One thing I’ve observed in my recent photography class: in a group of people who don’t know each other well, most people need permission to be creative.
When a photography assignment is given a set of certain restraints or rules, if just one person goes to the edge of those rules—trying to interpret them creatively—on the next assignment, nearly all of the class will seek those edges.
So, for leaders trying to encourage creativity? Seek out the rule breakers and put them on your creative team. Let them give others “permission by example. “