Editor's note: Employers - Did you know that
one of your most valuable assets are the people that work for you?
Employees not only make it possible to produce your goods or services, they
keep your clients coming back and they can offer you solutions to problems
that you didn't even know exist.
Your
employees are infinitely more creative in their ability to solve problems than
any high-priced consultant that you could hire, and they are far
cheaper. While the consultant will come in and do a strategic analysis
of the problem, their idea of a solution is generally something that must be
implemented and will be costly. Your employees on the other hand,
already know the problems and they will often look around at the immediate and
cost-effective alternatives. Smart employers are always looking to
unlock the hidden creativity of their employees.
Unlock the Hidden Creativity of Your
Employees
by: Chuck Yorke
To release creativity in employees, managers
must get involved in their employees’ work. Look at each employee as if he or
she is the expert on the job and tap into their creative energy.
We’ve learned that we can use the energy of
the wind and the sun. We’ve also learned to harness energy stored in the form
of coal and oil. Creative energy, like any other kind of energy, can be
harnessed and managed.
When we engage our employees and tap into their
creative energy, they can show us ways to improve. All employees can be thinking
about how to reduce costs, looking at safety issues, reducing wastes, and
improving the environment, while at the same time developing skills to identify,
articulate and communicate those kinds of things.
What can people do with their creative energy?
Michael took some wood, cardboard, and tape and
made a ’flipper’ to close boxes, eliminating the work he was doing.
Omar used a cardboard box to protect coworkers
from a hot pipe. Later the box was replaced by a plastic coated wire guard.
Claudia designed a fixture to hold bubble wrap
she used for packaging.
Physicians at UCLA Medical Center created
software for storing medical images on Apple iPods, making the results mobile.
Hyman Lipman took an eraser and put it on top
of a pencil. I know you’ve used the result of his creative energy.
So go out and ask your employees, “What can
you do to make your job easier, more interesting, build your skills, and help
the company save some money, improve safety, reduce defects, improve customer
service, and reduce the time it takes us to deliver our products and our
services?”
Involvement is demanding and requires
listening. Any process, any product, any service can be made better in some way,
somehow. So involve your people and tap into their creative energy.
Copyright
© 2005 Chuck Yorke - All Rights Reserved
About The Author
Chuck
Yorke is an organizational development and performance improvement specialist,
trainer, consultant and speaker. He is co-author of “All You Gotta Do Is
Ask,” a book which explains how to promote large numbers of ideas from
employees. Chuck may be reached at ChuckYorke@yahoo.com.
