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Encouraging Team Creativity

Helping Your People Think Creatively

There are many benefits to having a creative team.

According to a 2010 study by IBM*, creativity is the single most important attribute that CEOs think is important for future business success.

The importance of creativity and innovation can't be overestimated. After all, you can have the best products and processes now, but if your organization lacks creative thinkers, it's going nowhere fast. Without new ideas, new products, and new processes, you'll be left behind by your competition.

In this article we'll explore the importance of creativity, and we'll help you think about how you can foster creativity and innovation within your team.

The Importance of Creative Thinking

Clearly, creative thinking gives us great new ideas, and helps us solve our most complex problems.

However, by encouraging creative thinking, you can also help your people become more engaged with what they do, increase their self-confidence, and improve their morale. Human beings, no matter who they are or what they do, have an innate desire to think and act creatively. (It's not a magical trait that shows up only in artists or musicians: all of us have a deep well of creativity at our disposal, just waiting to be let out.)