The genius lone wolf is the romantic vision of innovation. For best creative results it is multi-disciplinary teamwork that should be encouraged and rewarded, writes Tendayi Viki for Forbes.
Tapping into the massive potential of collective creativity is not as straightforward as simply putting colleagues in a room together. There are certain tactics you can employ to help transform key players from a group of individuals into a supportive and forward-thinking team.
Viki suggests these strategies you can use to nurture combined innovative talent in your company:
1) Encourage help giving and taking. If an employee feels they can reach out for appropriate help when needed, the door is open for conversations with colleagues they might not usually interact with, offering greater collaborative opportunity. Those who are genuinely willing to give time to help colleagues – even those outside their usual department – can be instrumental in promoting positive engagement. Make it as easy as possible for employees to help each other; cut back on red tape and give space for organic relationships to grow.
2) Let reflection lead to innovation. After interacting, employees might find themselves rethinking ideas and coming up with fresh and better ones.
3) Celebrate collaborations. Stop looking for individuals to praise and reward. Turn your focus on teams who are willing to work together for a collective goal, even if they are from different departments or disciplines.
Innovation thrives on the sharing of viewpoints and ideas. Set up an environment where creative collaboration can flourish.