Innovation in the workplace leads to some amazing accomplishments. Executives who possess the capacity to encourage employees to demonstrate ingenuity may place their companies or organizations at a decided advantage. With such considerations in mind, corporate leaders might inspire ingenuity by adhering to the following suggestions.

Consider Everyone’s Ideas

One does not have to be a titled official or high-level manager to voice an ingenious idea. Reputable executives understand that everyone’s input could prove valuable. Problem solving or idea generation should not be reserved for elite-level individuals. Hearing a varied collection of thoughts, opinions and suggestions could yield quite fruitful results.

Specify Intended Goals

Decision-makers are encouraged to specify the entity’s aims. Specificity enables thinkers to narrow their focus and place their efforts into solving very particular problems.

Request Anonymous Feedback

In certain instances, rank-and-file employees or titled individuals who are reluctant to speak up might possess a stellar idea but either lack the confidence or are merely reticent to offer their opinions. Smart executives circumvent these potential pitfalls by requesting anonymous feedback. This action might precipitate great returns because those offering feedback do not fear criticism or scrutiny.

Stress Creativity

Ingenuity-spurring corporate leaders are often those who foster creativity. Such executives place an emphasis on hiring independent, creative thinkers and creating an atmosphere where critical analysis is encouraged.

Organize Creative Thinking Sessions

Companies concerned with increasing ingenuity amongst its workforce will often arrange brainstorming sessions. These meetings should be separate from the typical work structure and focus on certain inquiries or problems the entity is facing.

Encourage Customer Feedback

The lifeblood of all businesses is the customer or client base the entity in question serves. Reputable executives are not above not only asking for customer feedback but applying such information to spurning ingenious ideas regarding how improvements can be made.

Never Indiscriminately Dismiss An Idea

It is important to realize that not everyone thinks alike. Different people will offer varying notions about a given topic. That said, reputable executives should never indiscriminately dismiss a suggestion they do not like. Such action might intimidate subordinates and quell the institution’s ingenuity goals altogether.

Incentivize

Naturally, when push comes to shove, smart executives typically realize incentives often spurn ingenuity. When someone is striving towards a reward, they are more apt to work harder and display more creativity in their efforts.

This article was originally published at HansKohlsdorf.com.