If you are like the average person, creativity probably does not necessarily come easily to you. It is a gift. There are those who are very artistic and extremely creative…

Meanwhile, there are those who are extremely logical and have a hard time thinking outside the theoretical box. Creativity can be a hard act to put a finger on – creative juices flow differently in everyone. To further complicate the problem, for a team to work more efficiently, guess what they need to do?

That’s right – learn to be more creative, and to be more creative together.

Creativity produces the obvious outcome of better results, but it also allows your team to learn how to build off each other’s ideas, how to see things through another light, and as a result, how to better suit your clientele.

As a leader, you can foster an environment for creativity. By creating an atmosphere that attracts curiosity and excitement, you are fostering an environment in which new ideas can grow.

While your team might not think they are creative, or even have the capability of being creative, there are a few activities that will change that:

1. Focus on team-building activities.
   
   There are several activities which get the brain going and creative juices flowing – crafting with stickers and other tools, playing games, solving problems, or completing a puzzle of some sort. By giving your team a problem or a task to complete, they are put in a position where they have to be creative and work together to complete it.
   Oftentimes, when presented with a situation like one of the above, people – and teams – will inadvertently become creative as a way to ensure they finish the task at hand and please their boss. This allows them to put aside the notion that “they are not creative” without actually even realizing it.
   
   
2. Encourage debate.
   
   This should be taken lightly – furthermore, encourage healthy debate. The workplace is not a place for arguments, and of course, you do not want to create strife between your team.
   However, encouraging a debate could be as simple as sitting down to have a brainstorming session with your team. Give them a topic and have everyone voice their ideas – they will begin to defend their own and think of creative ways to incorporate it into the project as a means of keeping their idea alive.
   
   
3. Foster positivity.
   
   A mind simply cannot wander when it is occupied with other things. Employees also will not share their ideas if they feel uncomfortable or like the idea will just lead to a negative response.
   Even if the idea is not a good fit, always create a positive team environment to ensure everyone feels comfortable letting their creative juices flow and then sharing those with the team.
   
   
4. Make creativity fun.
   
   Get creative yourself and find ways to make being creative fun. Incorporate incentives or games into your office monthly, or maybe even weekly. People are always more likely to push themselves when there is a reason to.
   This will also result in you leading by example. One of the biggest contributing factors to the success of a company is when they are led by example. You should be incorporating fun activities that you want to participate in as well.
   Show your team how beneficial it can be and how even you need to learn to be more creative at times.
   
   
5. Provide a clear objective and how it relates to the bigger picture.
   
   Especially for those who are not very creative, by giving them the information for the bigger picture, it allows them to slightly narrow down their thoughts. This helps avoid anyone feeling overwhelmed and discouraged, and allows them to just let their ideas flow – but in regard to the topic at hand.
   By creating meaning and adding value to the idea of being creative, you are teaching them why it is important and relevant. This also provides them with the proper infrastructure for creating an effective plan which includes: effective communication, responsibilities, goals, and deliverables.As you encourage your team to be more creative, keep in mind that too much of an open playing field can seem overwhelming and actually discourage creativity. Ensure you provide clear guidelines as to what you are looking for and always lead by example.