In my 40+ years of experience as CEO of an industrial design firm, I have learned that the areas of employee training most in need of improvement are creative thinking and problem-solving. While creativity may not be a cornerstone consideration in corporate employee culture, it can be responsible for not only an explosion of productivity but also an informed vision that creates pivot points with which to achieve unprecedented success.

We live in a society that increasingly undervalues creativity. Far from teaching critical thought and creativity in schools, we instead look to mechanized ways of solving problems that sever the human totality of spirit, intellect, and imagination. Our education system then produces singularly focused degree-seekers, specializing in knowledge untranslatable primarily to the context in which it is meant to be utilized. This, in turn, translates poorly within the interdisciplinary need for communication and innovation in the workplace. In reality, a company must be a well-oiled machine that efficiently fulfills its multidisciplinary needs, primed with the lubricant of innovation and creative problem-solving.

In drawing upon my work to create innovations in over 20 market categories ranging from biomedical equipment to fragrance products—and in directing my employees to achieve unprecedented levels of innovation in so doing—I offer the following three tips for training employees to act more creatively in response to a company’s needs as well as to the needs of individual employees.

Tip 1: Access employees’ dormant creative power with the motivation of belief

To empower your employees substantially, they must be made to believe that what they’re doing has the ability to affect positive change. They must be taught to conquer self-doubt by fortifying collective vision and belief—a process discussed in my book Conquering the Chaos of Creativity and its spiritual descendent Inspirations of Creativity. This process generates bravery as a natural byproduct, spurring further creativity and positive belief that overpower the challenges and negative thinking bound to emerge as the company evolves.

As expressed in both CCC and Inspirations, “The future of innovation and creative revolution belongs to those who believe in their idealistic dreams and have the faith needed to follow them.” Whatever a company believes is what it can achieve if its workforce is resolute in its belief.

Tip 2: Teach creative problem-solving methods and make them the standard

Many companies are skilled at identifying problems, but far fewer are adept at solving them. Employees must be trained to expand their problem awareness by, as a fundamental effort, transforming chaos and confusion into a comprehensive and aware problem statement, the process for which is discussed in CCC and Inspirations. This is achieved by surrounding the problem with questions and organizing them in a hierarchy, taking care not to lose patience or perspective, as this is often an ongoing cycle that can take weeks or even years. Employee training is thus crucial in this regard, as a culture of sustained and committed problem-solving is absolutely invaluable.

Tip 3: Make management highly attuned to the methods described in tips 1 and 2

Improvements to employee culture are superficial at best if management is neither equipped to handle nor aligned with the emerging importance of creativity and problem-solving. Management should be trained regarding pinnacle vision and visionary leadership, both concepts of which are discussed in CCC and Inspirations. These and other related creative processes—precipitated by a commitment to seeing oneself as creative that can be achieved through training—are meant to be an evolving ecology that is substantiated on a monthly basis.

Inspirations of Creativity are particularly helpful in achieving a fundamental understanding of how to maintain creative energy in a way that sustains leadership and supports employee culture. Its easily accessible quotes on creativity can be visited and revisited on a whim, the inspiration of creativity never far from one’s grasp.

There are no unimportant projects—only uninspired employees. It is my hope that these tips can inspire regenerative thinking in your workplace, creating a progressive impact on multiple fronts. As expressed in my books, “When you believe what you are working on is the most important thing in the world, you unlock your vast potential, opening the door to revolutionary change.”