That's not a horse!

We don’t often talk about using our imagination in the workplace, but the reality is that even the most automated jobs should be approached with creativity from time to time. Most industries that are successful in the long term endure cycles of stagnation and growth. Challenging the status quo should be a regular course of action, which is why we should champion the disruptive thinkers.

We should all be disruptive thinkers, to some extent. It’s exciting to catch a spark of an idea and help develop it into something that’s never been done before. And there’s value in considering wild ideas that are too outlandish to be doable. True innovation requires that we spend time pursuing both the attainable next step AND the wild idea. So why do we hesitate to regularly engage in truly creative thinking at work?

Remember when you were young, spending a carefree afternoon with friends? There was an awesome period of the day called “playtime.” Maybe you gathered in one backyard (the one with the best swing set). Or perhaps you rode bikes to the local park (the one that had the best spots for hide and seek). You and your friends could spend hours getting lost in the land of make-believe.

Did you sail away on the swing set that became a Viking ship? Did you draw elaborate treasure maps that led to the corner store? Did you visit faraway lands, galloping along on the back of your trusty horse (er, bicycle)?

Do you remember the moment when you stopped playing make-believe? Most likely it happened shortly after someone said, “That’s not a horse, silly, that's your bike. Grow up.” The first time someone challenges our pretend play is often the first time we let others dampen our creative spirit.

Perhaps it was when an older sibling chided, “Santa’s not real.” Or maybe there was a moment you shared a piece of creative writing with a dear friend, and their response was lackluster. When someone brushes off our imaginative ideas, we instinctively begin to hide them away. A pattern of learning to censor ourselves begins to emerge as early as elementary school.

Carefree make-believe and play are foundational elements of creativity. As adults, we should use our imaginations to innovate and develop new ideas and processes. Often, we don’t allow ourselves the freedom to be fully immersed in creative thinking because we are instinctively worried that someone might say, “That’s not a horse, silly. Grow up.”

What could playtime look like at the office, in our workspaces? How do we encourage gathering together and getting lost in our imaginations, when it always seems like there is much more “serious” work to be done? While we may not be sailing away from work on Viking ships every afternoon, shouldn’t we have something equally exciting to play around with?

Leaders, be intentional about promoting creative thinking. Do you have a break room, a place where your team can step away from the hustle and relax? How can you encourage creativity in this space? Perhaps you add a chalkboard wall or a whiteboard where team members can share inspirational thoughts. Maybe you provide a stash of coloring books with colored pencils, or sudoku puzzles, or a Polaroid camera. Is there a shelf where you can create a give one/get one lending library?

Next, consider blocking time for all-hands brainstorming sessions. These can be daily, weekly, monthly, or even quarterly. Create a list of items and issues to solve that you will bring to your team consistently. In hospitality, it is always a good idea to engage your team in imaginative thinking about the guest experience: how can you innovate, what will you do that the competition is not doing, how can you add to the small, meaningful gestures you already provide for your guests? Once you are clear about what you want to ideate with your team, then you must focus on engaging them consistently.

Don't wait until you are in the trenches trying to solve problems on the fly! Practicing ideation regularly prepares your team to be more innovative, and quicker to respond with new processes and products. Encourage creativity in your teams! Schedule no-rules brainstorming sessions, and celebrate the wildest ideas. Some of your best ideas are just waiting to be imagined!