Do You Foster Crazy Ideas?

06/21/2004

"In regard to the growth of the mind, we should set our goals very, very high, because we know that most people are capable of more than they do or are." - Seymour B. Sarason, Yale University

Do You Foster Crazy Ideas?

The Exchange Articles on CD Collection, "Staff Supervision," includes this advice from Roger Neugebauer on fostering creativity in your staff...

"Guideline #5: Foster a permissive atmosphere for crazy ideas.

"One rule in brainstorming sessions is that participants are not allowed to make negative comments about ideas proposed by other participants. The reason for this is that if participants have their ideas shot down in the group, they will become more defensive and stop offering ideas at all or offer only cautious non-controversial ideas which they know won't be attacked. With negative judgments being withheld participants are more likely to offer a wide range of ideas.

"A director interested in tapping the creative resources of staff members needs to develop among center staff the same openness to ideas which exists in a brainstorming session. Staff members need to feel that their suggestions and ideas are welcomed and valued. They should not be reluctant to share their thoughts out of fear they will be ridiculed, criticized, or ignored.
"The director should provide staff members with multiple channels for offering their ideas. Ideas could be sought in staff meetings with a brainstorming format. For those intimidated in group discussions the director may want to solicit their views in private conversations. Others may not want to share their opinions in public at all, but may need the impersonal avenue of a suggestion box."

The article this excerpt came from, "How to Foster Creativity in Your Staff," can be read in its entirety on our home page at www.ChildCareExchange.com.

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