THE CREATIVE EDGE
SIX WAYS TO DEVELOP YOUR ORGANIZATION'S C.Q. (CREATIVITY QUOTIENT)

There was a time when popular opinion held that only a few departments in an organization housed creative people -- usually corporate communications, public relations, research and development, and marketing. In the old framework, only top executives were expected to solve problems and develop new concepts. Such a limited view not only placed an enormous burden on the "creative few" to come up with all the answers, it also restricted the contributions of workers most knowledgeable about the problem situation. Developing the creativity quotient of a work force begins when leadership recognizes the natural creative ability that exists within everyone. Here are six ways to nurture the creative potential in your organization:

1) Gather employee suggestions in "idea campaigns."
The best programs are short-term (one or two months), focus on a single issue (improving safety, cutting costs, eliminating paperwork, delighting customers), and are kept lively and fun ("Sacred Cow " hunts to question traditional methods, "Burn the Books" campaign to reduce organizational rules and procedures.)

2) Offer courses in creative problem solving for all employees -- not just managers or "creative types."
A study from the University of Buffalo found that employees who have been trained in creative thinking techniques generate twice as many suggestions than untrained employees.

3) Encourage the cross-pollination of ideas.
At 3M, managers regularly organize internal "trade shows" that let
different departments share one another's brainstorms and innovations. The result at 3M is a perpetual state of creative competition within the company.

4) Give employees the freedom to be creative.
American Greeting Cards sent a team of its artists to a campsite in the woods -- away from the eyes of management -- to invent characters that can be used in toys, movies and comic books. This is a big change from the days when bosses gave the company artists ideas to work on, and the artists were confined to their individual cubicles at corporate headquarters.

5) Reward innovations with private and public recognition.
If the idea is especially valuable, reward its creator with a cash bonus, royalties or a percentage of the profits generated by the idea. At ICI Pharmaceuticals Group in Wilmington, Delaware, the Performance Excellence Award is given to employees for any idea that helps the business (saving money, increasing productivity, etc.) or to employees who go "above and beyond" the call of duty. The award winner receives $300. A person can be nominated for this award by anyone: a peer, supervisor, coworker or department head.

6) Create an environment of trust.
Rita Wilson, a senior vice president at Allstate Insurance spoke with me about the kind of environment needed to encourage creative risk: "We need employees to challenge the status quo, even when that means challenging their assignments. We need them to take responsibility for their jobs and their futures and to contribute creatively to the company's (and their own) success. We realize that no one can do that unless we create an environment of trust where people feel safe and supported -- and unless people also
understand the business challenges, goals, and strategies and how their efforts contribute."