9 Ways Bosses Kill Creativity

I've worked for enough large organizations to see first hand how office politics and bureaucracy can kill creativity in its tracks.

Only a sick and demented person would want to suck the color out of a rainbow, yet employers are doing it every single day.

Today's post is short and sweet; surefire ways that bosses kill employee creativity:

- Add as many steps to the approval process as possible.

- Have everyone and their mother, irrespective of skill and experience, critique a project.

- Do not give praise and/or credit for a concept, idea, or completed project.

- Make changes for the sake of making changes (see comic below)

- Hold long meetings

- Require incessant status reports

- Reward longevity instead of ideas and measured success

- Rush every project

- Be inconsistent with your requirements 

Comments

[Lew Sauder]

You may have opened a Pandora's Box with this one. I've seen each of these tactics performed and they have successfully stifled productivity and morale.
One other that I would add is to measure people on the hours they work rather than their productivity.
Lew Sauder, Author, Consulting 101: 101 Tips For Success in Consulting (www.Consulting101Book.com)

[Jennifer Short]

In my experience with a major retailer, this article rings true. Instead of praise, they constantly focus on the negatives. While I see the value of telling someone which mistakes("missed opportunities") have been made so they can learn and correct them, I truly believe there should be praise for something done right as well. Nobody expects to be patted on the back incessently, but they certainly don't want to be beaten down either. How can anyone flourish in an all negative environment where nothing they do is ever good enough?