Why Stifling Creativity Can Hurt Your Business

Imagine starting your day with a dose of creativity, like your favorite vitamin. But sadly, many managers and companies often do the opposite — they squash creativity. Innovation doesn’t come from sticking to old routines. January is International Creativity Month, a perfect time to reflect on this. Years back, some common creativity killers included phrases like: "It's not in the budget, " "The boss won't like it, " or "Let's form a committee. " Sound familiar? If so, it's time to change. Here are some common management styles that kill creative vibes: 1. Always act like you know more than everyone else. 2. Check on everyone’s work daily. 3. Make highly skilled people do dull tasks for long periods. 4. Create barriers between departments. 5. Only talk to employees about increased targets, shorter deadlines, and tighter budgets. 6. Schedule lots of meetings. 7. Focus mainly on the budget.

Our brains are wired to resist change, but the business world has seen creative thinkers ignore naysayers and succeed. Howard Schulz, for instance, didn’t let his partners’ doubts stop him from introducing lattes and cappuccinos at Starbucks. Maxine Clark’s idea for a teddy bear workshop was thought crazy, but now Build-A-Bear has over 400 stores worldwide. Jason Kilar’s idea for Hulu was met with skepticism, but he pushed through. John Paul DeJoria faced rejection selling encyclopedias but turned his passion into the Paul Mitchell company. Company culture plays a big role in stifling creativity. Rigid hierarchies can limit idea flow. Fear of failure can deter creative risks. Overemphasis on efficiency can leave no room for new thoughts. Lack of diversity can limit viewpoints. Inadequate resources can hinder creative ideas. Limited autonomy can restrict innovation. A culture of negative feedback can shut down ideas. Mackay's Message: It’s better to create than to stay the same.

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