There’s lots of talk about creativity at work. Like much talk about what’s needed in the workplace, there are ideas, and not a lot of execution. One reason for this is that the ideas are a bit vague and not ready for execution. Another reason is that the ideas don’t seem to connect with what happens every day at work. So I’m taking on the challenge to change that.

Let’s talk just for a moment about why even bother to do something about creativity. Here’s my shortlist of reasons:

1. People are bored and disengaged with their work; doing something creatively is interesting and likely to get good energy flowing.
2. The current solutions to problems seem to be stuck in the status quo or mediocrity; doing something creatively might break this stalemate and deliver a fresh outcome that really makes a difference.
3. There are many jobs that might be taken over by AI or robots in the future; creativity is a human ability that can be celebrated and leveraged as a point of differentiation.

So if You, yes You! an individual could mix a little creativity into what you do, you might feel more engaged at work, be part of something better, and increase your relevance for future work.

I’m not going to give you a definition of creativity here – that would be a whole blog post on its own. And the utility of any definition depends on context. Let’s simply assume that you have talents that you can use to make something, and to make a difference. Up to you about what that looks like.

Here’s a couple of general principles for upping your personal creativity quotient:

• Set-up conditions for randomness and unexpected (Read more on the idea: ‘Stop Trying to Be Creative’)
• Do activities without a specific objective in mind; loosen up your expectations on the need to achieve.
• Open yourself up to see, hear, touch, smell, taste, participate in the creativity of someone else.

If you are going to ‘cook’ up change where you work, here’s two recipes to get you started.

1. Lottery-Agenda Team Meeting

There is general consensus that an effective and efficient team meeting has an agenda of items to be addressed.

So instead of putting the items in a sequenced list; write each item on a separate card or sticky note (with an indicative time limit for the item), put them in a bag to be extracted in random sequence. At the start of the meeting, do the extraction and show the new order for all team members.

What this achieves is a healthy mix of order and chaos. By navigating your discussion in an unexpected sequence you create conditions for serendipity and unplanned synergies. If you want to keep the surprise element, you could start the meeting by only extracting one item, and then when that’s finished go to the next item.

2. Creativity Scavenger Hunt

Each day look for and find an example of creativity. Make a note of it in a journal, vision board or collection box – even a mix of all three.

Waken up your senses to what is going on around you. You might take a photo, record a sound, write a note, or collect an artefact.

When you find something that moves you, inspires you or helps you – and you are in a position to thank the creator – let them know your affirming thoughts.

When you are planning or starting a new task – cast your eyes over your collection. Maybe something there will trigger a new way of approaching what you are about to do, or make.

Encourage your colleagues to also participate in the Scavenger Hunt.

You may even set yourself and your colleagues challenges: Find an Artefact that has been used in a way that it was clearly not designed to be used.

May your creative fires be lit and the creativity flow strongly out of you and affect those around you with warmth and lit.

Author

Helen Palmer is Founder and Principal Change Agent at Questo. Like Winnie the Pooh, she ‘sits and thinks’ … and imagines how people can make a better life for others and themselves in their workscape. She likes to share those thoughts with the possibility that they inspire and initiate meaningful change.