Are you working in an open space? No, I don’t mean the physical cubicles. Are you working in an open environment? Do you have the space to be creative, to take risks, and to fail?
Most organizations are striving for innovation. They demand their workers to be creative, to “think outside the box.” As challenges become greater creativity is no longer a luxury – it must be an essential and integral part of how you run your organization.
But many of these organizations are not creating the setup required for creativity to thrive in. Many of these organizations are stuck in a mindset that kills any chance of creativity.
For people to be creative, they need the space to take chances – to walk on an uncertain path. There’s a lot you can do to mitigate risks or avoid investing too much in the wrong direction. But without the freedom to make mistakes, nothing new can be created.
Open space does not mean there should be no limits or constraints. Constraints drive creativity forward. Open space means having enough flexibility and endurance for a messier and unpredictable process – one which can result in amazing breakthroughs, but also in dead ends.