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Rashmi loves the brainstorming sessions in her office. They offer her many out-of-the-box ideas and valuable insights from people of different mindsets. These sessions also give her an opportunity to be innovative at work. They enrich her mind and improve her performance.
Raj is a team player. His boss believes in collaboration and organizes various team activities. Raj enthusiastically participates in them. They strengthen his sense of belonging and give him the joy of being creative at work.
Why is it important to foster creativity in the workplace?
It is well-known that people get bored with the same work routine and look forward to a change once in a while. Fostering creativity at the workplace prevents stagnation. It keeps the work culture vibrant, and the employees motivated.
You must have noticed how chasing one deadline after the other often frustrates you. Or when you say enough is enough, after a series of long meetings. What you need is a dash of creativity and a splash of innovation in the workplace. Some companies are known for their creative and innovative approach. Being creative at work keeps employees engaged. Their critical thinking and problem-solving abilities are stimulated.
How to be creative at work?
In his address, ‘Take charge of your career destiny’, Wipro founder Azim Premji said: “Creativity and innovation sometimes need inspiration from other disciplines. Excellence and creativity go hand in hand.”
Let’s explore some ways to enhance creativity at the workplace:
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Be collaborative
Shared experiences contribute a great deal to knowledge, insights and skills. Be collaborative and form lasting bonds. It will add value to your performance. You will be able to bring creative and innovative changes in your surroundings together with your colleagues or seniors.
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Stay inspired
Hemant surrounded himself with inspiring elements. He scribbled a motivational quote on his wallboard every day. He listened to a motivational speech during a break. He went to his boss with his questions and sought inputs. He remained active, interactive and proactive, and it worked. Inspire yourself to be innovative at work.
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Be flexible
Freedom and flexibility are definite ways to increase creativity at the workplace. A creative spark can be triggered by consciously bringing about a change in your workspace, in the people you meet, and the topics you discuss.
True life is lived when tiny changes occur, said Leo Tolstoy. Switch up your routine. Brainstorm in a café. Choose to work from home once in a while. Set yourself free to experiment, and you will enjoy being creative at work.
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Make a habit of innovating
We just need to make a habit of being innovative at work. If you think that innovation is the prerogative of only the leaders, visionaries or legends, you are wrong. Each one of us has a germ of innovation in us. Utilize your ideas, originality, and innovation in the workplace.
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Keep exploring
It is rightly said that creativity stems from diversity. Explore, experience, experiment, and stay creative at the workplace. Be an inquisitive student of the world.
It is observed that the best innovators are the keenest learners of various fields, not just of those related to their work. Keep on scanning anything and everything that will contribute to work. This cross-pollination of ideas will help you be innovative at work.
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Look for opportunities
Find opportunities to be creative at work. Understand the challenges faced by your company and try to think of a solution for it. Generate novel ideas. Engage others in your thought process. Indulging in innovation in the workplace is the key to boost your productivity.
Harappa’s Unleashing Creativity course introduces you to two ways of thinking to solve problems—Convergent and Divergent Thinking. They help you to generate multiple ideas and select viable ones. Thinking strategically and creatively will make you a professional who uses design thinking to solve real-world problems. It is fascinating how creativity and innovation in the workplace bring rewarding and long-term changes in work culture. These changes empower the company to take its vision forward and help you to take your career ahead. It’s time to start this journey.
Explore topics such as Creative Thinking & Creative Problem Solving from our Harappa Diaries blog section and hone this skill of strategically thinking in business.
