How can Non-profit professionals inspire innovation and creativity in their teams?

I agree and think it should be pushed even further. Not only ideas need to be rewarded but also empower the team and whoever has the courage to take responsibility for innovative actions. Doing something valuable, innovative and impactful should be rewarded and encouraged at all levels. Our society needs innovation to thrive.

The most effective way to learn and evolve? Failure. So many of us are hardwired to avoid failure, especially within our careers. But creating an environment in which your team (and you!) are willing to risk failure to explore bold and innovative methods could be the difference between treading water as an organization and forging new paths as industry leaders. As the saying goes, if you’re not failing, you’re not trying hard enough.

In my experience, its when I have often failed at a task that I gained the most insight. In some situations, failing is not an option ( seek guidance and use your discernment to ensure that these exceptions are not overlooked). However, if its possible to learn from your lived experience, take notes and reapply different tactics to become more effective as a contributor to the organization.

We need to create psychologically safe workplaces where teams have permission to fail in the pursuit of excellence. We need to bring folks from different disciplines into the fold as they think differently and will look provide solutions we would never have considered. We need to stay open to learning and stimulate our thinking with play, music, culture, sport, science - whatever is different to your usual way of doing, being and learning.

Managers need to foster a 'time-space continuum' for creativity within the boundaries of a clear strategic framework to focus innovation in a way that achieves the organization's intended impact, in other words, assure people understand the desired end game and encourage them to use their time and their talents to make it happen together. Leaders need to spark discovery with their people, encourage risks, and celebrate attempts as well as achievements. Teams need to find the discipline to dream beyond business as usual and put the ideas into action. For everyone: Focus forward, find the fun, and feel the phenomenal difference that new perspectives bring!

Most important is for a person to feel like they belong and that they can contribute their own unique concepts without a sideways glance. The psychologically safe place must encourage and empress self expression of their true essence. Diversity of thought must be welcomed. Provide experiential learning. Allow for silly playfulness which is our greatest freedom.

A lot of the non-profits are still working in a more traditional way, so new tools, or the use of the technology can encourage team members to collaborate more and be more innovative also.