Being the parent of two young boys, I tend to watch a lot of programs on the Disney Channel. One program that gets a lot of airtime there (and on its sister channel Disney XD) is Phineas and Ferb, a cartoon about two imaginative young boys, whose wild schemes always seem to succeed regardless of the efforts of their sister/half-sister Candace to stop them (to those of us who remember the late 1960s/early 1970s, Candace could be a metaphor for what some of us called "the man").
A recent survey from staffing firm Robert Half International finds many chief financial officers believe their office environment has been successful in their Candace role of stifling worker creativity.
Approximately 35% of the CFOs said a lack of new ideas is the greatest barrier to making their company more innovative. To me that answer is more about the symptoms and less about the cause. But the next two responses are more revealing; nearly one quarter said their firms have too much bureaucracy, while one in five felt employees are getting too bogged down in their daily tasks or being forced to put out fires rather than being innovative and productive.
"Innovation is the driving force behind every successful business," said Max Messmer, chairman and CEO of Robert Half International. "Managers should do their best to stretch and challenge their teams to combat complacency.
"Build in time for brainstorming sessions and other activities that help employees step outside their comfort zones and daily routines."
The company provided some tips for inspiring innovation:
1. Engage the entire team. Empowered employees tend to be more innovative because they have a bigger emotional stake in the firm's success. Cultivate a culture in which staff at all levels can easily share solutions for improving the business.
2. Remove the red tape and examine your internal processes. Employees become disillusioned when they put their time and energy into devising ingenious ideas only to wait forever for them to be approved and implemented.
3. Keep it collaborative. A healthy level of competition between employees can spur innovation. But if a workplace becomes too competitive, team members may be reluctant to speak up for fear that their suggestions will either be stolen or ridiculed. Create policies that support the open exchange of information and a team-first atmosphere.
4. Build a better brainstorm. Too many potentially great ideas are discarded prematurely in brainstorming meetings. Rein in the naysayers who relish in saying why novel proposals won't work.
5. Give workers a break. Burnout does not beget brilliance. Implement programs that promote work-life balance.
6. Seek inspiration. As a leader, you set the tone. Research shows a person in a relaxed, positive mood has more innovative thoughts.
