Are You Stifling Your Team’s Creativity?
From the Voices on Project Management Blog
by Cameron McGaughy,
Lynda Bourne, Kevin Korterud, Conrado Morlan, Peter Tarhanidis, Mario Trentim, Jen Skrabak, David Wakeman, Wanda Curlee, Christian Bisson, Ramiro Rodrigues, Soma Bhattacharya, Emily Luijbregts, Sree Rao, Yasmina Khelifi, Marat Oyvetsky, Lenka Pincot, Jorge Martin Valdes Garciatorres, cyndee miller
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by Yasmina Khelifi, PMI-ACP, PMI-PBA, PMP
Having an innovative mindset isn’t as simple as having good ideas. It takes strong project leaders who create an empathic culture in which people can share their ideas and feel empowered to challenge the status quo. According to PMI research, 3 in 4 project professionals say their organization has sponsored or invested in innovative ideas brought forward by teams or individuals.
Unfortunately, that doesn’t always happen. Here are three ways project leaders stifle the creativity of their teams—and why you should avoid them at all costs.
1. Sticking to the same old routine
Teams should always be looking critically at how they’re navigating project challenges. Sure, some techniques and ideas stand the test of time, but the team should feel supported to bring fresh perspectives and experiences to the table.
When I joined a new team many years ago, I ferreted out some process inefficiencies and some requirements that weren’t tracked properly and alerted the project managers. They had their reservations but remained open to my input. We delivered the projects successfully and the team as a whole gained valuable lessons.
To keep you and your team receptive to new ideas and new ways of working, ask yourself:
- How can I amplify voices that foster change?
- How can I move forward with trying out new things?
- How can I capitalize on knowledge sharing within the team?
2. Deprioritizing new ideas
When I joined a team as a new volunteer, the team was encouraged to generate new ideas, but then leadership ignored them. This crushed team morale and held me back from making any proposals.
Remember: A motivated project team is an effective project team. To keep the ideas flowing, take team suggestions, challenges and recommendations seriously and prioritize them as part of your project strategy. Ask yourself:
- How free are my team members to experiment with a new idea?
- How often do I really follow up?
3. Failing to secure team buy-in
A few years ago, my team wanted to consolidate different trips to Africa among multiple departments. I proposed that we use a shared digital spreadsheet to keep track of these trips, while a senior manager, instead, proposed a new tool not yet adopted by most team members. The goal was to push the new tool, but the team wasn’t open to it at that time. As a result, we had this shiny, new resource that cost money and that few knew how to use.
Getting feedback and buy-in from the team is integral in creating meaningful change. Here are a few suggestions for securing that support:
- Let the team discuss how to reach a goal.
- Let them decide the tools they’re most comfortable using.
- Factor in a learning curve and evaluate the cost-benefit of this learning curve against outcomes.
The possibilities to spur positive change should not be squandered. Project professionals must kindle the spark of curiosity and embrace new perspectives, even if they’re disruptive.
How do you keep your team inspired to remain creative and innovative? Share your comments below.
Posted
by
Yasmina Khelifi
on: January 22, 2021 02:22 AM |
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Comments (2)
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Manuel Ancizu
Program Manager Wind Energy| Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy
Pamplona, Navarra, Spain
For the team to be inspired, people need to see real implementation of some of the proposals; otherwise, they'll feel that it's just chit-chat but no real commitment to embrace new ideas.
This is specially relevant in diverse virtual teams, with different backgrounds, how team members can be inspired and willing to make contributions when they approach a topic from different perspectives.
Dear Manuel thank you so much for your feedback!
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