Here's how you can ignite creativity in your clients as an executive coach.

In order to get your Client to be creative you must model this characteristic through the design of your session and the effective use of questions. This approach will create a safe and enjoyable zone for the Client. Safety is a prerequisite for creativity. At this stage you can vary exercises and stretch the Client a bit more e.g. use Post Its to generate ideas or give the Client a bundle of Newspapers and ask him/her/they to use Headlines to create a solution to a problem. I find if you come back to a challenge out of the blue and ask the Client to suggest a solution to the challenge he/she/they will be more relaxed and insightful i.e. distance from the challenge can lead to more spontaneous answers and solutions.

When clients come to us, in most cases they are under some unpleasant emotion that may be triggering survival mode in their brain and compromises their ability to create solutions. The first and most important thing to do is to create a safe space for them and show them empathy. Once they feel heard and their emotions are validated, they start to relax and start being able to use curiosity and other tools highlighted in this article.

Model the skills of cultivating curiosity directly for your client. Ask powerful questions starting with "what" and "how" that demonstrate the kind of curiosity your client can bring to conversations with the teams they lead. Use those questions to expand your client's thinking. Challenge their assumptions with questions like "How do you know that?" or "What evidence do you have?" and "What else could this potentially mean?"

"One of life's greatest pleasures is falling out of love with a previously cherished idea." Our biggest obstacle to creativity is that we hold on too long to old ideas. So the goal is to get clients to love and value innovation. How? First, by asking for examples about childhood beliefs that they've long abandoned. Second, talking about clever everyday inventions that have changed how we live -- and we wouldn't dream of going backwards. Third, having the client build a diverse network to continually challenge their existing views. Credit for the quote goes to Silicon Valley consultant Roger von Oech -- from his 1992 book "A Whack on the Side of the Head: How You Can Be More Creative".

Move beyond yes/no questions. Ask probing inquiries that encourage exploration and challenge assumptions. For example, instead of "Are you happy with the current marketing strategy?", try "What are some unconventional ways we could reach a new audience?" Show genuine interest in their industry, challenges, and aspirations. This demonstrates that you value their expertise and fosters a safe space for them to explore new ideas.

Encourage your clients to see failure not as a setback but as a valuable (necessary) learning opportunity. By framing failure as feedback, they can gain insights into what went wrong and use this information to improve future efforts. This mindset creates a culture of experimentation and innovation, where taking risks and trying new approaches are essential for growth. By embracing "failure," clients can unlock new perspectives and solutions that might have been missed in a more risk-averse environment.

Diversity in teams is a powerful catalyst for creativity and innovation. As an experienced leadership development coach, I urge my clients to build and nurture diverse teams encompassing a range of experiences, skills, and perspectives. The intersection of varied viewpoints can ignite creative solutions that may remain hidden in a homogenous group. Remember, diversity extends beyond demographics and includes cognitive diversity – the unique ways people think and approach problem-solving. Embrace diversity to unlock your team's full potential and foster a culture of continuous growth

Ensure your clients allocate regular time for reflection in their schedules. This can involve journaling, meditation, or simply carving time for daily breaks to think deeply about their experiences and challenges. Reflection helps them process information, draw connections between different ideas, and develop creative solutions. By creating a daily habit of reflection, clients can tap into their inner creativity and devise innovative strategies that grow their personal and professional brands.

I have introduced activities that boost thier creative thinking. Its fun how executive coaching clients enjoy creative writing and story telling in my sessions. Story telling activity helps team building, brainstorming, problem solving and its unconventional technique intrigues them.

Introduce playful activities that stimulate creativity, such as improv games or design thinking exercises. Encourage breaks and informal team-building activities to refresh minds. Create a safe environment where experimentation and fun are part of the process. Use gamification techniques to make learning engaging. Highlight the importance of play in sparking innovative ideas and reducing stress. Celebrate playful approaches that lead to creative solutions.

You can encourage your clients to learn (and grow) through diverse sources and methods. This could include reading books, attending workshops, participating in webinars, mentorship, or signing up for online courses on various subjects. Additionally, they should seek out experiences outside their usual areas of expertise, such as learning a new language, taking up a hobby, or traveling. Exposure to different perspectives and knowledge areas stimulates their creativity by widening their understanding. It's also a given that you'll have more innovative ideas. By committing to lifelong learning, clients can maintain a dynamic and creative approach to their work and personal lives.

Encourage a mindset of curiosity and lifelong learning. Recommend diverse reading materials, courses, and workshops that challenge their thinking. Facilitate brainstorming sessions and creative exercises. Promote a culture of experimentation where trying new ideas is valued over perfection. Provide opportunities for cross-functional collaboration to expose them to different perspectives. Reflect on lessons learned from both successes and failures to foster growth.

Invite a Pensar de forma disruptiva: Cuestione los paradigmas existentes y el Statu Quo.Estas ideas provocan miedo o rechazo porque son totalmente nuevas y, amenazan las zonas de comodidad.Hacer conexiones diferentes, plantear ideas "tontas", retar rutinas y formas de hacer las cosas que agreguen valor. Estimule la toma de riesgos: Redefinir la manera en que se hacen las cosas, encontrar nuevas fuentes de información, identificar asuntos clave o subyacentes, ubicar patrones/tendencias que puedan producir nuevas oportunidades, generar ideas para mejorar y convertirlas en acciones concretas. En todos los puestos de trabajo, la gente tiene oportunidad de ser creativa al encontrar nuevas formas para mejorar los procesos, servicios o la gestión.

Consider these less-explored factors to spark innovative thinking: Encourage embracing failure: Emphasize the importance of learning from setbacks as they navigate their growth journey. This paves the way for risk-taking and new ideas. Cultivate curiosity: Encourage clients to ask questions and explore diverse perspectives, fostering a continuous learning attitude and unlocking their creative potential. Promote time for reflection: Suggest allocating dedicated time for self-reflection, to analyze thoughts, and gain clarity, helping them make informed decisions. Establish psychological safety: Empower clients to express themselves openly, making them feel valued and comfortable in sharing unconventional ideas without fear of judgment.