“When Alexander the Great visited Diogenes and asked if he could do something for the famous teacher, Diogenes replied: ‘Just stay away from my light.’ Maybe one day we will know how to increase creativity. Until then, one of the best things we can do for creative men and women is to stand out from their light.” – John W. Gardner
Shine the light on creativity. Let the creative process work. Clearly define goals and objectives. Give your employees support and freedom to reach those goals and then step out of your light. In this environment, team members will feel empowered to come up with new ideas and find creative solutions to old problems. Possible obstacles will be anticipated and alternative routes will be quickly planned. Allowing a free-flow approach to work produces a powerful company, not a busy job.
A former colleague, Sarah, at one point worked for the city government. She told me a remarkable story that looks are more important than results. Sarah found that she worked better when she organized her work and only kept the essentials on her desk. Her superior called her into her office and informed her that she didn’t seem to have enough work because her desk was practically empty. Sarah shared her solution: “I stacked folders, manuals, and papers all over my desk and on the floor. I put sticky notes on my computer and desk. No one ever bothered me about my workload again.”
This is a classic example of micromanagement. Sarah’s boss didn’t like it when employees stood out or seemed like they weren’t part of her “work model.” She clung to arbitrary and pre-established norms that went beyond performance. He was more concerned with how busy Sarah seemed to be than with the quality or quantity of work she actually did. People work in different ways. Sarah prefers order and neatness. An effective leader focuses on results and productivity, not individual work habits. Simply looking busy doesn’t make sense. When she meets with an employee to discuss performance, let her explain how she plans to meet deadlines and accomplish tasks.
Some managers may say they agree to try a different system or change ways of handling a problem. However, sometimes his words are hollow. Craig, a colleague, is an ordained minister. As he will see from his previous experience, sometimes it’s not just about keeping people busy, but also about using deception to handle potential problems, creating the illusion of change and flexibility. Craig was hired as a resource for pastors and churches to facilitate change. The denomination had announced a number of changes, which Craig had explained. In the end, Craig was frustrated that the promised changes didn’t happen. He explained to the Board members how failure to comply with the changes would result in a huge drop in morale. He concluded: “The consensus of the Board was to let me go rather than manage the major changes.”
Management can be downright difficult at times. With a myriad of issues seemingly stemming from the phone and trickling down from the computer to the desktop, the promised changes might seem like a great idea to avoid disturbances. Craig’s experience shows how a small trick can let down an entire team. It was easy. Promise changes, but never make the changes. This is, at best, a temporary solution. Broken promises can only be explained for a short time. Work relationships are like checking accounts. Each unfulfilled promise debits the Management Trust Bank. A leader maintains a positive balance in the account by keeping his promises, no matter how small. Craig refused to have a negative balance and moved on with his life.
There are times when goals seem clearly defined, but little progress is actually being made on a project. A creative manager can step in and work with the group to explore the cause and effect of current lackluster efforts. This should be done non-confrontationally, allowing each member to offer ideas, reflect on the results, and help find solutions.
I once owned a medium-sized manufacturing company that supplied the hospitality industry with framed art. We were having some serious issues shipping finished artwork to clients. We had been using large cardboard boxes on wooden pallets. Damaged product was common, but no one seemed able to think of a way to solve the problem. We tried multiple forms of packaging, many different types of protective wrapping, and various strapping techniques.
Finally, frustrated, I brought up the problem at an open staff meeting. A nineteen-year-old employee who had been working for me for about three weeks asked me a simple question: “How much do the boxes, pallets and protective wrapping cost?” The teen then came up with a solution that was elegant in its simplicity. He said, “God, for that kind of money we could build wooden boxes.” We were lost in the forest; saw the tree!
Mary, a former teacher, told me a story of “big ideas” that can be robbed of value by busy work and not anticipating an obstacle. She taught at a private school where she was encouraged from upper grades to interact and tutor students from lower grades. This encouraged older students to actually learn the material long before they had a chance to teach it to younger children. The children in the lower grades listened and responded to the older students, so the situation was valid and useful as an educational method. A new principal was brought in and decided that the faster students should be assigned extra materials to keep them busy while the “slower kids” caught up. Maria described the result, “Unfortunately, children who were learning quickly began to dawdle with the first tasks because they knew that the more they finished, the more ‘busy work’ without interest or imagination would be assigned to them.”
Maria’s example could be found in any workplace. A brilliant employee has a great idea. The group’s enthusiasm gives the project a “Go!” before examining possible obstacles. A great leader will allow what I call “creative incubation.” Managers must allow time for an idea to fully develop. Make sure the idea is ready before you bring it into the workplace.
The ubiquitous Post-it® Notes are a great example of giving a creative idea time to work its way to success. Post-it® Notes as we know them today were not the intended product. Spencer Silver was working in the 3M research labs trying to find a strong adhesive. Silver developed a new adhesive, but it was even weaker than the one already made by 3M. It stuck to objects, but could be lifted easily. His supervisor didn’t crush Silver’s creation. In fact, management spread information about the discovery to other scientists working at 3M. Another scientist, Arthur Fry, used Silver’s sticker to cover the bookmarks. With the weak adhesive, the page markers stayed in place, but lifted without damaging the paper pages.
3M began distributing Post-it® Notes nationwide in 1980. Communication of creative ideas was encouraged at 3M and the result is the development of one of the most popular office products available today.
A wise leader allows originality and creativity to flourish by focusing on goals and objectives, not on insignificant details. He sets the parameters and lets people flex their innovation muscles. Remember, creativity comes voluntarily from team members who feel appreciated and valued. Inspire your team by being an openly supportive macro manager.
