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Bad Habit Slimdown, Week 11: Idea Dependency

imagineBy J. Mason
Online Career Tips Editor

Being an idea generator at work can be a great personal commodity. Even when you’re not in a creative field sometimes there will be a need for creative problem solving. Coming up with a solution involves some higher cognitive thinking that otherwise redundant tasks would not need. What about when there is a colleague that you rely on for this type of information, most of the time? Even if the “oracle for ideas” doesn’t mind being a constant resource it could be holding you back and stifling your creativity.

This could be a difficult habit to break. Having a go-to for ideas at work is a crutch, but with their help it can make you feel like you’re being productive. One of the easiest ways to break the dependency is by being more selective in your requests. If you’re in a position of power where the authority is within your hands to come up with a concept then do it. Writer’s block is a similar sensation. Having the inability to finish an article or book because of a mental block. Try coming up with a list of questions related to the project and try answering them. Use the answers to seed ideas for the project. You can start with your leads there, or you can collaborate with someone new.

The goal here is to try and be original. Save the inquiries for the more complicated tasks that involve more man power, and brain power. Keep a running list of where your “oracle” has helped you and make sure to thank them and give some type of credit each time.

How did you do with our last bad habit, abusing the BCC? While it may be tempting to cloak other colleagues when an email infuriates you it doesn’t mean it’s the most professional way to handle things.

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