Incorporate creative thinking into workplace cultures for businesses.

Applying creativity in business can shift a company from “getting by” to thriving or “moving forward”. Managers play a crucial role in encouraging new ideas and implementing innovations intentionally. However, many businesses fail to create an environment that fosters creative thinking.

The future success of business leaders will depend not on their past successes or current knowledge but on their ability to create. Companies like Starbucks, Amazon, Apple, and Microsoft, known for their innovation, continually position themselves to solve problems creatively. Simply relying on occasional brainstorming sessions is not enough; it's crucial to instill a company-wide culture that values and encourages creativity.

Teams should eliminate thinking errors hindering creativity.

Mistakes in thinking often lead to bad decisions more than mistakes in information. When employees fail to question their biases and assumptions while considering information, it hampers their ability to stay open-minded and find clear solutions to problems. These thinking errors typically fall into three categories:

“Selective Thinking”: People tend to favor ideas that align with their existing beliefs while ignoring those that don't. This bias strongly influences their decisions. By choosing observations and facts that support their views, individuals hinder the creative process. For instance, Kodak focused solely on film-based photography and overlooked technological advancements in digital photography, which led to its decline when digital cameras became popular.

“Reactive Thinking”: Quick decision-making often relies on instinct and past successes rather than thorough analysis. While reactive thinking can lead to efficient decisions, it may overlook better options. Business success stories show that being the first with an idea doesn't guarantee lasting success; often, successors refine the original concept. For example, although Hydrox created the chocolate and cream sandwich cookie in 1908, Oreo cookies are now more widely recognized.

“Assumptive Thinking”: Relying on assumptions limits the exploration of new ideas and can hinder the development of innovative business models. Assumptions often maintain the “status quo” and prevent companies from progressing. The Body Shop challenged industry norms by selling natural products in refillable containers, appealing to environmentally conscious consumers, and achieving remarkable success.

The Solution Finder promotes a culture of creativity through systematic approaches.
In market-driven companies, decisions are often based on experience and analysis. However, forward-thinking companies, like Starbucks, Ikea, FedEx, and Amazon, prioritize innovative ideas and progressive thinking. They create environments that foster creativity and innovation, integrating both divergent thinking (expanding ideas) and convergent thinking (narrowing down ideas into solutions).

The Solution Finder process offers a systematic approach for business leaders to address challenges. It involves clarifying the problems, generating ideas, analyzing them thoughtfully, and implementing solutions.

Begin with defining the problem.
Solving challenges isn't always straightforward. Leaders need to delve into the problem by asking questions, looking at it from different angles, and being open to diverse viewpoints. For instance, if a company aims to boost a department's productivity, leaders might rephrase the challenge positively as "We want to eliminate obstacles hindering your task completion."

This approach can lead to innovative solutions. When faced with a shortage of hotel rooms during conferences in San Francisco, entrepreneurs Brian Chesky and Joe Gebbia reframed the issue. They realized that conference attendees needed affordable, no-frills accommodations. This insight led to the creation of Airbnb, a platform that connects people with short-term lodging in non-commercial properties worldwide.

Optimize Brainstorming Sessions
Business leaders and employees often come together in group brainstorming sessions, typically held outside the office, to tackle specific company challenges. However, studies indicate that individuals tend to generate better ideas when working alone. Group dynamics, such as peer pressure, can lead to conformity rather than diverse thinking. Additionally, time constraints in these sessions often hinder deep reflection and creativity. To improve brainstorming sessions, leaders can consider the following approaches:

Allow individuals time to generate ideas independently or in small groups before sharing them with the larger group.

Encourage and welcome all ideas, even the ones that seem silly at first. By mixing and refining these ideas, you can create better ones. For instance, while going to work without clothes is impractical, combining this idea with a desire for a more relaxed workplace could spark ideas for casual dress days or fun pajama parties.

Employ different techniques to stimulate creative thinking, such as using metaphors to reframe problems, asking "what if" questions to explore alternative scenarios, or presenting the problem in reverse to identify pitfalls to avoid.

Analyze ideas for actionable insights.
After brainstorming ideas, teams face the challenge of sorting and evaluating them. Without the right tools, this process can feel overwhelming. Leaders can navigate this phase effectively by following a three-step approach to avoid getting stuck:

“Sort:” Start by focusing on the original problem and categorize ideas into logical groups or clusters. This helps narrow down the options. Remove any duplicate ideas or ones that don't directly address the problem. Emphasize the positive aspects of each idea.

“Screen:” Thoroughly investigate the remaining ideas. Evaluate them emotionally and logically, as successful innovations often appeal to both aspects. Consider the pros and cons from different perspectives within the organization to get a comprehensive view.

“Select:” Test each idea rigorously by asking key questions: Is it feasible? Will it provide a good return? Is there a demand for it? This step helps ensure that only the most viable ideas are pursued further.

Strategic Implementation of Solutions

Successfully implementing a solution requires careful planning. Teams must evaluate and challenge the final idea to strengthen it and uncover potential weaknesses.

Several approaches help in developing a solution and preparing for implementation. Teams can create a list of pros and cons, and work on enhancing the positives while addressing the negatives. Observing customers using the product can reveal potential issues. Providing product samples can lead to direct feedback. For example, the founders of Innocent Drinks tested their smoothies at a music festival, gathering feedback by asking customers to drop empty bottles into buckets labeled “Yes” or “No.” The overwhelmingly positive response gave them confidence to proceed with their product.
Continuous Improvement Drives Success in Business Ventures

Teams should celebrate the implementation of a chosen solution, but they must also continue to refine and evaluate it even after launch. Many successful businesses went through several product iterations before achieving success. Dyson, for instance, persisted through 15 years and hundreds of prototypes before launching their bagless vacuum cleaner. Both Walt Disney and Elon Musk experienced bankruptcy at different points in their careers. The developers of Angry Birds continue to innovate by regularly updating their app and expanding into merchandise, books, and cartoons.

Team leaders should foster creativity with innovative strategies.

Being a creative leader involves transforming workplace culture to one that fosters ideas and innovation. Leaders must assess current habits and determine which ones support or hinder the shift to a more agile, innovative environment. For instance, leaders should consider:

What to stop doing: Avoid making quick, reactive decisions.

What to keep doing: Continue to provide employees with free time to explore ideas.

What to start doing: Introduce dedicated time for individual idea generation during group brainstorming sessions.

Companies can enhance creativity by learning from both failures and successes. Failures offer valuable lessons. Incorporating fun into the workplace encourages creativity. Cultivating a collaborative and supportive environment by sharing information across teams helps employees develop.