In the quest to build a thriving workplace, the role of leadership in fostering an environment where ideas flow freely has never been more critical. This article taps into the wisdom of industry leaders to explore actionable strategies that can unlock the creative potential of teams. Discover how to create a culture of creativity where psychological safety, innovative thinking, and embracing risks are part of the daily fabric.
- Cultivate Psychological Safety
- Encourage Worst Idea Brainstorming
- Model Vulnerability and Invite Input
- Make Room for Innovation
- Showcase Innovation from the Top
- Embrace Messiness and Risk-Taking
Cultivate Psychological Safety
A leader creates a culture that fosters creativity by cultivating psychological safety, encouraging curiosity, and embracing diverse perspectives. When leaders establish an environment where team members feel valued and heard, innovation thrives.
One key element is psychological safety—the confidence that sharing an idea won’t lead to embarrassment or punishment. Leaders can build this by modeling vulnerability, welcoming all ideas, even unconventional ones, and reframing mistakes as learning opportunities. In my Creative Leadership programs, we emphasize curiosity, creative thinking and collaborative mindsets. And we teach frameworks like LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® method and tools of Creative Problem Solving to help teams unlock new ways of thinking through creative yet practical approaches.
Encouraging curiosity is another essential factor. Leaders who ask open-ended questions, challenge assumptions, and make space for experimentation empower their teams to think beyond the obvious. Creativity flourishes when people feel safe exploring possibilities without fear of failure.
A great example of this is when I worked with a leader who regularly started meetings by asking, “What’s one idea you’ve been thinking about?” There was no pressure—just genuine curiosity. I remember feeling confident sharing an unconventional approach to problem-solving because I knew my perspective would be met with interest, not immediate critique. That moment reinforced how leaders shape creative cultures—not by demanding innovation, but by creating the conditions for it to emerge naturally.
Ultimately, leaders foster creativity by making it safe to speak up, rewarding curiosity, and encouraging team members to think differently. When people feel supported, they contribute ideas that can lead to real breakthroughs.
Van Lai
Founder|CEO| Author, What if Pigs Can Fly? a Practical Guide to Follow Your Curiosities, worksmart Advantage
Encourage Worst Idea Brainstorming
Creativity dies when people fear judgment or feel unheard. In a fast-moving software development environment, we’ve seen that the best ideas come from open discussions—not just from senior leaders but from developers, designers, and project managers alike.
One way we encourage this is through “worst idea” brainstorming. Instead of asking, “Who has a great idea?”—which can make people hesitate—we ask, “What’s a bad idea we can improve?” This removes pressure, gets everyone talking, and often leads to unexpected solutions. Some of our most successful process improvements started as “bad” ideas.
But fostering creativity isn’t just about meetings; it’s about follow-through. If someone shares an idea and never hears about it again, they’ll stop contributing. We make sure to acknowledge every idea, refine it together, and track its progress. Even if we can’t use it now, we save it for later.
I once worked under a leader who always responded with, “Tell me more.” That small habit encouraged deeper discussion. Now, we use the same approach, and it’s changed how our team collaborates. When people know their ideas are valued, they share more, and that’s when real innovation happens.
Vikrant Bhalodia
Head of Marketing & People Ops, WeblineIndia
Model Vulnerability and Invite Input
A leader can create a creative, open culture by modeling vulnerability and inviting input. When you see your leader genuinely curious about different perspectives—asking questions, actively listening, and giving constructive feedback—it sets the stage for everyone to share without fear of judgment. I’ve seen this in action when our head of marketing instituted regular “idea jams,” where no suggestion was too out there. Making it clear that every idea was valued, even if it wasn’t immediately implemented, helped break down the barriers to creativity.
I remember one particular session where our leader encouraged us to brainstorm a new campaign strategy. I was initially hesitant to share an unconventional idea, but their genuine enthusiasm for exploring fresh perspectives made me feel safe and heard. The openness of that environment boosted my confidence and led to a creative solution that we later refined and implemented. It was a powerful reminder that when leaders create a space where risk-taking is welcomed, it sparks innovation and a true sense of collective ownership over the work.
Kristin Marquet
Founder & Creative Director, Marquet Media
Make Room for Innovation
The simple answer is actively making room for it and actively nurturing it. In all of my roles at Google and Meta, as a leader I created an environment of possibility to innovate or create new ways of doing things. Everyone on the team was on an equal footing for creative input and was given the opportunity to bring any ideas (no matter how wild) to the table. This was something my previous manager had demonstrated to me in the way they set up the team. I soon learned giving your team the permission to be awesome is a subtle but transformative thing. And it would become my way of leading forever.
Of course, formal channels like innovation and creativity awards can be particularly effective, especially if there is a “prize” attached. That doesn’t necessarily have to be monetary, but could be as simple as access and visibility in front of decision makers and senior leaders.
In my time at Google I created the “Brave Penguin” award, which honored the team member who took the biggest innovative plunge into the unknown (much like a penguin on an ice floe who dares to be the first to dive into the waters and seek out the firmer footing just beyond them). In many cases it led to greater things for those team members because their confidence grew and their ideas became bolder.
With those kinds of open structures that invite new ideas, you can build a team where creativity is a key part of their experience.
Kalle Ryan
Founder, Poetic
Showcase Innovation from the Top
The best way to create an environment where people feel comfortable taking risks, sharing ideas, and being innovative is for that to be showcased top-down. The most senior people at the company need to be vocal with sharing examples of what they consider innovative, allow team members to share ideas, and more. Some of the best examples I’ve seen from leadership are when senior leaders speak last. That way, no one knows what they’re thinking, so they aren’t blindly agreeing to win brownie points.
Nicole Martins Ferreira
Product Marketing Manager, Huntr
Embrace Messiness and Risk-Taking
As a leader myself, I think the best way to cultivate creativity is to embrace the messiness that accompanies it. Organizations too often think that creativity has to be tidy, with things in their proper places. From what I have experienced, real innovation happens when individuals are permitted to test, fail, and learn. That is why I have taken a habit of encouraging my staff to take risks, and I tell them it’s okay if things don’t always turn out the way they’re supposed to. I don’t want perfection, I want creative ideas that can challenge the norms. I also make sure to share the “why” behind our work, so everyone can see the fruit of their labor.
One thing I’ve done recently is invite team members to help shape our company strategy, not just the day-to-day tasks. Giving people a voice in big decisions—especially when it’s outside their usual role—creates a real sense of ownership. It’s a bit unconventional, but it’s worked. People feel more invested, and they’re more open to contributing their ideas because they know they’re part of something that’s steadily growing and changing.
When your team gets to feel like they own their own piece of the puzzle, they’re going to think outside the box and challenge limits so much more. And that’s how we continue to expand.
Vasilii Kiselev
CEO & Co-Founder, Legacy Online School
