Your employees are more likely to be creative, energetic and innovative when they have some sort of inspiration. Maybe something to get them into the right frame of mind, maybe something to spark some specific ideas about visuals or textures or sound, inspiration can be a starting point, or a nudge in a particular direction. Part of your role as a leader is to create an environment where inspiration can happen…you cannot always BE the inspiration, but you can help your employees find it.

We often think of inspiration coming from positive sources…something noticed on the street, an overheard remark, your employees’ inner passions. This is a big part of why you should create a work environment that allows these things to come through, whether it be by keeping things casual, or allowing your employees some flexibility in dress or work location, or creating a workspace that encourages discussion and collaboration.

But does every inspiration need to come from something positive?

Probably not. In fact, inspiration that sparks innovation could come from the lack of something as easily as it can come from the presence of something.

If you look at how the government works, you rarely see policies being developed out of the blue. Instead, they are presented as solutions to a problem. Drug research and medical advancements do not happen because people are healthy, they occur to fix something that is wrong. Your employees may be inspired by something they do not like as much as by something they do. If you see a videogame with bad graphics or a dumb storyline you may be inspired to create something better. Receiving poor customer service in a shop can lead us to think about how we can serve customers better in our own job. Those design shows you see on TV? They do not exist because people are happy with the way their living rooms look. Help your employees understand where their positive contribution can help correct something negative.

Necessity, they say, is the mother of invention. Just as they can be inspired by something they see, your employees can also be inspired by something they don’t. Not every “negative” inspiration comes from something being done badly; it may come from something not being done at all. A gap, an empty space, something that should be there but isn’t, can lead your employees to fill that gap. Your role is to help them see the gaps around them. Encourage questions and study and discussion. Give them time to turn away from the tasks you have given them and let them pursue some interests of their own, because wherever their passions lie, that’s where they have the best chance of noticing that something seems a bit off, a bit empty. Encourage them to get away from their desk or their computer and see what else is out there…and, more importantly, what isn’t.

You cannot lead your employees around by the hand. If you need to do that, then they maybe they should not be your employees. What you should be doing, though, is creating opportunities for them to explore the world to see what creates the need for innovation. Make sure they know not to just look for the obvious stuff jumping out in front of them. Instead, encourage them to look at sources that others might not see…that’s the best way for you to get an original result from them.