A colleague generates only a few uses for a paperclip in one minute. Given concrete prompts like how a clown or thief would use it, she produces dozens of ideas. Leaders who offer specific guidance unlock their team's creativity.
Here's an experiment you can do to elevate your leadership. Grab a colleague and grab a paperclip. Give that colleague as much time as they want, but I wouldn't do more than a minute, to give you as many unique ideas on how to use a paperclip. Then in the second experiment, the same colleague, give them simple prompts. Say, "Give me your ideas of how a clown would use this. How would a thief use this? How would my grandmother use this?" And you'll notice when given prompts, they have an explosion of ideas. Great leaders give basic prompts, basic guidance, and it elevates the team.
