Unlock the Hidden Creativity of Your Employees

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.

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

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

In The News:
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/12/business/12view.htmlcid=1256644732ei=DsnySPffOYLg6AOD_I2-Bwusg=AFQjCNF9Hfch5jK7ydyf8J0kmRxQgA1b_wimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=JMwih8lY2qcJimgurl=graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2008/10/12/business/12view.xlarge1.jpg width=80 height=47 alt= border=1brfont size=-2New York Times/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5i5HtDeza0D7vq-3KHYb130-8mdygD93P0JMG0cid=1256644732ei=DsnySPffOYLg6AOD_I2-Bwusg=AFQjCNGM1hDbZiR2T6SkZosYXRK1KUqHXwBailout managers may be buying own securities/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fThe Associated Pressnbsp;-/font nobr13 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1quot;Under these guidelines, companies that benefit from the Troubled Assets Relief Program may also be eligible to offer asset bmanagement/b or other contractor b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/12/business/12view.htmlcid=1256644732ei=DsnySPffOYLg6AOD_I2-Bwusg=AFQjCNF9Hfch5jK7ydyf8J0kmRxQgA1b_wEconomic View Got $700 Billion? Sweat the Details/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrNew York Times/nobr/font/fontbrfont class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1256644732hl=ennobrall 135 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/mentice-inc-education-management-solutions/story.aspx%3Fguid%3D%257BDEDC47A9-3816-4FF4-81F7-55E80E264805%257D%26dist%3Dhpprcid=1256827505ei=DsnySPffOYLg6AOD_I2-Bwusg=AFQjCNH-QLyD8hXO3Tfe-Q4rtoexulOhPQMentice, Inc. and Education bManagement/b Solutions, Inc. Form OEM b.../b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fMarketWatchnbsp;-/font nobr17 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Mentice.com Established in 1995, Education bManagement/b Solutions#39; suite of Arcadia products demonstrates its technological leadership in integrated clinical b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/mclane-company-control-inbound-freight/story.aspx%3Fguid%3D%257B61FF2737-C654-40FA-A602-DB72F0289EAB%257D%26dist%3Dhpprcid=1256813880ei=DsnySPffOYLg6AOD_I2-Bwusg=AFQjCNH7f78C76iLzpK3H6l2ZqLESQ0abgMcLane Company to Control Inbound Freight With Retalix Traffic b.../b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fMarketWatchnbsp;-/font nobr18 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Retalix Traffic bManagement/b is a comprehensive inbound freight bmanagement/b solution that seamlessly interfaces with Retalix and other procurement and b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.tradingmarkets.com/.site/news/Stock%2520News/1937546/cid=1257086050ei=DsnySPffOYLg6AOD_I2-Bwusg=AFQjCNGAqP9k1WaIXmOLL-sgAE-sEDbtuARadioShack Selects Fujitsu POS and Store bManagement/b Software/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fTrading Markets (press release),nbsp;CAnbsp;-/font nobr1 hour ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1According to the company, Fujitsu#39;s GlobalStore application is a customizable POS, cash bmanagement/b and back office platform. b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.tradingmarkets.com/.site/news/Stock%2520News/1937521/cid=1257086050ei=DsnySPffOYLg6AOD_I2-Bwusg=AFQjCNGiRcp1s1wFlL7z-ktLg5mW_I9uKQNEC Corp. Introduces 2 Transaction bManagement/b Systems/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrTrading Markets (press release)/nobr/font/fontbrfont class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1257086050hl=ennobrall 2 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx%3Ftheartic%3DArt2008101312333023cid=0ei=DsnySPffOYLg6AOD_I2-Bwusg=AFQjCNHZAzL7stIS6oPjpfXLpKDU-xCBnAExperts seek attitudinal change to waste bmanagement/b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fThe Punch,nbsp;Nigerianbsp;-/font nobr3 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1By Akinpelu Dada Residents of Ikoyi in Lagos have been called upon to change their attitude to waste bmanagement/b in order to return the area, once inhabited b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx%3Ftheartic%3DArt200810131225776cid=1257016689ei=DsnySPffOYLg6AOD_I2-Bwusg=AFQjCNF0FLhknWvWApI3tFirPkz5MphYIgIBTC Asset becomes Stanbic IBTC Asset/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fThe Punch,nbsp;Nigerianbsp;-/font nobr4 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1By Udeme Ekwere IBTC Asset bManagement/b Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc, has formally announced its name change to Stanbic IBTC b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSTRE4985ZV20081013cid=1254900962ei=DsnySPffOYLg6AOD_I2-Bwusg=AFQjCNEu_iOHvXC2lfUQad2u9u-qbaNBhAimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=BYCgV9fWz1gJimgurl=www.reuters.com/resources/r/%3Fm%3D02%26d%3D20081012%26t%3D2%26i%3D6350613%26w%3D192%26r%3D2008-10-12T203216Z_01_BTRE49816XA00_RTROPTP_0_MORGANSTANLEY width=80 height=49 alt= border=1brfont size=-2Reuters/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news%3Fpid%3D20601087%26sid%3DassvlNiBWm5M%26refer%3Dhomecid=1254900962ei=DsnySPffOYLg6AOD_I2-Bwusg=AFQjCNGejHDtfygY4fAU_mY6iUB_yWBxfwMorgan Stanley, Mitsubishi UFJ Renegotiating Terms (Update2)/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fBloombergnbsp;-/font nobr59 minutes ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1George Soros, the billionaire chairman of Soros Fund bManagement/b, wrote in the Financial Times today that the US government should buy preferred stock in b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/banking_and_finance/article4931811.ececid=1254900962ei=DsnySPffOYLg6AOD_I2-Bwusg=AFQjCNEag-cJIa9cfVAK9nUaD_AtqPnvggMitsubishi UFJ may seek to rewrite Morgan Stanley terms/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrTimes Online/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122363675892422697.html%3Fmod%3Dgooglenews_wsjcid=1254900962ei=DsnySPffOYLg6AOD_I2-Bwusg=AFQjCNEe8AcQPU5GOeXuZaEqN3FQhBL0rAMUFG to Push Ahead With Morgan Stanley Deal/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrWall Street Journal/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/feedarticle/7850349cid=1254900962ei=DsnySPffOYLg6AOD_I2-Bwusg=AFQjCNEmo29MD_1WXZdRT6Z1j2ITmLoXJw* Morgan Stanley shares drop 41 pct/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrguardian.co.uk/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1 class=pa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news%3Fpid%3D20601087%26sid%3Data9eXEC7mEg%26refer%3Dhomecid=1254900962ei=DsnySPffOYLg6AOD_I2-Bwusg=AFQjCNEXknBVvjBRnSp45OAR2mmqRZ19ywnobrBloomberg/nobr/a/fontbr/font class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1254900962hl=ennobrall 978 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssIndustryMaterialsUtilitiesNews/idUSSYU00528320081013cid=1257089312ei=DsnySPffOYLg6AOD_I2-Bwusg=AFQjCNFHR38iISg2vcyybJhmvkMKI1i4SwOrigin Energy says plans A$1.5 bln capital bmanagement/b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fReutersnbsp;-/font nobr1 hour ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1AX: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) plans to undertake an A$1.5 billion ($1.0 billion) capital bmanagement/b programme upon completion of a coal seam gas b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/business/story/0,28124,24488000-5005200,00.htmlcid=1257089312ei=DsnySPffOYLg6AOD_I2-Bwusg=AFQjCNHexd0bGYucr7kEvI_VKLKUlJBU-AOrigin enters currency hedging on ConocoPhillips deal/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrThe Australian/nobr/font/fontbrfont class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1257089312hl=ennobrall 3 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/equestrianism/3185303/Bill-Twomey-triumphs-in--the-Horse-of-the-Year-Show-Grand-Prix-Equestrianism.htmlcid=1255941432ei=DsnySPffOYLg6AOD_I2-Bwusg=AFQjCNFmLoyEHZzekjjgyWKv9KtIB72BSAimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=D90sIM4y5Z0Jimgurl=www.telegraph.co.uk/telegraph/multimedia/archive/01008/twomeypa_1008248c.jpg width=80 height=50 alt= border=1brfont size=-2Telegraph.co.uk/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/equestrianism/3185303/Ellen-Whitaker-keeps-it-in-family-as-she-wins-Zinc-Management-Speed-Horse-of-the-Year-Equestrianism.htmlcid=1255941432ei=DsnySPffOYLg6AOD_I2-Bwusg=AFQjCNEqPt9iZ3JuN3Ui99cvaoILxbrDUwEllen Whitaker keeps it in family as she wins Zinc bManagement/b b.../b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fTelegraph.co.uk,nbsp;United Kingdomnbsp;-/font nobr7 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Horse of the Year Show, Birmingham: Zinc bManagement/b Speed Horse of the Year: 1 E Whitaker#39;s Cortaflex Kanselier (GB); 2 L Renwick#39;s Beluega II (GB); b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/more_sport/article4932129.ececid=1255941432ei=DsnySPffOYLg6AOD_I2-Bwusg=AFQjCNHtw8aQ2vYXcN3CqAUwenoK-bZyfQWhitaker speeds to her third title/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrTimes Online/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/12102008/4/whitaker-wins-nec-prize.htmlcid=1255941432ei=DsnySPffOYLg6AOD_I2-Bwusg=AFQjCNF7VB2JmE-EO6sCBhgKVjewgvciLAWhitaker Wins Nec Prize/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrYahoo! Eurosport/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/equestrianism/3185303/Bill-Twomey-triumphs-in--the-Horse-of-the-Year-Show-Grand-Prix-Equestrianism.htmlcid=1255941432ei=DsnySPffOYLg6AOD_I2-Bwusg=AFQjCNFmLoyEHZzekjjgyWKv9KtIB72BSABill Twomey triumphs in the Horse of the Year Show Grand Prix/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrTelegraph.co.uk/nobr/font/fontbrfont class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1255941432hl=ennobrall 22 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.canada.com/windsorstar/news/story.html%3Fid%3D177c1423-c607-42da-ba1d-de95cee83710cid=1256131333ei=DsnySPffOYLg6AOD_I2-Bwusg=AFQjCNFScHcQRy3PZDKS6oez9MsPP5vDSAimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=HH0hrkJiNDEJimgurl=a123.g.akamai.net/f/123/12465/1d/media.canada.com/idl/wist/20081011/136718-49954.jpg%3Fsize%3Dl width=80 height=80 alt= border=1brfont size=-2Windsor Star/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news%3Fpid%3D20601103%26sid%3Dax9dBSlwGj9I%26refer%3Dnewscid=1256131333ei=DsnySPffOYLg6AOD_I2-Bwusg=AFQjCNGILOBM2zZBPKM00iNHM_lbXOAC_A`Bold Action Plan#39;/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fBloombergnbsp;-/font nobr1 hour ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1``We have a bold action plan,#39;#39; Mohamed El-Erian, co-chief executive officer of Pacific Investment bManagement/b Co., told Bloomberg Television in Washington b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://business.smh.com.au/business/g7-split-over-statement-20081011-4yk7.htmlcid=1256131333ei=DsnySPffOYLg6AOD_I2-Bwusg=AFQjCNFUY29aa8ZPexvyHfD8z-ZK1KsbDQG-7 split over statement/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrSydney Morning Herald/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news%3Fpid%3D20601087%26sid%3DaLLPd23vsTfM%26refer%3Dhomecid=1256131333ei=DsnySPffOYLg6AOD_I2-Bwusg=AFQjCNFtMEN_STOSp1m5sWw9NyW3zVIp1QG-7 Commit to `All Necessary Steps#39; to Stem Meltdown (Update3)/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrBloomberg/nobr/font/fontbrfont class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1256131333hl=ennobrall 30 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table
management - Google News


Wind Chimes and more...

Windchimes for great gifts!

Keep The Faith - Transform The Fear

FEAR! To what extent does fear rule your life? How... Read More

MANAGING CRISIS; when you?re too good at it

When you are acclaimed for excellence during times of crisis... Read More

Innovation Management ? Flexibility

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More

Ten Steps to Take the Work out of Work ? Replicate Yourself!

They say that management can be a lonely place. A... Read More

Improve Operations by Restructuring

Transitioning from Vertical Hierarchies to Decentralized / Flatter OrganizationsThe need... Read More

Human Resources: The Misidentified Subject

Interest in the field of human resources has exploded in... Read More

Top Ten Tips About Communicating with Your Employees Effectively

Communication is the basis of who you are as a... Read More

Personnel Access Poses a Continued Risk

The Security Consultant's Perspective...Implementing Personnel Security Initiatives should be the... Read More

Creativity and Innovation Management :- Thought Leadership

Leadership is only sustainable when leaders consistently come up with... Read More

Knowing versus Doing - Execution In The Workplace

Have you ever worked with someone who always seemed to... Read More

Money, Motivation, Success and Who?

It was 7:30 on a Saturday morning, and I was... Read More

Focus Leads To Nonprofit Success: Is Your Organization Rowing or Drifting

Picture yourself standing on the bank of a river watching... Read More

Leadership in Troubled Times

Leadership in Troubled Times The... Read More

Inventory Management 101

Inventory management may seem complicated to some, but if one... Read More

How You Can Learn to be a Better Manager

When you first take over a department, expectations are usually... Read More

Knowledge Management - Learning Whilst Doing - Facilitating an After Action Review

Introducing a learning culture into organisations can be difficult at... Read More

Smart Choices: How to Hire the Best

Your organization's continued growth and success depend on making smart... Read More

Is Busyness Affecting Your Business?

I'm too busy; I'd love to but I'm very busy;... Read More

Indiscretion Can Kill Your Business

The quickest way to cancel out all the thought, work,... Read More

Is Your Company in Need of Family Therapy?

How Companies Are Like FamiliesLike a family, a company is... Read More

Communication: Managements Responsibility

I've just watched, again, an episode in the Back to... Read More

Reflections in the Glass Ceiling

The recent news about one of America's most powerful woman... Read More

Influencing the Organisation

There is a saying about management that suggests some managers... Read More

Learn How To Get The Most From Your Team

Being a leader isn't easy. Every one looks to you... Read More

Employee Orientation: The 90 Day Difference

Why do some new managers succeed while others fail? It... Read More