Structure Stifles Creativity

 Structure can often stifle creativity. The good thing is there is a way to protect against this unfortunate reality.

Structure can be important. We need to know what to do and what others are expected to do in order to achieve results. It creates a more predictable environment and promotes teamwork. All of this contributes to an improved workspace. However, at the same time, structure can also stifle new ideas. We end up with remarks like, “The system won’t allow for that” or “We don’t do that here.”

There may be good reason for doing things how you do them. Depending on the level of risk or complexity, these reasons may be written in the blood of those that came before you. We must heed these lessons but it doesn’t mean we can’t improve on them.

One way to encourage creativity in a systematic environment is to change how you view the system. Many people look at the published regulations as the pinnacle to work towards achieving. They see it as what we are shooting for. 

However, what if we flipped this on it’s head and said the system was the foundation that we built our performance on. What if you looked at it like the first step in a bigger journey. What if it was the lessons we have learned and need to heed and a launching point for something bigger.

It isn’t easy to go beyond what’s written on the page. For most people, they have been told what not to do for a lot of their life. They are always looking for a reason to say no. If the system doesn’t say no, why are you feeling contained? Why can’t you do it differently? Why can’t you take an unconventional approach to reach the same goal in the same timeframe, within the same resource constraints? Why can’t you use the existing structures to build higher than anyone else has ever seen and look at the view from much higher. Why can’t you take the lessons that other’s have learned and apply them in a new way. 

Use the system as the foundation, not as the goal.