Management Tip of the Day: Managers: Balance Creative Free Time with Structure

Are you having trouble viewing this email? If so, click here to see it in a web browser. HOME   |   TIPS   |   BLOGS   |   THE MAGAZINE   |   BOOKS   |   STORE RSS   |   Mobile FEBRUARY 22, 2013 Balance Creative Free Time with Structure It's a well-established principle that people need slack time to work through their ideas. Companies like 3M and Google have given innovation "time off" to their scientists and engineers. But perhaps your company struggles to justify that level of slack, or you aren't confident that your employees would use such time effectively. A more focused approach is to get people working together on a specified challenge. Take a group of volunteers away from the office for a week to see if they can make progress on a specific product. Or, once a year, ask everyone to put his or her normal routine work on hold for a week and commit to doing something new or a bit risky. These kinds of activities provide the necessary time out for employees, but with a reasonable degree of focus and discipline. Today's Management Tip was adapted from "Taming Your Company's Most Elusive Beast" by Julian Birkinshaw. Read the full post and join the discussion » Share Today's Tip: FEATURED PRODUCT Playing to Win: How Strategy Really Works Ebook Now Available A.G. Lafley and Roger Martin — one of the most successful business duos of the past century. With Lafley at the helm of P&G during its renowned turnaround and Martin as his strategic partner and adviser, they helped to double P&G's sales and push both profits and market value through the roof. Now it's time for you to take a page from their strategy playbook. Playing to Win, available now. It's the book everyone is talking about. "Strategy lessons, 101..." — Financial Times. "a fascinating tale..." — The Economist. ADVERTISEMENT Follow the Tip: PREVIOUS TIPS Managers: It's OK to Keep Your Door Closed When Delegating, Let Go of the How Persuasion Doesn't Require Manipulation Give Your Slides Some White Space Learn From Your Rivals Defuse Difficult People Revise and Edit Your Writing Project Always Say Yes to Networking How to Handle Your Conflict-Averse Boss Get the Parental Leave You Want All Previous Tips BEST SELLERS HBR's 10 Must Reads: The Essentials HBR's 10 Must Reads Boxed Set HBR Guide to Persuasive Presentations HBR Guide to Better Business Writing HBR Guide to Getting the Right Work Done Introducing Mobile ManageMentor Powered by the proven content of Harvard ManageMentor™ iTunes >> Android >> UNSUBSCRIBE   |   UPDATE YOUR PROFILE   |   MORE EMAIL NEWSLETTERS   |   PRIVACY POLICY Was this email forwarded to you? If so, sign up to start receiving your own copy. ABOUT THIS MAILING LIST You have received this message because you subscribed to the "Management Tip of the Day" email newsletter from Harvard Business Review. If at any point you wish to remove yourself from this list, change your email address, or sign up for other email newsletters and alerts, please visit the Harvard Business Review Email Newsletter Preference Center. OPT OUT If you do not wish to receive any email messages from Harvard Business Review, click here. ADVERTISE WITH HBR This enewsletter is read by thousands of decision makers every day. Learn more about connecting your brand with this audience. Copyright © 2013 Harvard Business School Publishing, an affiliate of Harvard Business School. All rights reserved. Harvard Business Publishing | 60 Harvard Way | Boston, MA 02163 Customer Service: 800-545-7685 (+1-617-783-7600 outside the U.S. and Canada)