“Having worked in marketing for most of my career, I’ve learned the priceless strategic value of having a steady supply of good ideas,” writes Beth Comstock, GE’s vice chair. “I’ve also come across a lot of attitudes that hold good ideas back, chief among them is the belief that only certain people or departments are entitled to come up with them in the first place. I’ve found that an open workplace, where ideas can flow freely and are encouraged from everywhere, always results in the best outcomes.”
Check out her opinion piece on LinkedIn about the importance of making space and time for creativity.
Creativity is everybody’s job, including yours.
“At the heart of every entrepreneurial workplace is the idea that if you come across an essential job that’s not getting done, and you don’t know whose job it is, assume it’s yours. This applies to creative work, too. Don’t assume that creativity is the sole responsibility of marketing, or new product development, or some other department that isn’t yours. If you see a chance to add value by virtue of your ideas, go for it.
“Sometimes I’ll tee up an idea with a caveat, saying ‘This is a seed of an idea’ – meaning that it’s a thought starter, and asking “Can you do something with this? Make it better?’”
