Be innovative and creative in the workplace

To dream anything that you want to dream, that is the beauty of the human mind. To do anything that you want to do, that is the strength of the human will. To trust yourself, to test your limits, that is the courage to succeed.

I’m fascinated not only by how people work, but where they work. With more and more people working from home, or out of their cars, in coffee shops, and elsewhere, the term “workplace” takes on a whole new meaning. Add to that a bit of innovative thinking, a flair for the dramatic, a burning desire to be different, and you have some clever and cool workspace concepts for creative people.

Physical space matters. It’s easier to be productive, creative and happy at work in a colourful, organic, playful environment than in a grey, linear, boring one.

The goal of a workplace (mostly) is to provide a place and space to allow a person to get work done. The best workplace, regardless of where they are comfortable, functional and inspirational. What comfortable, functional and inspirational means varies from person to person, but I think we can all agree that we want to work in a place where we can focus, create and produce.

THE WORK PLACE ENVIRONMENT

Maybe the best way to judge whether or not a work environment is effective and efficient is to see what comes out of it. That’s why the Pixar corporate offices (Finding Nemo, Cars, Toy Story, The Incredibles) are awesome. They inspire creativity. Instead of creating in cubicles, the animators work in customized cottages set on what looks like a long street, complete with addresses and a neighborhood feel. The common areas at Pixar also foster creativity through interaction and relaxation. There’s a room filled with games for inspiration and a tropical lounge for kicking back.

The great enemy of creativity is fear. When we're fearful, we freeze up… Creativity has a lot to do with a willingness to take risks. Think about how children play. They run around the playground without thinking about where they're going. They trip, they fall down, and then they get back up again and run some more. They have a wonderful belief: that everything will be all right. They feel capable; they let go; they play… Not matter how many facts and figures you have, you can't predict the future. There will always be surprises… Creativity helps us realize that we don't have to understand everything. We can enjoy something - feel it and use it - without ever fully comprehending it.

THE WORK DESK

Stephen King was asked how he could write such extremely ugly, strange, unreasonable, offensive, original stuff and he replied, “I have the heart of a small boy . . . and I keep it in a jar on my desk.” King wrote in On Writing that he switched from a grand desk in the middle of his office to a smaller one in the corner to better focus. Considering how many books he has written, it seems to be working well.

One executive designed his office to be used standing up (there are no chairs in there) and views his three desks as the command center. Another successful executive admits that he couldn’t tell you what kind of wood his desk top is made of because he hasn’t seen it in years. (It’s obscured by the piles of paper on top.) At Googleplex, they don’t really care what your desk looks like - gadgets and gizmos, loose papers and piles are a part of the casual work environment. Desks can be made from a surfboard, the bed of a truck, an old door, and the wing of a plane. It doesn’t matter what your desk is created from, as long as it works for you.

THE TABLE TOPS

In the past, HP engineers were encouraged to leave prototypes and projects-in-progress on their desk with a pad of paper on top. This way other engineers could see what was being worked on and write down their ideas or insights to the inventions.

Years ago there was a study done and it was discovered that CEO’s who liked to leave everything out actually were more successful than their counterparts who preferred to put everything away at the end of the day. At a video production company in San Diego, the creative department only had one filing cabinet (and it was painted purple with yellow flowers). Instead, the walls were lined with cork to pin things. There were tons of table tops to pile papers on and cubby holes for a lot of the loose stuff.

THE NEW MOBILE OFFICE

The term “workplace” is now a loose one. It can be a trailer, plane, train or automobile, or a boat. People are taking working from home to a whole new level. Go to any coffee house or cafe and you will see so many people working in almost looks like an office. In fact, the office of the future will be a communal one. A place to plug in and work whenever you are “in”. Working at this adjustable and modular pod will be a rarity since most people will prefer to work from home, or a home away from home.

IT’S REALLY UP TO YOU.

The physical workspace is one of the most ignored. None of the ideas mentioned here will apply to every company, but most companies could stand to improve a little. It doesn’t have to cost a lot of money but it does take a little creativity and courage.

Does it seem strange to turn a meeting room table into a ping pong table? Would it be weird to have to ride a slide to get into a room? Would meetings on the roof and in the fresh air be asking too much? All these things are a reality at Red Bull’s corporate offices. Your office should be a reflection of who you are and who you want to be. It can be both comfortable and professional. It can be weird and still work. It’s really up to you.

Finding a way to maximize creative potential is one of the most pressing problems in corporations. Knowing what makes one team more creative than another is an important first step.

Life is the movie you see through your own eyes. It makes little difference what's happening out there. It's how you take it that counts.

The few who do are the envy of the many who only watch.