4 Ways to Generate Creative Solutions at Work
Cathie Leimbach • July 9, 2024
In today's dynamic workplaces, innovation and creativity are essential for overcoming challenges and driving success. Here are four effective strategies to foster creative problem-solving and generate innovative solutions. By incorporating these approaches, teams can tap into their collective creativity, leading to breakthrough ideas and improved outcomes.
- Playing 'What If' Games: Encourage brainstorming sessions where team members freely explore hypothetical scenarios. By asking "What if" questions, such as "What if we had unlimited resources?" or "What if we approached this problem from a different angle?" new perspectives and innovative solutions can emerge.
- Considering General and Specific Ideas: Encourage thinking both broadly and narrowly when generating solutions. Start with broad, general ideas and then drill down into specific details. This approach allows for the exploration of various possibilities while also ensuring practicality and feasibility.
- Making Wish Lists: Have team members create wish lists of ideal solutions without constraints. This exercise encourages thinking outside the box and helps uncover innovative ideas that may not have been considered otherwise. Once the wish list is compiled, identify common themes or elements that can be incorporated into practical solutions.
- Approaching the Problem from Someone Else's Perspective: Encourage team members to step into the shoes of different stakeholders or even fictional characters to gain fresh insights into the problem. By considering the problem from various perspectives, new ideas and solutions can emerge, leading to more creative and effective outcomes.
By incorporating these approaches, teams can tap into their collective creativity, leading to breakthrough ideas and improved outcomes.
Herminia Ibarra’s research offers compelling insight into why leadership development should be viewed as a strategic priority. Her work shows that helping leaders grow isn’t just beneficial for individuals—it significantly improves how organizations operate and perform. Ibarra explores how leadership identity evolves over time. When managers step back from daily tasks and begin thinking and acting more strategically, it creates ripple effects across the organization. Teams become more engaged, decision-making improves, and execution becomes more effective. These shifts enhance productivity, innovation, and retention—key drivers of long-term success. Her research also highlights the value of building strong leadership pipelines. Companies that invest in leaders who are adaptable, self-aware, and skilled at big-picture thinking tend to be more agile and resilient. These organizations are better equipped to respond to change and seize new opportunities. By reframing leadership development as a strategic investment rather than a soft skill, Ibarra shows how it creates measurable improvements in performance across the organization. Growth in leadership capacity leads to smarter decisions, healthier cultures, and stronger overall results. 👉 For a deeper dive into the data, click here to view Insights from Herminia Ibarra’s Research on Leadership Development and its Measurable Impact.
In today’s evolving workplace, one constant remains: employees want to feel valued. Interestingly, research comparing data from before and after COVID-19 shows that employees' preferred languages of appreciation have remained remarkably consistent over time. However, age and gender differences reveal important nuances leaders shouldn’t ignore. Gender differences are clear. Men more frequently chose Acts of Service as their preferred form of appreciation (26%), while women gravitated toward Words of Affirmation (46%). When asked about their least preferred language, women were more likely to rank Acts of Service at the bottom, while men showed a strong dislike for Tangible Gifts. Age also matters. Employees over 60 overwhelmingly preferred Words of Affirmation (48%), while the youngest generation (under 20) leaned toward Quality Time (33%). These trends suggest that life stage and workplace experience shape what appreciation feels most meaningful.  The takeaway? While core preferences haven't shifted dramatically post-COVID, effective leaders need to understand and respond to individual differences. Avoid blanket strategies and invest in knowing how each team member feels most valued. Personalized appreciation builds stronger teams—across every generation and gender. For further details, see Dr. Paul White’s article on gender differences in appreciation preference.