10 Top Approaches for Getting Unstuck

Are you tired of hearing the same ideas in every meeting? Do you feel like you and your team lack inspiration and creativity? It’s common for teams to get stuck, especially if they keep working with the same people, interacting with the same data, and fall into a regular script in conversations. Fortunately, there are several approaches for getting unstuck.

10 Approaches for Getting Unstuck

1. Identify and fix obvious problems

Taking time to evaluate your team will help you diagnose any existing problems. Talk with other team members and seek their opinion and input. Go back to a time when you and the team were most innovative. What was different then? Was it the group dynamic, or did your organization provide a conducive working environment that encouraged people to come up with and share their best ideas? You may have to get creative depending on the circumstances.

Identify what changed and work towards recreating the team dynamics or working environment.

2. Avoid common decision-making biases

Even though there are several decision-making processes for every situation, your brain tends to take shortcuts to evaluate all the information you have access to and make decisions. While these shortcuts are sometimes helpful, they can also lead to terrible choices. Being aware of these mental biases when making crucial decisions can help you get unstuck. Some common decision-making biases include: confirmation bias, halo effect, survivorship bias, and anchoring bias. 

3. Delegate

Many leaders struggle with delegation even though they recognize its importance. According to a 2015 study carried out by Gallup among 143 CEOs of Inc. 500, organizations led by decision-makers who delegate effectively generate more revenue, experience faster growth, and create more jobs. Additionally, assigning decision-making responsibility to other team members improves morale, productivity, and commitment, creating a strong organizational culture. 

4. Welcome different points of view

Sometimes decision-makers get stuck because they listen to the same newscasts, read the same magazines and papers, hang out with the same people or get their news from the same sources. Leaders with these habits often miss out on great ideas.

Surprisingly, you do not have to go out of your way to get different perspectives and points of view. For example, you can visit another organization in a different industry or invite team members from other departments in your organization to offer ideas and suggestions to your team. 

5. Focus your team’s attention

While holding open brainstorming sessions with your team to generate hundreds of new ideas might seem like a great plan, it is often inefficient and ineffective. Instead of getting actionable ideas and plans, you can end up with a heap of irrelevant information. To get unstuck, ensure your team works towards solving a narrow problem. Define clearly the expected outcome so your team can focus their attention on reaching the goal. 

6. Seek help

Many decision-makers are stuck because they have no one to share their thoughts with. They lead in isolation and suffer in silence when things are not going their way. As a leader, you should make a habit of surrounding yourself with sound advice and great counsel. You can start by sharing your concerns with those closest to you and ask them about your shortcomings. Additionally, you can seek out professional advice and counsel from a professional coach and mentor. 

Since a professional coach or mentor is independent of your business and not from within your social network, they do not have a preconceived idea of who you are or what you should be doing. Therefore, they offer you a unique perspective, support, and non-judgemental, unconditional regard and feedback.

7. Act on ideas

Regardless of how good an idea is, it is useless if you do not act on it. Teams get stuck when brainstorming sessions lead to nothing. As a result, members become cynical. A leader should commit to pushing the organization forward through innovation. They can do this by setting aside resources for rough prototypes and simulations or allowing team members time off, enabling them to focus on new projects. 

8. Help your team overcome fear of failure

Are you wondering why you are stuck despite having brilliant and creative minds within your team? Many team members have great ideas but are afraid to share them because they think they are not good enough. Leaders should create a safe and conducive environment to allow team members to share ideas and promote learning. 

9. Squash perfectionism

Leaders often get stuck because they overthink the smallest things in an attempt to be perfect. Leaders who suffer from anxiety find themselves weighing up several options and debating about each’s merits even when making simple decisions. This can rob them of valuable time and make them lose sight of their main goal. 

Instead of striving for perfection, decision-makers should embrace their best efforts and move forward by completing their projects. It is important to remember that done is better than perfect.  

10. Avoid the word “innovation”

While the word innovation can get the creative juices flowing in some organizations, it can have little to no effect in others. In most organizations, the word has been watered down and lost its true meaning. Since saying it to your team members is likely to draw a vague stare, be specific and craft a language that is meaningful to them.  

We can help

All leaders and their organizations get stuck from time to time. However, good leaders stand out because of their ability to get unstuck and move their organizations forward. A professional coach can help you evaluate your situation to identify why and where you are stuck and offer approaches for getting unstuck. If you are stuck and looking for professional help, contact the ArtScience Group.