An organization’s ability to evolve and prosper is directly related to its capacity to think creatively. In fact, an overwhelming majority of executives credit gains in revenue, market share and category leadership to their company’s ability to approach opportunities and challenges from a fresh angle. Even so, almost just as many worry that companies are not as creative as they should be.

How can today’s companies cultivate the type of cultural conditions that spark and spread creativity? How can employee recognition programs help?

In this month’s Performance Perspective we explore:

• Getting employees to focus on the means of their objectives (and not just the ends)
• Encouraging and rewarding experimentation
• Promoting cross-company pollination