How to get out of a creativity rut

Creativity can fade when you get bored or discouraged at work. To get your creative juices flowing again, change your habits:

— Make an effort to try something new every month. Meet new people at work. Talk to new clients. Look for intersections — places where your department’s work overlaps with another’s.

— Volunteer for a cross-functional activity. And seek out obstacles as opportunities for research and analysis. (Why is it there? Whom does it serve? What are its effects? What are other ways of getting the results you’re looking for?) Start by selecting obstacles you can change, and continue on from there.

— Find ways to share what you know with others — write an article, lead a training session, or mentor a young upstart.

(Adapted from “How to Spark Creativity When You’re in a Rut,” by Priscilla Claman)

Don’t rely on your boss to resolve every conflict

It’s tempting to escalate conflicts to the boss. Can’t agree on how to prioritise projects or on which deadlines need to shift? Ask the team leader to step in and make the call. But it’s better for everyone — you, your teammates and your boss — if you can solve issues without always involving the higher-ups. Treat conflict not as an annoyance that leads to anxiety and alienation but as an opportunity for growth. Ask everyone on your team to commit to discussing any differences openly — and then model the right behaviour. Calmly share your ideas with the group, even when they clash with a co-worker’s, and refuse to point fingers when a disagreement arises.

( Adapted from “How Self-Managed Teams Can Resolve Conflict,” by Amit Maimon.)

Ask your employees more questions

As you move up in an organisation, people increasingly look to you for answers. But the best leaders don’t provide all of the solutions — they inspire curiosity, creativity and deeper thinking in their employees. And that starts with asking the right questions. Encourage your employees to slow down and explain what they’re proposing in more detail by saying something simple and to-the-point, like “Wait, what?” You could also use phrases like “I wonder why … ” to encourage curiosity. And then follow up with “I wonder if things could be done differently.” Another question to try: “How can I help?” This question forces your colleague to define the problem, which is the first step toward owning and solving it.

(Adapted from “5 Questions Leaders Should Be Asking All the Time,” by James E. Ryan.)

Don’t react right away on feedback

Maybe it’s your performance review. Or advice (solicited or otherwise) from a colleague. Whatever the feedback was, it was wrong — that person doesn’t understand the situation! They don’t really know what you do. And besides, their advice wouldn’t even work. Getting feedback you disagree with can be maddening, and while you might be tempted to launch into a well-reasoned rebuttal, it’s better not to react right away.

— Give yourself time to understand what the person is trying to convey.

— Ask clarifying questions such as “When you say ‘creative,’ can you tell me more about what you mean?” You might also ask a trusted friend (but not someone who only tells you what you want to hear) whether the feedback rings true.

— Once you fully understand the message and have taken the time to consider it, then you can decide how to respond.

(Adapted from “Responding to Feedback You Disagree With,” by Sheila Heen and Debbie Goldstein.)

Where to have a discussion

When you’re trying to resolve a conflict with a colleague, the venue will have an effect on whether you both feel able to speak freely, express any emotions, and reach a resolution. Select a location where you’ll both be comfortable. Ideally, you want the conversation to happen face-to-face and in private. Maybe you’ll meet in a neutral conference room or at a nearby coffee shop. Or you might take a walk outside together for a change of scenery. Avoid choosing a place that gives you or your co-worker an advantage. Inviting someone into your office puts you in a power position, for example, because it’s your space and you’re the one sitting behind a desk. And when choosing a conference room, think about who’s in the adjacent rooms.

(Adapted from the HBR Guide to Dealing with Conflict, by Amy Gallo.)

Published in Dawn, The Business and Finance Weekly, September 25th, 2017