What are some ways to promote innovation and creativity during a project?

Curiosity acts as a catalyst, driving increased learning, understanding, and experiences, offering valuable insights from our surroundings and interactions. Once achieved, curiosity will fuel creative expression. The objective is to leverage these experiences and insights as a wellspring of inspiration for our professional endeavors. In a project context, teams have the opportunity to design their guidelines. For instance, they can analyze projects from diverse perspectives, craft different scenarios, and share 5 key learnings/mistakes after each project phase. This approach enables the cultivation of a broad POV, encouraging a richness of perspective instead of rigidly adhering to and defending a singular viewpoint.

We all should have a growth mindset and not be arrogant enough to think we know it all. It is important to be in a constant state of learning. Allowing fresh ideas to flow from all stakeholders and support staff can really energize any project. It is important to openly listen, gently guide when necessary, and empower. However, I always tell those around me who bring ideas to the table be ready to take the driver's seat and be actively involved with the changes or new projects, not just letting others do the work.

Let's face it, nobody *loves* to be micromanaged. Delegation of work is a key element in the overall success of an organization. Individuals need to be able to operate in an environment where they are respected and trusted, and managers cannot do everything themselves. This may seem counterintuitive to most, but each member of the team should ensure that the work they are performing for the organization will not come to a screeching halt if something happens and that individual is no longer in the picture (yes the FedEx truck scenario).

The presence of challenges within a team setting compels its members to engage in critical thinking, active collaboration, and the development of optimal solutions. They ignite creativity, instill confidence to take calculated risks and boost intrinsic motivation to overcome obstacles collectively. For instance, engaging in mind mapping can facilitate imaginative exploration, while cross-functional collaboration projects can encourage a diversity of perspectives. Similarly, time constraints and resource limitations stimulate quick thinking. Regardless, challenges are demanding and should be monitored to avoid team burnout or negative consequences.

Inspiring your team is an important starting point, but it is potentially more important to enable them to inspire you. Creativity and innovation happens when we all agree to think a bit differently - to suspect our disbelief for a while and think about what *could* happen. That means creating a safe and supportive environment where people don't feel shy or uncomfortable sharing supposedly silly ideas. Be the first one to share an idea that on first glance could be perceived as silly, and then show it could be developed to a point of innovation that suddely sounds ground-breaking and exciting. Once you've demonstrated that you're keen to start daft, people are much more likely to join you - that's where the magic happens.