Most creative breakthroughs begin with ideas that sound odd at first. People put forward conventional, safe, serious ideas because they think that is what is expected of them at work. Leaders have to make their expectations clear.
I sent a brochure about a marketing seminar to a manager I knew. I'd seen this presentation and it was directly relevant to his industry, so I was confident in recommending it. A week later I happened to see the manager, and asked if he was going to send any of his people to the seminar. He said no, he wasn't. Curious, I asked why not. I thought he would say that they were all too busy to go, or that they had no budget left. His response was revealing. He said "They might come back with some funny ideas".
Why did this manager feel threatened by "funny ideas"? That's where great ideas are found. His firm employs very bright, educated people who are trained to think for themselves. Why wouldn't he expose them to new approaches to marketing? He wanted them to do it his way. He felt the need for control.
There is a tension between traditional management (which is about control), and leading for innovation (which is about freedom). Managers will say they want new ideas, but often they are just paying lip service.
People look to the leader for clues as to the "right" way to behave. They offer "safe" ideas which they think will gain the approval of others. Ask them instead to "be creative" with their suggestions. Research shows that people are more likely to produce unusual, useful ideas if they are given instructions to be creative, than if they are asked, for example, to "do their best"*. Asking them to be creative focuses their attention on being creative (rather than, say, pragmatic, or quick).
Funny ideas are fuel for the cauldron of innovation.
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