{"id":315,"date":"2012-11-05T09:33:48","date_gmt":"2012-11-05T09:33:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.naylor.com\/associationadviser\/index.php\/2012\/11\/05\/newsletter29993_315\/"},"modified":"2012-11-05T09:33:48","modified_gmt":"2012-11-05T09:33:48","slug":"newsletter29993_315","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.naylor.com\/associationadviser\/newsletter29993_315\/","title":{"rendered":"Five Ways to Inspire Creativity at Your Organization"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-style: italic; font-size: 10pt;\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"width: 100px; margin-bottom: 5px; height: 91px; margin-right: 10px;\" src=\"http:\/\/www.naylornetwork.com\/NAY-ADVISER\/assets\/dana%20headshot%208-11l.jpg\" alt=\"\" align=\"left\" \/>By Dana Plotke<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\">If you are reading this article, it\u2019s safe to assume that you have some kind of interaction with so-called &#8220;right brains.&#8221; Maybe you manage a right-brainer or two, or maybe you are one. From the editorial guru to the design genius to the fundraising mastermind<span style=\"font-family: Arial;\">\u2014<\/span>that\u2019s right, I said fundraising (you can\u2019t tell me that getting people to part with their money in the economic climate we\u2019ve seen over the last few years doesn\u2019t require an element of creativity)<span style=\"font-family: Arial;\">\u2014<\/span>being creative in today\u2019s work place is both an asset and a necessity.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.naylornetwork.com\/NAY-ADVISER\/assets\/takeaways.png\" alt=\"\" \/><\/span><\/p>\n<table style=\"border: 1px solid black; background-color: #dcdcdc; margin: 5px; width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;\" cellspacing=\"3\" cellpadding=\"3\" align=\"center\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid black;\">\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\">The concept of brainstorm is not new; we just have a lot more ways to do it and the pace of innovation is faster.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\">Successful organizations create a relaxed, inclusive atmosphere for brainstorming\u2014but they do so with context, limits and desired outcomes in mind.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\">Everyone at your organization can come up with great ideas. Smart managers have learned to listen more and talk less.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\">Creativity is the ability to transcend traditional ideas, rules, patterns, relationships, or the like, and to create meaningful new ideas, forms, methods, interpretations, etc. So, when we\u2019re talking about inspiring this kind of behavior in others<span style=\"font-family: Arial;\">\u2014<\/span>or in ourselves for that matter<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;\">\u2014<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 13px;\">there are few key principles worth considering.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><span style=\"font-weight: bold;\">1. Brainstorm (or not)<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><span style=\"font-weight: bold;\">\u00a0<\/span>&#8220;When we collaborate, we pull ideas out of the recesses of one-another\u2019s brains,&#8221; says Jeanne LaBella, senior vice president of publishing for the American Public Power Association based in Washington, D.C.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\">Since the concept of brainstorming was first invented by Alex Osborn, one of the founders of BBDO, in the 1940s, the creative process has been changed in many ways<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;\">\u2014<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 13px;\">of course, I\u2019m talking about technology. Now, individuals can &#8220;brainstorm&#8221; with Google, generating a plethora of ideas without any real human interaction. For those who still want the human response, a post to Twitter or Facebook can stimulate a dialogue with people from all walks of life<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;\">\u2014<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 13px;\">not just the creative team and colleagues assigned to your project.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\">I can\u2019t say I was surprised when I read a recent <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">Fast Company<\/span> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.fastcodesign.com\/1668930\/the-brainstorming-process-is-bs-but-can-we-rework-it\" target=\"_blank\">blog post<\/a> calling the brainstorming process B.S. The blog cited numerous research studies and quoted scientists who have found both physiological and psychological reasons brainstorming sessions don\u2019t really work.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\">As Keith Sawyer, a psychologist at Washington University, stated in the <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">Fast Company<\/span> blog post, &#8220;Decades of research have consistently shown that brainstorming groups think of far fewer ideas than the same number of people who work alone and later pool their ideas.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p>LaBella reinforces this sentiment. To avoid the group think mentality, &#8220;Let the individuals think first, then get them together to brainstorm, &#8221; she says.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><span style=\"font-weight: bold;\">2. Listen more, talk less<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><span style=\"font-weight: bold;\">\u00a0<\/span>When you reach a certain level in your career, it\u2019s easy to feel like you\u2019ve seen and done it all<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;\">\u2014<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 13px;\">especially if those around you are just starting out. After all, how could you be an effective director of whatever if you\u2019re not directing others on who\/what\/when\/why and how, right? Wrong. The quickest way to get your staff to come up with more creative ways to accomplish the task at hand: Stop directing and start listening.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\">Kim Howard, editor-in-chief of the <span style=\"font-style: italic;\">ACC Docket<\/span> of the Association of Corporate Counsel, takes this simple, straight-forward approach to heart. &#8220;I ask them what they really want to do<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;\">\u2014<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 13px;\">write, edit, project manage, etc.<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;\">\u2014<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 13px;\">and then we focus on their core interests and do our best to build something new into their current job.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><span style=\"font-weight: bold;\">3. Drinks on the house!<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\">No, I\u2019m not endorsing getting your staff intoxicated. But, promoting a relaxed environment that is conducive to team-building<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;\">\u2014<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 13px;\">whether from sharing a couple of vanilla soy lattes, having lunch brought in once a month; or taking an outing that everyone on your team will enjoy<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;\">\u2014<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 13px;\">is a good way to get the creative juices flowing and signal that you are committed to the creative process.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><span style=\"font-weight: bold;\">4. Provide context and set limits as needed<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\">Believe it or not, sometimes it makes sense to think inside the box. Creative teams need parameters<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;\">\u2014<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 13px;\">most of us have real budgets, real time lines and real senior management teams or boards that we report to, so the idea of total creative freedom isn\u2019t practical. Whether you\u2019re working with an internal team or an outside vendor, be sure that you provide the proper context around the project or problem you are trying to solve and hopefully you\u2019ll not only get great ideas, but ones that can be implemented.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><span style=\"font-weight: bold;\">5. Reward creativity, remove the risk<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\">&#8220;I encourage creativity in my staff by giving them the freedom to do so. All ideas are discussed and considered and many are implemented,&#8221; said Howard.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\">One of the most memorable concepts ever shared with me by a former boss was this: The only people who aren\u2019t making mistakes are the people who aren\u2019t doing any of the work. Since I was at the beginning of my career and part of a newly formed creative services department for a mid-size Fortune 1000 company, there were plenty of both\u2014mistakes and work<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;\">\u2014<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 13px;\">to go around. We had to test a lot of ideas to know which ones were going to work, but we never could have done so if the fear of retribution was looming over us.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><span style=\"font-weight: bold;\">6. Bonus Tip: Give them time<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\">It\u2019s not fair to say to someone, &#8220;I want your best, most innovative work &#8230; and by the way &#8230; I need it tomorrow by 9 a.m.&#8221; Yes, we are living in a faster-paced world. Yes, we are expected to multitask more than ever. And although the most creative solution is often a simple solution, I encourage you to give your folks time to figure it out and enjoy the creative process.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><span style=\"font-weight: bold;\">Conclusion<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\">Listen, nurture, lead and frame your brainstorming sessions with these tips in hand. Before you know it, you\u2019ll be delighting your members, volunteers and board with your newfound creativity, and having more fun than you thought possible during the collaboration process. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><a style=\"font-style: italic;\" href=\"mailto:dplotke@naylor.com?subject=February Association Adviser\" target=\"_blank\">Dana Plotke<\/a>\u00a0<span style=\"font-style: italic; font-size: 10pt;\">has worked in B2B marketing and communications for more than 15 years, with a focus on association media and events since 2002. She leads the marketing efforts of Naylor, LLC.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: bold;\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\">See the newsletter front page for this month&#8217;s reader <a href=\"http:\/\/www.naylornetwork.com\/nay-adviser\/newsletter-v2.asp?issueID=29993\" target=\"_blank\">poll<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\">\n<table style=\"border: 1px solid black; background-color: #dcdcdc; margin: 5px; width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; font-weight: bold;\" cellspacing=\"3\" cellpadding=\"3\" align=\"center\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid black; text-align: center; letter-spacing: 0pt; vertical-align: middle; word-spacing: 0pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\">Rate this article 5 (Excellent) to 1 (Poor). Send ratings and comments <a href=\"mailto:associationadviser@naylor.com?subject=Five%20Ways%20to%20Inspire%20Creativity%20at%20Your%20Organization\" target=\"_blank\">here.<\/a><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Everyone at your organization can come up with great ideas. Smart managers know how to let individuals think and brainstorm in a relaxed, inclusive environment.<br \/>\n<em>By Dana Plotke<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":28,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-315","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-features"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Five Ways to Inspire Creativity at Your Organization - Association Adviser<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.naylor.com\/associationadviser\/newsletter29993_315\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Five Ways to Inspire Creativity at Your Organization - Association Adviser\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Everyone at your organization can come up with great ideas. 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