Don’t let No stop creativity, ideas

I had the good fortune of being selected to be part of a panel discussion at a local conference. The audience consisted of managers who represented the full spectrum of experiences and education. During the question and answer session, a participant asked “What do you believe to be the reasons why organizations work so hard at suppressing the creativity of its employees?” Naturally, I assumed I’d have a few minutes to think about my answer until the moderator asked if I would be the first to respond. Sensing a sigh of relief by my fellow panel members, I readjusted the microphone and gave a response.

In actuality, it wasn’t the first time I’d heard this kind of question and I recalled the frustration of the person who only wanted his idea for a product to be heard and considered by his boss. He’d heard the usual, ‘No’ or ‘Not feasible’ and could not understand why his idea didn’t receive the proper support. Needless to say, he turned that frustration into action that took place out side of the organization and since that time has not brought forth a real creative idea that can be implemented in his place of employment. He decided to coast and work just enough to keep the waters from becoming turbulent.

Creativity and organizational priorities represent a delicate balancing act for managers trying to meet the day-to-day demands that come with needing to achieve goals. Ideas represent the very heart of competitive opportunities and profit growth. We all have good ideas about different things at interesting times in an organization’s cycle. However, it doesn’t mean that the organization can divert resources to support every idea that gets thrown over the cubicle. So, what remains are a lot of ideas, from a number of well-meaning employees, that become bottle-necked, leaving both the organization and its employees frustrated by each other’s seemingly narrow perspective. There are a few techniques that might help to break up that bottle-neck.

The statement ‘NO’, in most organizations usually means, ‘Not now’: Organizations love ideas that make a profit difference and will usually gravitate toward them when reminded of how much it’s costing them to not implement the idea. Do the specs, break it down financially and show its potential profit gains. Set up a bi-weekly meeting with your boss and during the course of that meeting make sure you, politely, bring up the idea…again.

Solicit peripheral support: If your idea is something that can be shared with peers, colleagues and team members, then use them as a network that can influence someone in a position to lend support to your idea.

List some of the innovations currently making a profit for your competitors: There’s no reward that comes from knowing that a competitor is doing something better than you. Remind your boss that the success of business is often times dependent on how much innovation you can bring to market. Anything being done by a competitor that is making a profit is worth considering.

Find out what specific factors are preventing the idea from taking root: From the employee’s point of view, it may seem like an unyielding boss is just not interested in trying something new. However, the manager may be trying to balance priorities in accordance to the ‘big picture’ that’s taking place within that project, department or division.

It may be time to consider a change: Many a person has left a job to seek opportunities with other companies or start their own business. Today’s work environment demands careful consideration of this as an option, but nevertheless, if the spirit that surrounds your idea demand that you move forward, then do so with fervent determination and a practical plan for the transition.

Ideas are the foundation of individual creativity and an essential ingredient in the success of any company that has been around for more than three years. The greatest wish of any employee is to have their idea heard, and the greatest wish of any company is to have an idea that works. Sounds like the beginning of a great conversation.