INSTANT MBA: Create An Environment Where New Ideas Are Actually Used

"The really innovative companies know full well the importance of nurturing and encouraging the right kind of atmosphere to let creativity flourish. The concept of creativity has to be woven into the very fabric of the organization and one of the key jobs of the senior team is to be open and willing to listen to new ideas from the people they manage."

In addition to listening, managers need to act on the ideas that they believe will make a difference. Caan remembers a former employee at his recruitment firm approaching him with an idea to go in a completely new direction. He decided to go with it. Eventually, it became one of the most profitable sections of the business. But in order for this to happen, there needed to be an environment that encouraged these new ideas in the first place.

"It is worth remembering that you have to give people who work for you a reason or a motive to come forward with new ideas and methods. Great ideas are precious commodities and it is only fitting that the people who come up with them are recognised in some way. That recognition can come in the form of a pay rise or maybe by giving someone a promotion or more responsibility in their role. One of the worst things a manager can do is to take someone’s idea and use it, but then give them no credit or recognition."

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