Career Creativity - Don't Kill It!

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Business

¡¡¡¡This career post is directed more to the managers, supervisors, and future managers out there. I am going to address a concept called NIH - also know as not invented here. NIH is something that permeates bad management and bad business and can be a career killer. Basically it just means that if you or a member of your team did not come up with the idea, then you immediately discount it as being non-viable.

What am I talking about?

Well, let's say you have had a consultant thrust upon you. This consultant was hired to help you to do something that you feel you are doing just fine, but management wants you to do better, at minimally ensure or validate that you are doing it as well as possible.

Well, the consultant begins by interviewing you and members of your staff. Each time the consultant asks a question that seems to challenge you, you immediately answer with We've tried that before, and it just doesn't work here. Even if you haven't ever tried it - it wasn't invented here, so can't be any good.

I often encourage managers to open the kimono when it comes to consultants. They are truly here to help (no, I am not one), and if you don't cooperate, that is also going to be the message they convey to whoever hired them. Additionally, if you help them to succeed, they often paint your department in a very good light.

Another career killer is when you discourage your staff from bringing you creative solutions, either because you didn't come up with the idea, or the idea is sort of too far fetched, or in some cases just dumb. Never, ever make an employee feel bad for being creative. Never, ever discourage them from contributing a solution to a problem. They may in fact bring you 99 very bad ideas, and if you ever make fun of them, or humiliate them, that discouraging experience will most likely keep them from bringing you idea number 100. And guess what number 100 was? That's right, the million dollar idea. Your behavior may just prevent your wacky staff member from contributing that incredible idea that was being hatched by bringing you the first 99 that evolved into this one.

When dealing with creativity, you must nurture and encourage it. You must make people feel able to voice their opinions and to contribute ideas, even if they are as dumb as the pet rock. Yes, someone invented a novelty item in the 70's called a pet rock that made them millions.

Hope this helps!!

Email me your questions or comments and please read my blog.

M.E. Edwards is a career coach, author, speaker entrepreneur and expert on career development at all levels. You can read his musings here, or take a more extensive look at his blog at http://www.directyourcareer.com Or you can email him at just_mike70@yahoo.com.