It’s your job as a leader to create a safe space where your team can share ideas without fear of judgment. But it can be tough to know how to give input without squashing others’ suggestions. Should you jump in with your own ideas during brainstorming sessions, or step back and take on more of a coaching role? The key is to find the right balance. Deadlines and performance targets can increase the pressure to impose your own opinions, but doing so will increase your team’s self-doubt and perpetuate the perception of the leader always having the answer. So take your leader hat off and, as convincingly as you can, tell your team not to treat your ideas any differently than their own. However, if you notice that your contributions mute their participation, return to coaching. Your team won’t be creative if they are waiting for you to tell them what to do.
Adapted from "How to Nourish Your Team's Creativity," by Ron Carucci
