#4 in a series of leadership questions, @MichaelHyatt gives 4 ways he encourages creative thinking. I don’t know that they are in order of priority, but I would venture to guess that holding your tongue is the first recommendation for a reason…

1. Hold my own counsel. I might see the solution more quickly or be tempted to cut to the chase. The problem is that this inhibits everyone else’s creativity.
2. Enlist outside resources. If you aren’t constantly refilling the creative pool, it will eventually run dry.
3. Affirm creative thinking. If I want more innovative thinking, I have to notice it and publicly affirm it.
4. Create a safe environment. If people don’t feel safe, they will only parrot your ideas.

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Michael Hyatt is the Chief Executive Officer of Thomas Nelson Publishers, the largest Christian publishing company in the world and the seventh largest trade book publishing company in the U.S.