In 2013, think inside the box and give your staff these precious gifts to drive innovation forward:
1. Give them Hope: Hope is defined as a positive motivational belief in one's future; the feeling that what is wanted can be had; that events will turn out for the best. Without hope, tasks such as innovating become difficult if not impossible. Researcher Armenio Rego says, "Hope is important for innovation at work because creativity requires challenging the status quo and a willingness to try and possibly fail. It requires some level of internal, sustaining force that pushes individuals to persevere in the face of challenges inherent to creative work."
2. Give them Voice: Giving your employees a voice in matters boosts their creativity. Research shows that, over time, procedural fairness (giving people the opportunity to express their views) has a positive maintaining effect on creativity whereas stifling their views decreases creativity. Be consistent over time. Don't let distractions or a crisis cause you to change the rules. Give them a chance to speak about anything related to the innovation challenges you face - focus, methodology, budget allocation, team formation, and so on. Most importantly, let them speak about the nature and value of their own ideas.
To read the full, original article click on this link: 10 New Year Resolutions for Innovation Leaders - Innovation in Practice
