Become a Creative Genius

May 30 is National Creativity Day. What better time to reflect on the unique ways you think and express ideas? Whether you are actively searching for a job or have just started working, creativity is a powerful work skill! Here are tips for strengthening your creativity and making room for others to do the same.

• Embrace the “dumb” ideas!
  Do you ever hold back an idea because it doesn’t feel perfect? The truth is, it doesn’t matter how dumb you think it is. More often than not, having a number of options (even if they’re not your best work) can facilitate creativity! So don’t dismiss a thought too quickly. Share your half-baked ideas with your team and let them help you shape them into something better!

• Fail to learn
  There’s no denying that knowing when to play it safe matters, but failure is part of the learning process. Growth needs experimentation and experimentation comes with risks. By allowing room for failure, you create a safe space for yourself to speak up and collaborate more freely!

• Stir up some trouble!
  Don’t just bring solutions. Bring problems! Problem-finding is equally as important as finding solutions. Great ideas often come from questioning – what doesn’t work? Or what is missing? You don’t have to turn a blind eye to problems, just to keep the peace. Addressing issues can speed up the process!

• Slow and steady wins the race
  Have you ever heard of the Zeigarnik Effect? This is a psychological phenomenon where we tend to remember unfinished or unresolved tasks better than completed ones. Delaying a decision triggers this effect, keeping your brain working on an issue in the background. This often helps you come up with a better and creative solution. So don't rush to pick the “perfect” solution right away!

A safe space to be creative:

• Use open-ended questions
  Using open-ended questions can invite your colleagues to think more deeply, which will then help them to come up with creative ideas. Using open-ended questions also shows that you value others’ inputs, creating a safe space for them to share their ideas. Examples of questions include; “How can we make this more accessible?” “What can we add to this to make it better?”

• Creating communication opportunities
  Setting aside time to communicate regularly improves one’s self esteem to speak up! Practice makes perfect. Repeated exposure to communication opportunities reduces the fear of sharing “bad” ideas. 

If you are feeling nervous about sharing an idea at your workplace, book a meeting with your Work Experience Coordinator to get some input!