Cooperation or competition

Would you describe your work environment as a place that focuses on collaboration or competition?

Either of those scenarios on its own can be a barrier to creativeness.

If high cooperation is the case, then a person might have to conform or please others in order to “fit in”. This means they might have to tone down their creative ideas. Ask yourself: are you driving away the talented employees?  

On the other hand, if competitiveness is overemphasized then people might consider “beating somebody else to it” rather than finding good creative solutions. Ask yourself: Does the lone inventor even exist in this universe? Can we ever find unique and un-thought-of idea?  

In the Arabic culture we emphasize the saying: “The best options are on the middle path” (loosely translated ofcourse). And here is no exception. Find your place on the continuum and continue to connect the others to share ideas and compete to benefit the group as a whole.