course, complete fabrications. Naturally, perceptions and stereotypes exist because it is a human trait to pigeon-hole people, but creativity comes in many forms and should not be thought of...

...as a mysterious art.

Creativity means designing the way forward. Creativity is needed for change, improvement and ideas. Without creativity there is only repetition and routine.

All businesses are under pressure to find new and better ways to increase overall performance. Whether it’s cutting costs, meeting targets or developing a new product or service, fresh ideas are in constant demand to remedy a problem or simplify a process.

Let’s be honest, it’s tough being a businessman or woman today. In the first three years of business, DTI statistics show that 28.7 per cent of start-ups are likely to fail. There are, of course, many reasons for failure, However, creative thinking will play a huge role in helping businesses to grow and be more profitable.

As we enter the next phase of the information age, knowledge and its creative application will provide the key differentiator in business — from the way we educate our children to how we equip our staff with the skills to power the economy. According to statistics from the DTI, more than half (58.7%) of employment in the UK is through small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), so clearly it’s an important industry sector. These businesses are more likely... continued on page two >

 

 

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