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by hives.co
As a creative leader, one of your most important jobs is to come up with good ideas. But you can't do it alone. You need the help of your team. Here are some tips on how to get the ideas and feedback you need from your team members.
1. Make it safe for people to share their ideas
If you want people to feel comfortable sharing their ideas with you, you need to create a safe environment for them to do so. That means no judgment, no criticism, and no blame. Just open-mindedness and appreciation for different points of view. When people feel safe, they'll be more likely to share their true feelings and perspectives with you.
2. Ask open-ended questions
When you're looking for ideas from your team, ask open-ended questions that can't be answered with a simple yes or no. Questions like "What do you think about X?" or "How could we improve Y?" will encourage people to share their thoughts and give you the information you're looking for.
3. Be an active listener
In order to get the most out of your team's ideas, you need to be an active listener. That means being present in the conversation, making eye contact, and really hearing what the other person is saying. It also means paying attention to nonverbal cues like body language and tone of voice. When you're an active listener, people will feel heard and valued, and they'll be more likely to share their ideas with you in the future.
4. Encourage dissenting opinions.
If everyone on your team always agrees with you, it's probably because they're afraid to speak up when they have a different point of view. But differing opinions are essential for generating new ideas and finding innovative solutions to problems. So encourage your team members to speak up when they have something to say, even if it's different from what you think.
5. Practice brainstorming techniques
Brainstorming is a great way to generate new ideas as a team. There are lots of different techniques you can use, but one of the simplest is called 'free association.' To do it, just set a timer for two minutes and have each person on your team list as many ideas as they can without stopping to edit or judge them in any way. It might seem silly at first, but this technique can really help unlock people's creativity and come up with some truly innovative ideas.
It's impossible to be a creative leader without the help of your team. Luckily, there are things you can do to encourage them to share their ideas and feedback with you openly and freely. By creating a safe environment for sharing, asking open-ended questions, being an active listener, encouraging dissenting opinions, and practicing brainstorming techniques, you'll be sure to get the best out of your team's brainpower!
